Embraer Phenom 100 Review

Last update: February 29, 2008 (Public Version)

 

 

 

I visited the Embraer factory in SBGP on February 13, 2008. In touring the recently completed factory, I was able to examine in detail three out of the four P100’s currently in existence. Due to the certification schedule and risks, I was unable to fly in the fourth plane, which was on a test regimen that day.

 

So this review is based on a ground examination only, plus extensive discussions with the Embraer engineering and marketing staff in Sao Jose dos Campos, Brazil.

 

While Embraer is subtle to admit it, the Phenom 100 is targeted primarily at the Air Taxi market more so than the individual owner / operator. For air taxis, the three key factors are minimizing deadheads, improving dispatch rates and reducing operating costs. Embraer engineered the P100 for 1,800-2,000 hours per year of usage in an air taxi operation, which is huge and unrealistic for this category of plane. That kind of dispatch rate requires a lot of redundancy, ease of maintenance and allowance of some pilot performed field swaps. The overall design life is 35,000 cycles (takeoff, hour long flight & landing). I believe that Embraer will come close to achieving these goals, at a price. The price is heavier weight and an exterior with slightly more drag, which effectively increases operating expense.

 

External Walkaround

 

On the ramp, the Phenom and Mustang look quite similar with a very pleasant ramp presence. The colors and styling of the P100 are more dramatic, with flaring orange swirls and a dark tail. Upon closer inspection, the P100 is about a foot taller. We started at the door, and worked our way back toward the tail, the right wing and then around the front.

 

The PW617F configuration is almost identical to the Mustang’s PW615F. The oil level inspection is about a foot above eye level so you have to reach up to add oil. Not a big deal but a little less convenient than the Mustang. The fuel filter bypass is readily accessible. No Prist is required as there is there an oil-fuel heat exchanger. If an owner/operator is using the plane only 200 or so hrs / year, adding Prist as a fungicide is still a good idea. The bleed air destined for the cabin is cooled by a vent on the tail. The pylon is flat and smooth unlike the vented pylon on the Mustang.

 

There is a drop down, easy to use rudder gust lock under the tail. Like the Mustang, in case you forget to remove it prior to taxi, it will be automatically reset when you move the yoke. The elevators and ailerons are locked mechanically in the cockpit.

 

There are two batteries, which offer better redundancy and hot start avoidance than the single battery in the Mustang. One battery is located behind a separate door below the right engine. The other is located in the forward baggage compartment. Both have quick disconnect knobs. Switching batteries is automatic so you don’t have to worry about which one will power the avionics and which one will be used for engine start.

The Wing

 

The trailing edge of the wing is tapered unlike the straight trailing edge of the Mustang. The Phenom wing is likely to be a little more efficient at altitude but a little less stable at low speeds. There are no strakes – instead there is a stick pusher. Personally, as low time jet pilot, I prefer a passively stable low speed wing rather than a pusher. Since I haven’t flown the P100, I don’t know what difference this really makes in practice but is again indicative of Embraer’s emphasis on professional pilots while the Mustang is for less experienced newbies. Practicing full stalls would be stopped by the pusher.

 

There are aileron trim tabs on both the left and right sides on these pre-production units. The final configuration will have only a single aileron trim tab on the left side. The flaps have four positions (0, 16, 25, 35). Landings are typically at full flaps. There are three large removable flap inspection panels. Speed brakes will eventually be an option, more for competitive reasons than actual need, and will be located as two panels under the tail. Two fences will be added to the final wing – the samples I saw were only on s/n 000 held on by all purpose duct tape. The fences were added to reduce takeoff distance.

 

Due to overall weight and aerodynamics of the wing, the P100 will most certainly require more runway than the Mustang under all conditions, up to 20% more in hot / high takeoff and 25% more for landing.

Fuselage

 

The nose contains a small baggage compartment, the second battery, optional weather radar, the oxygen tank, and some of the hydraulics. On the right side of the nose are three openings: a NACA port to vent the hydraulic pump, a door to examine the hydraulic gauge, and another door to examine the hydraulic lines.

