As if on cue, the Embraer Phenom 100 takes its first flight as Adam folds.  I am looking forward to watching the certification progress of this aircraft. 

 

Dude, the Phenom 100 made its first flight in Brazil in July last year. I know because Embraer made a big deal at Oshkosh and showed the video on a huge TV in Aeroshell Square. What's next? News of Eclipse flying a single-engine prototype?

Dude, I was at SBGP (Gaviao Peixoto - the Phenom plant) yesterday (2/13) and saw s/n 01 taxi out, take the runway, spool up, move about 100', spool down and then taxi back for maintenance. Oops! It did eventually make it out :). The Phenom has about 400 flight hours at this point, since July last year.

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-David, KBED, Mustang #165

Shadow:

Dude, the Phenom 100 made its first flight in Brazil in July last year. I know because Embraer made a big deal at Oshkosh and showed the video on a huge TV in Aeroshell Square. What's next? News of Eclipse flying a single-engine prototype?

Wow, dude, you are right.  My bad.  Somehow the link popped up in one of my recent news rss feeds.  Tell you what, how about you post something scintillating instead.

So here are a few slightly more recent links on the Phenom:

Flying Magazine Report
FAA Special Conditions Notice
Youtube First Flight
More Gootube Phenom Promotional

OK. New aircraft launch announcement to come March 13 from a U.S.-based aircraft manufacturer. That's all I can say for now, though I can say it's not Eclipse.

Shadow,

   If you were about to commit to a Diamond jet, Cirrus jet or Meridian (having $1m+ to spend and not wishing to deal with Eclipse), would you delay until you could see the March 13 announcement. Is the launch to be in this market space or in a different space?

when do you want to fly the $1M+ plane? Sooner rather later leaves only the Meridian. Anything announced next month won't be certified for years.

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-David, KBED, Mustang #165

Different space -- not in the VLJ segment. JoeN asked for something new and he didn't specify that it had to be a VLJ.

Personally, I'd go with a G1000-equipped Meridian. Good fuel specifics, relatively easy to fly and not hard to get insurance. Those buying a Barbie jet just so they can say they have a jet are trying to make up for something else they don't have -- but that's only MY opinion.

It isn't a jet, per se, (maybe this is even a disadvantage vs. tuboprop for operating economics around 25,000 ft) but rather acquisition cost. If D-Jet comes on line as promised then it gives basically Meridian-like performance, maybe even a little faster, for 1/3 less outlay. I suspect D-Jet and Cirrus will be as easy to fly as a Meridian. So if you can wait a year or two, maybe one of these will be a better article. I suspect, however, that Piper will not take this competition lying down. They have shown a willingness to chop $500,000 off the price of a Mirage and call it a Matrix. (yes, the manufacturing costs are less but not nearly that much less) so who's to say they won't chop the Meridian price by $500,000 if they must?

Details publicly released today:

Mar 03, 2008 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- GD | news | PowerRating | PR Charts -- Gulfstream Aerospace, a wholly owned subsidiary of General Dynamics, takes great pleasure in inviting you to witness, along with many of our employees, suppliers, customers and other invited guests, a major announcement which will have far-reaching effects on both the future of Gulfstream and the future of the business-aviation industry.

The event will take place in the new manufacturing building at the Savannah location.

DATE: Thursday, March 13, 2008

So does someone reading this Blog know what the big announcement is all about?

"So does someone reading this Blog know what the big announcement is all about?"

Copernicus,

I don't know for sure, but I'm assuming that the announcement will be about Gulfstream's long-rumored “Global Express Killer.”  The information I’ve come across on the internet over the last year or so is that Gulfstream will produce a clean-sheet 7,000 NM jet with a cabin significantly wider than present Gulfstreams (and wider than the GLEX).

Really letting my imagination run, I’d love to see them officially launch a supersonic airframe (maybe with SAI or Aerion).

"So does someone reading this Blog know what the big announcement is all about?"

Yes, but I can't say. Sorry.