Phenom 300 Takes To Skies Earlier Than Forecast
Embraer's Phenom 300 successfully took to the air on its maiden
flight Tuesday from the company’s Gavião Peixoto test
runway. In the coming months, the first Phenom 300, serial number
99801, will participate in the flight test campaign along with
three additional Phenom 300 jets. It is expected to enter service
in the second semester of 2009.
"This first flight of the Phenom 300 executive jet is a very
special and historic moment for all of us at Embraer, and I
congratulate every Embraer employee for making this possible," said
Frederico Fleury Curado, Embraer President and CEO. "We unveiled
the Phenom jets nearly three years ago, making a clear statement to
the business aviation community of our commitment to becoming a
long-term player in the executive aviation market. The first flight
of the Phenom 300 further confirms our determination and is another
solid step in Embraer’s strategy to offer its customers a
product line that fully meets increasingly demanding customer
expectations."
The aircraft’s entirely digital development process, as
well as the total commitment of the teams involved in the program,
allowed moving up this flight, which had originally been scheduled
for mid-year.
"We are thrilled with the Phenom 300’s successful first
flight, which gives us great confidence for the upcoming program
milestones," said Luís Carlos Affonso, Embraer Executive
Vice President, Executive Jets. "The Phenom 300 will deliver an
unequalled travel experience with the highest level of comfort and
performance in the light jet category."
During the one hour and twenty-two minute flight, Captain John
Sevalho Corção and Embraer Chief Pilot Eduardo Alves
Menini -- who also was a crew member of the first flight of the
Phenom 100 -- were accompanied by flight test engineer Jens Peter
Theodor Geiger Wentz. The crew put the plane through a number of
maneuvers, checking the aircraft’s flight characteristics and
the operation of its systems. Simultaneously, the engineering teams
involved in the Phenom 300 flight test campaign were analyzing
flight data transmitted in real time and supporting the flight test
crew from the ground.
"The crew is honored to have participated in this important
event, representing the great work of hundreds of people whom we
congratulate," said Capt. Corção. "The quality of the
Phenom 300 design and onboard high technology provided a very
smooth and pleasant flight, increasing the thrill of flying the
aircraft for the first time."
On a schedule similar to that of the Phenom 100 very-light-jet,
three Phenom 300 jets will spend approximately 1,400 hours in the
certification program, and a fourth aircraft will be dedicated to
the maturity campaign. The tests to be conducted with the 99801
aircraft will focus on performance and defining the aerodynamic
configuration. Other tests, such as those dealing with systems
functions and reliability, vibrations on the ground, flying
qualities, flutter, water spray, single-point refueling system, and
so on, will be shared by the first three test aircraft.