 

In general, there are many more doors, inspection panels and exposed screws than the Mustang. All of this improves dispatch rates and reduces time for maintenance, but adds a minor drag penalty.

 

There is an electrical relay panel containing circuit breakers in the forward baggage area and another behind the rear lav wall inside the pressure vessel. For maintenance personnel, these are significantly quicker to access than the maintenance breaker panel in the rear baggage area of the Mustang. However, you do lose space and weight in the front baggage area. It’s another example of compromises in design for high dispatch rates.

 

The rear baggage compartment is a large clean box with no unexpected edges. It has none of the twists and turns of the Mustang rear baggage area. However, it’s not possible to fit skis or other long thin items, even though Embraer claims you can put two sets of 1.85m skis in at angle. Sure that may be possible but then only small bags, not your typical large ski duffle will fit in due to the diagonal. (Brazil is not known for skiing.) Overall, the Mustang has almost twice baggage capacity by weight than the P100 (620 vs. 352 lbs). Your needs may vary.

 

There are the expected locks in the typical places, which are standard not Medeco. There are fueling points on both wings, with appreciated locks. The fueling point on the right wing can be used to fill 60% of the total fuel capacity, provided you have time to wait for gravity to crossfill the left tank. In a hurry? Use both fuel points.

 

The GPU port is under the left engine, which is probably more logical than the right side like on the Mustang.

 

The door opens to a full stair like much larger jets. The message is clear – this is a smaller version of a big jet, not a new tiny jet like an Eclipse. Since the P100 is higher off the ground than the Mustang, there are a few more steps. However, I don’t like the door stair. I tried opening and closing it several times on s/n 000 and it was very stiff and heavy to operate. I don’t think my wife would be able to secure it from the outside. The stairs, and possibly the seals will get slushy and dirty from rain and snow. I suspect the maintenance costs will be higher than a simpler door and an inexpensive little step. Embraer said they would look into this and possibly address the stiffness in the future.

 

Let’s go inside.

 

Cabin

 

The cabin will be significantly better than the Mustang, on par or better than the 35% more expensive CJ1+. Embraer made much of the BMW DesignWorks cabin. However, in engineering, the results have not been satisfactory. There have been numerous changes in the seats to improve ergonomics. There are at least six cabin color choices instead of the limited three on the Mustang. Any of the choices seem more stylish than the Mustang’s minivan inspiration.

 

However, the trim is still plastic laminate not real wood veneer over honeycomb. (Apparently, wood veneer is a future option.) I saw the one and only currently built sample of the latest cabin, wrapped in plastic at the interior finishing shop, ready to be installed in s/n 003. The storage cabinet has a rolling front door with lots of storage cubbies inside. Your mileage may vary, but I would prefer a side facing jumpseat rather than the little cubbies. On a jumpseat, you can dump your flight bag, an oversize box or a garment bag. A passenger can hang out just behind the cockpit and have a conversation in flight. Apparently after the first year, the jumpseat will be offered as a factory option. Early position holders may be able to add the seat later by Service Bulletin (price TBD).

 

Embraer plans to offer significantly more options and choices than the Mustang. One of the most attractive, especially for paying passengers is an in-flight entertainment system having everything on the Mustang Wish List and more. It will include a 7” screen mounted in the top of the storage cabinet projecting toward the rear. A “VIP” seat is the rear right seat which has a little control panel for XM channel selection, volume, thermostatically controlled cabin temperature and video / audio input from an iPod. The screen can also optionally display a moving map.

 

The PA / Pilot intercom is significantly improved over the Mustang. Each passenger seat has an intercom station, including LEMO plugs for pilot / passenger dialogue. Passengers can listen to ATC if desired. Each passenger plus the co-pilot have an 110V outlet totaling 700 W, enough for everyone to have a plugged in laptop. Another option is cabin speaker for the sound output, pilot annunciation, including even a planned subwoofer. In case the passengers turn up the sound to distraction, the pilot can turn it down. The headliner is a little short for a dance floor.

