Praetor 500 Exceeds Certification Goals

This week's award of the ANAC type certificate for Embraer's new Praetor 500 midsize business jet has highlighted the aircraft's performance capabilities. Figures achieved during certification flight testing surpassed those established as goals for the program.

Among them was an intercontinental range of 3,340 nm with NBAA IFR reserves and four passengers, a high-speed cruise of 466 ktas, and a payload of 1,600 pounds (726 kg) with full fuel. Demonstrated field performance includes a takeoff distance of 4,222 feet (1,287 meters), a figure that falls to 2,842 feet when fueled for a 1,000-nm flight. Unfactored landing distance is 2,086 feet.

This performance makes the Praetor 500 the fastest and longest-range business aircraft in its class, claims Embraer. The range figures, in particular, are significant, as the aircraft can fly true “corner-to-corner” flights within the United States between, say, Miami and Seattle, or Los Angeles and New York. With a single stop, the Praetor 500 can reach Europe and South America from the U.S. West Coast, while it can fly São Paulo to Paris with one refueling. The aircraft’s good field performance opens up some of the more challenging airfields, such as Angra dos Reis and Jacarepaguá in Brazil.

Other unique features include its fly-by-wire flight control system, as the Praetor 500 is the only aircraft in the midsize class to fully employ this technology. The aircraft also has a best-in-class cabin altitude of 5,800 feet (1,768 meters), which combines with turbulence reduction technology and highly effective sound-proofing to give a comfortable ride for passengers.

The Praetor 500 comes with Honeywell’s Ovation Select cabin management system and up to 16 Mbps airborne connectivity through the Viasat Ka-band satellite communications system, again a unique feature for an aircraft in this class. The flight deck is based on a Collins Aerospace Pro Line Fusion avionics system, with options head-up display with enhanced and synthetic vision systems, and vertical weather display radar.