Aircraft

Embraer's Phenom 100 very light jet has chalked up more than 1,000 flight-test hours during the certification and maturity campaigns. The Brazilian airframer says the VLJ is on track for certification and first deliveries in the second half of the year.

"As the Phenom test campaigns advance, we are excited to see the growing market acceptance of these jets," says Embraer executive vice-president, executive jets, Luís Carlos Affonso, "By the end of June, close to 800 Phenom 100 and Phenom 300 firm orders had been placed."

© Embraer

Several development and certification flight tests have been performed to date, such as low- and high-speed characteristics, stalls, flutter and natural ice conditions, which will allow the aircraft to be certificated for flying into known icing conditions.

Crosswind tests were held in Punta Arenas, Chile earlier this year, while operational tests in high-altitude airports were recently concluded in Cochabamba, Bolivia. Systems and performance tests are ongoing, and one test aircraft is in the south of Argentina undergoing cold weather tests.

Ground tests included ground vibration, lightning, high-intensity radio frequency and cold soak. All structural static tests have been concluded, while the primary structure components made of composite materials have completed fatigue and static certification tests.