 

The seats are undergoing redesign so I was not able to try the final version. The seating arrangement in the mockup was accurate to size if not actual seats and operation. There was a 2.5 inch deep trench down the center which eased moving about.

 

The trench illustrates well the tension between BMW DesignWorks and practical engineers. The trench is 12” wide but tapers to 9” between the seats. There is a pretty lighted logo along the taper. It looks beautiful, with smooth lines. However there is no practical purpose whatsoever for the taper. When negotiating a narrow cabin, 3” of foot room could make a difference. The lights are one extra maintenance and weight item that will likely be removed before the final design.

 

The overall cabin size does feel larger and more open than the Mustang but not dramatically so. All four passenger seats recline, unlike only the two rear facing seats in the Mustang. Sliding the seats is another extra option. Four adults would likely feel moderately but not significantly more comfortable than the Mustang during a three hour leg, which is the practical maximum for both planes. To put it another way it’s like the difference between a great and a good business class, but not the difference between say, first class vs. coach.

 

The mockup has a dry chemical lav in the rear (no sink), with another storage bin. The standard configuration will include a curtain, with an optional more expensive and heavier, sliding solid door. The lav consists of a seat covering a replaceable box with appropriate chemical agents. No idea how much the privilege of using this Field Replaceable Unit will cost.

 

The current design of cabin, while not yet finalized, is superior to the Mustang in almost every facet. It is the major advantage of the P100 over the Mustang.

 

Cockpit

 

I spent some time in the real cockpit of s/n 000, which is close but not precise to the final design. It has the distraction of additional test and emergency equipment. I also noted the layout of s/n 002 and 003, which are closer to the final cut.

 

It’s easy to enter and exit the cockpit. Like the Mustang, it’s much easier than most jets as you swing your legs under the center console. The ram’s horn yoke is attached to the panel rather than taking precious floor space.

 

Generally, some cockpit aspects are better than the Mustang, some are worse – overall I’d call it a draw. I’ll describe it from top to bottom, left to right.

 

The lighting control panel is above the windshield in the headliner, added like an afterthought when space was exhausted in main panel.

 

There is a pilot eyeball alignment area to make sure your seat is adjusted properly.

 

The two center glass windshields are independently electrically heated. The side window is not directly heated at all by can be defogged by cabin air – I wonder if it will ice up at altitude, by freezing the condensation on the inside. Larger Embraer planes successfully use the same design. I know that the small unheated corner of the Mustang window does ice up at altitude.

 

The top center contains a single IESI backup instrument covering attitude, airspeed and altitude. It’s more professional (and expensive) than the Mustang’s three separate backup instruments.

 

The Garmin autopilot is excellent as usual. LOC BC selection is automatic (which previously snagged me in the Mustang in actual conditions).

 

The bulk of the panel is pilot audio panel, pilot PFD, MFD, co-pilot PFD and co-pilot audio panel. All three screens are an identical 12” in size to allow easy swapping and interchange of LCD panels. Since LCDs do fail with regularity, you do not want to be stuck on the ground due to a single LCD failure. Embraer is trying get certification to allow pilots to swap LCD panels in the field. Certification will apparently allow flying with the pilot PFD and the MFD alone. So if the pilot PFD LCD fails, the theory is that you simply move the LCD from the co-pilot PFD and go flying rather than have an AOG issue. The Mustang requires all three screens be operational before flight.

 

Below the PFD/MFD are most of the controls and switches. In order, the blocks are fuel management, hydraulics, icing and heat, gear, Garmin keyboard/keypad, pressurization, and cockpit/cabin environment.

