What’s The Difference Between The Embraer Phenom 300 & The 300E?

Summary

Embraer’s Phenom 300E is the most actively used business jet in the United States, outperforming its competition.
It has undergone two upgrades, with the latest version offering enhanced performance, speed, and comfort.
The Phenom 300E is powered by the Pratt & Whitney PW535E1 engine and has a maximum range of 2,010 nautical miles.

Since the introduction of the Embraer Phenom 100 in the late 2000s, together with its larger brother, the Phenom 300, the Brazilian-made business jets have captured the market like no other private jets have.

But most of the legwork has been done by the Phenom 300, which has become the most popular private jet in the United States, especially its upgraded derivative, the Phenom 300E. That, in part, answers the question of what are the differences between the Phenom 300 and Phenom 300E since the latter is an upgraded version of the former.

The aircraft’s range, speed, and single-pilot operations have allowed the Phenom 300 family to become one of the best-selling Embraer business aircraft. The company has also highlighted the jet’s takeoff performance, especially in difficult operating conditions, as another advantage of the type.

An Embraer Phenom 300E parked on the airport apron.

What Has Made The Embraer Phenom 300 So Popular In The USA?

The Embraer Phenom 300E has become the most actively used business jet in the United States.

Outperforming the competition

Embraer delivered the first-ever Phenom 300 in 2008, the same year the smaller version of the jet, Phenom 100, was delivered to its first customer. While one can only assume that the Brazilian manufacturer hoped for the Phenom 300 to be a very competitive aircraft against other light jets, the larger Phenom jet has taken over the market segment by storm.

An Embraer EMB-505 Phenom 300 Flying in the sky.

Photo: InsectWorld | Shutterstock

According to a brochure by Flight Options, a company that offers various ways to fly privately, the Phenom 300 has outperformed both light and many mid-size jets, integrating exceptional performance, unmatched baggage space, and spacious comfort for its passengers.

The Phenom 300 had a passenger capacity of up to seven, with the jet being 51 feet and four inches long (15.6 meters), 52 ft 2 in wide (15.9 m), and 16 ft 9 in high (5.1 m), while the cabin measures 17 ft 2 in (5.2 m) in length, 5 ft 1 in (1.5 m) in width, and 4 ft 11 in (1.49 m) in height. Pratt & Whitney supplied the PW535E engine for the light jet.

An Embraer Phenom 300 just after take off.

Light Business Jets: A Brief Guide To The Embraer Phenom Series

There are two main variants of the Phenom.

Upgraded twice

However, Embraer upgraded the Phenom 300 twice. The manufacturer announced the Phenom 300E, with the E standing for ‘Enhanced,’ at the Business Aviation Convention & Exhibition (NBAA-BACE) in 2017. The update introduced some performance and comfort enhancements, with the initial Phenom 300E featuring the same PW535E engine.

The Brazilian manufacturer took a step further and introduced an even better version of the Phenom 300E in January 2020. At the time, Embraer announced that the Phenom 300E was the first single-pilot jet to reach a speed of Mach 0.80, offering even more speed for its customers.

An Embraer Phenom 300E parked near a hangar.

Photo: Embraer

Other upgrades included an even quieter cabin, a more spacious cockpit, and a new premium interior option, marketed as the ‘Bosa Nova.’ Furthermore, the manufacturer also upgraded the private jet’s avionics with multiple safety enhancements.

Now, the Phenom 300E is powered by the Pratt & Whitney PW535E1 and has the capacity to seat between six and ten passengers in its cabin. The cabin’s length has remained the same as did the external dimensions of the aircraft. The current maximum range of the Phenom 300E is 2,010 nautical miles (3,722 kilometers) with five passengers and minimal fuel reserves.