Embraer delves into some of the highlights of the Phenom 100EX cabin
NBAA-BACE 2024 saw the unveiling of the Embraer Phenom 100EX, an update to the Phenom 100 entry-level jet, which has been in operation since 2008. The Phenom 100EX has already gained ANAC, FAA and EASA certification and is sold out through 2024.
Jay Beever, vice president of Embraer Design Operations, explains that the programme began with package studies to improve ergonomics by making the most of the space and clearing away anything unnecessary.
The second aspect was craftsmanship, which involved asking which features of Embraer’s ‘Design DNA’ – such as the upper tech panels, which house cabin controls in a glass strip above passengers’ heads – could be implemented without adding weight and part count. Then there was the design, and working out what was possible within the entry-level offering.
“We found a way to make a flush tech panel, like the Praetors one per side, with no interference to antennas and flat gaspers from the Phenom 300E,” says Beever. “That cleared out an inch of head space right away. We were also able to bring gesture-based controls into the tech panels – a butler with wings that disappears when you don’t need it and appears when you do. It became a really nice homologation of different pieces of our DNA from the different airplanes into that one.”
Embraer has reduced its use of wood veneer in the Phenom 100EX cabin, instead opting for a durable soft trim on the outside of the table areas, which also saves weight. The new tables also have a flush-to-the-wall design, giving 40% more flat table space.
While the new seats are 2in (5cm) wider per side, the new armrests articulate into an unobtrusive position when up, meaning they don’t encroach on aisle space. “I say the aisle got wider by 3in [7.6cm],” Beever says. “So you now have a wider aisle, wider seats, and more headroom and the fuselage stayed the same. That’s what this business is ultimately all about when it comes to interior design; we have a fixed space that you cannot change the dimensions of. How far can you take technology to its point of reduction, in part count and in size, to get you more packaged space? That’s what excites me; that continues to evolve.”
Some of the other updates include a side-facing fifth seat and belted lavatory; more use of sustainable materials; more legroom for the pilot; and avionics upgrades.
This piece was written by Izzy Kington and first published in the December 2023/January 2024 edition of Business Jet Interiors International as part of a roundup of the highlights of 2023.