 

On the fuel management block contains the usual fuel pumps and tank to tank transfer. However there are two unusual switches lumped into the same block without much sense: passenger lighting and ELT. The fuel switches are typically never touched by the pilot, unless you’re bored on a long flight and want to keep the tanks in perfect balance. The ELT is for emergency use only, obviously. So why dump the passenger lighting, which is used at least twice per flight in this same block? It’s too easy to hit the wrong switch here. I suggest that the passenger lighting switch be moved into the lighting control area (above the windshield) as it’s logically in the same group.

 

The gear switch is standard, except that there are no dedicated “three in the green” lights. The gear status appears only on the MFD.

 

The Garmin keyboard is one of the improvements over the Mustang. It’s positioned right underneath the MFD, where it is easy to see. The Mustang has the keyboard at the bottom of the center console, so you have a lot of head movement as you look down, press a key, look up to confirm it on the MFD, look down, press another key and so on. One further improvement is planned for the Phenom 300 only, where the keyboard will be slightly enlarged to control the PFD. Most importantly, on the P300 only you can enter VHF frequencies and transponder codes via the keypad instead of the tedious knob turning.

 

Pressurization is also further improved over the Mustang, as the flight plan destination field elevation presets the landing pressurization as it always should have.

 

The cockpit and cabin temperature is thermostatically controlled. No more readjusting in the descent. Current and desired cabin temperature is displayed on the MFD. The air conditioning is probably overkill as it is a 20,000 BTU unit. The a/c can be run on the ground using either a GPU, or the right engine. Simulations predict that it can drop the cabin from 45 dC to around 22 dC in 8 minutes with the shades down.

 

The next level down is the center console including the throttle quadrant and more switches. Above the throttles is a panel containing engine start/stop, fire management, ignition, and the various trim controls.

 

The engines are FADEC. In the case of a hot start, you simply turn the switch from run to stop. The power levers must be at idle to switch off the engine in case the stop switch is turned by mistake. The power levers have no stop to lift over and down. There is no detent below idle. Some transitioning turboprop pilots have pulled the Mustang power levers into beta only to shut off the engines on rollout! While rare, this can’t happen in the P100.

 

There is a single fire bottle with two pressure vessels. The pilot selects which engine will get the one shot extinguisher charge.

 

The throttle quadrant also controls the optional speed brakes, which is a separate switch rather than on the side of the power lever. Might be tricky to hit on rollout though it probably won’t be much use anyway. The speed brake status is on the MFD, like the gear indication, which is more logical than the Mustang’s EICAS message.

 

There is also a “take off” button which does a final check to ensure the flaps, speed brakes, and trims are all set for take off, giving a final audible confirmation. Standard take off requires one to two notches of flaps – there is a special procedure for a no-flap takeoff.

 

In an all too prominent place on the pilot armrest panel is the electrical panel controlling the generators, batteries and bus ties. The armrest panel also has the oxygen system controls and HF radio / Satcom controls. Both the P100 and the P300 will have an optional Satcom datalink.

 

I did not see any side pocket for charts, or other paperwork in these pre-production models. Some pilots may not appreciate the lack of cup holders but I prefer it that way. Embraer promises that both side pockets and cup holders will be coming in the final version.

 

The headset plugs are well done. Standard plugs, plus LEMO (Bose style), plus audio input for an MP3 player. XM audio can be sent to the pilots via the regular headset output so you can listen to Red Sox games en route.

 

The left side of the yoke has thumb buttons for elevator trim, PTT, autopilot on, and autopilot disconnect. I strongly prefer a trigger / index finger style PTT. I suspect there will be lots of bad button pushes here as there is too much grouped for the thumb. The right side of the yoke is a single button for timer start / stop (who really uses timed approaches now?). The co-pilot yoke is the mirror image of button placement. A chart holder clip will be added in the future.

 

The cockpit circuit breakers do not waste a lot space and are neatly placed to the left of the pilot’s leg and to the right of the co-pilot’s leg.

 

Another example of the emphasis for professional pilots is a future option of adding a full cockpit voice recorder (CVR) and flight data recorder (FDR). This is necessary by regulation in certain geographies when the eight seat option is selected (belted side and lav seats).

