Embraer Wins Triple Certification for Phenom 300EV Light Jet

Embraer Executive Jets has secured type certification from three major aviation authorities for its latest light business jet, the Phenom 300EV. The approvals were granted by the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA), and Brazil’s National Civil Aviation Agency (ANAC). This milestone clears the way for the aircraft to enter service, though the manufacturer does not anticipate beginning deliveries until 2028.

The Phenom 300EV represents the third iteration of the Phenom 300 series and is distinguished as the first light jet to be certified with Garmin’s emergency Autoland system. This technology is designed to automatically land the aircraft without pilot input in the event of pilot incapacitation. While currently available on various turboprops and ultra-light jets, such as the HondaJet Elite II and Daher TBM 980, this is the first instance of the system being certified on a business jet of this size.

Beyond the Autoland capability, the airframer has integrated additional safety and avionics upgrades into the 300EV. The jet features a Multi-Purpose Electronic Controller that combines an autobrake system with a rudder-by-wire function, intended to reduce pilot workload. Other enhancements include Garmin’s 3D taxiway routing, runway occupancy awareness tools, and a synthetic vision guidance system.

The aircraft maintains the twin Pratt & Whitney Canada PW353E1 turbofans and the Garmin 3000 Prodigy Touch avionics suite found in the previous generation. However, the 300EV offers a slight increase in range, now listed at 2,055 nautical miles (3,806 km), compared to the 2,010 nm range of its predecessor. Looking ahead, company leadership has indicated it is evaluating the potential extension of the Autoland system to the smaller Phenom 100 model.

In the broader business aviation market, competitors like Textron Inc., which owns the Cessna and Beechcraft brands through its Textron Aviation segment, continue to develop their own next-generation light jets. Textron currently trades with a market capitalization of approximately $15.06 billion.

What to watch

• Embraer’s guidance regarding the production ramp-up and initial delivery timeline in 2028.
• Market adoption of the Autoland system in the light jet segment versus competitors.
• Textron’s development progress on the still-to-be-certificated Cessna Citation CJ4 Gen3.

Source: original release