 

Avionics

 

Embraer worked with Garmin to add several nice improvements to the G1000.

 

The MFD now contains a synoptic view of major systems (environmental / bleed air, gear, deice, etc.) to provide a quick overview and fault notification.

 

Like the Mustang, the MFD cannot preset V speed bugs on the PFD. There is a more stringent certification standard when the computer presets this so pilots on both planes have the more error prone paper method. Like Cessna, Embraer will provide a Windows-based application to calculate these numbers, so you have to manually enter the flight data (weight, runway, elevation, atmospherics) twice and hope you didn’t get it wrong.

 

A really interesting innovation is the Embraer Central Maintenance Computer. This isn’t a computer per se, but rather an application that Embraer contracted Garmin to add to the G1000. The application keeps a detailed log of events for maintenance purposes. It cannot be consulted by pilots in the air – only on the ground. The logs can also be easily downloaded to the G1000 SD cards or sent in real time using the Satcom datalink. FADEC data are not recorded here. However, if you order the optional CVR/FDR, that will capture FADEC data and events.

 

Besides Satcom, another option for datalink is a wifi connection while parked at an FBO. This is significantly cheaper and faster than using the satellite. Besides Maintenance data transfer, I don’t have details of planned services. It’d be great if you could update your Jepp charts wirelessly. We’ll see.

 

Given the plane already has Satcom and wifi, it’d be relatively simple to offer peer to peer wifi in the sky for the cabin, routed through Satcom. This would be significantly cheaper (and lighter) than AirCell, or whatever. Air Taxi passengers would love to check email or surf so it’s a significant selling point. My suggestion was taken “under advisement.”

 

Standard Traffic avoidance is via TIS, which has limited coverage and utility. Instead of Skywatch / IHAS, it is possible to order a more sophisticated TCAS I as an option.

 

Yet another future option is an ADF, which is needed for some European routes.

 

Briefly, the significant improvements in the G1000 implementation are:

• EICAS messages appear prominently on both PFDs all the time rather than low on the MFD. (Mustang EICAS messages appear on the PFD only in reversionary mode).

• Simplified use of the FD button

• Automatic Backcourse selection

• Cruise speed control

• Checklists on the MFD (another Mustang frustration)

• Pressurization preset for destination elevation

• Detailed maintenance logs

 

There are dual FMS computers for redundancy. However this does not allow “what if” scenario or alternate route planning, one of the common G1000 limitations instead of separate 530 or 430 boxes.

 

One of the most intriguing options is a Class II Electronic Flight Bag in a slate / tablet format. This will include:

• Takeoff & landing calculator

• Weight & balance

• Checklists

• Complete electronic AFM/POH

• Optional Jepp charts

• Wi-fi (to the Maintenance Computer as well)

• Link to ship’s GPS for backup moving map, possibly using Jepp FlightDeck. There is no current provision for a Bluetooth GPS.

 

The plan is to have a quick disconnect plug along the co-pilot armrest so it is easy to take with you. Cessna gives their demo pilots a standard tablet computer containing all of the above but does not make it available as a factory option, nor do they provide a quick disconnect port if you go through the trouble of piecing together your own Electronic Flight Bag.

 

Options

The P100 has many more current and planned options than the Mustang. At this stage, before certification, Embraer is actively looking for feedback and suggestions. It’s not clear if all of these options will ultimately become available, as there is significant expense in getting certification for each option especially when demand is hard to predict. Each option adds weight to a plane already coming up a bit heavy. So before you get too excited about the myriad of options I’ve listed, verify if it will actually be available and decide if the weight penalty will be worth it. Consider the overall cost as well as items like the weather radar are standard on the Mustang but an extra cost on the P100.

Certification Status

The schedule from 2006 states certification in the second half of 2008, which could mean December. Given the new US tax legislation, there may be some unhappy customers if they cannot put the plane into service by December 31.

 

Approximately 1200 hrs are required for certification, so that leaves a lot of flying remaining for s/n 0, 1, and 2.

 

The cockpit will have some minor redesigns, including apparently the light panel. This will likely involve a couple of more tweaking iterations.

 

The nice interior is still not finalized, after many seat revisions. It’s one of the major selling points of P100 so it should closer to completion by now.

 

Cessna was able to achieve EASA (European) certification just a few months after FAA certification. EASA certification is planned 6 months after FAA certification in first half of 2009. This explains why four or five European air-taxi startups have all ordered Mustangs – it’s the only EASA certified new light jet. (Eclipse is a long way away, especially which their FADEC problems). Over 50% of Mustangs are sold outside the US.

 

No real world performance data has been measured so far. All the performance data including fuel burns is based on the computer models. If Embraer was a new manufacturer I would be more concerned. Nevertheless, I thought there would be more real world data by this stage.

 

According to what little flight data is available, the plane is beating the expected speed, truing out at about 400 KTAS. However the initial ranges are just barely meeting the published goal of 1160 NM. I expect Embraer will tweak the FADEC settings to improve range and decrease speed slightly. The main problem appears to be weight as the final plane with some common options will be around 10,000 lbs. Any weight over 9,700 lbs will mean a lower thrust to weight ratio than the Mustang impacting runway length, climb rate, fuel burn, endurance and operating cost. There’s always a cost for all the extra options, fancy interior, full lav, extra battery, etc. This is where Cessna’s experience with light jets shows strongly.

 

Phenom 100 Wish List

 

From my factory visit and discussion with a few P100 position holders, these are the items Embraer should address with the P100.

Company, Marketing and Customer Experience:

• Have a US-based delivery, including customs, taxes, FAA registration, etc. It’s too much of a burden to place on a small customer to take care of these things in addition to 5 days of travel to / from Brazil, visas, vaccinations, language barriers, etc. At very least, engage an agent who will seamlessly do all these things as an option for the customer at an additional fee.

• Get pilot / salesmen type rated in the plane so they can talk with greater authority and credibility pilot to pilot.

• Hire the very best, gregarious demo pilots you can. Here’s a secret – they are the ones who really sell the aircraft.

• Rip apart the onerous default purchase contract and use one clean contract that requires little modifications per purchase. It’s too much of a burden to negotiate down every contract for deals this small and just generates extra work for the lawyers. This is a $3.5M purchase, not a fleet sale to a major airline.

• Whoever did the booth at AOPA Expo ’07 should be sent to Siberia. I would have never gone into the dark cave if a friend hadn’t already put down a deposit.

• The three year old mockup has got to go. Green seats? Painted, non-functional cockpit? No working interior additions and cabinets? You are selling cabin comfort but the mockup says you are late and still haven’t figured this out. You’d better get this fixed before Oshkosh ’08 and the summer show season.

• Strongly consider paying for customer travel to/from Brazil. Cessna will send a CJ3 for the right customer. How will you upsell a customer if you don’t give them a taste of what’s beyond the P100? Over time, consider opening a demo office in the central US (like Dallas near the upcoming training facility) and fly prospects there in a P300. When you fly customers around Brazil, especially in summer thunderstorms, do not use a Seneca with no radar or stormscope, lest one day there be an incident that everyone regrets.

• Let pictures be taken in the factory, especially if you’ve signed an NDA and will sharing them only with friends who have also signed NDAs. In general, an informed buyer is a happier buyer.

• Learn quickly how to run a field service organization, including parts inventory, A&P training, hotline for AOG issues. A few horror stories with early owners will significantly hurt your reputation. Cessna will beat you for years while you try to figure this out.

 

Once certified, the P100 will be an interesting alternative to the Mustang. It addresses several of the Mustang limitations including passenger comfort and slightly improved avionics, at a slightly higher acquisition and operating cost. Between three friends, five P100s with options for four more (total 9 planes) have been ordered.