Embraer, which had announced previously that it intends to fill out its line of business jets, showed full-size cabin mock-ups of two new midsize jets it is considering at the NBAA Convention in Atlanta. The Brazilian manufacturer is calling them the MSJ (midsize jet) and the MLJ (midlight jet), and both are all-new designs that share a common cabin cross-section.
Because they are still concepts, not formalized development programs, Embraer released only limited details, with the most important being the size of the cabins and the speed and range. Traditional midsize business jet cabins have about 5 feet 8 inches of headroom with a foot trench running through the center. The large cabin standard is 6 feet 2 inches of height with a flat floor. The MSJ and MLJ would have a flat floor with an even 6 feet of headroom, a significant advantage.
The MSJ is expected to have 2,800 nm IFR range flying at Mach .80 (459 knots) with a payload of eight passengers, enough range for westbound coast-to-coast trips in the U.S. The MLJ will have about 2,300 nm range with four passengers, putting both airplanes at or near the top of their categories in speed, range and payload.
Embraer did not announce a schedule for a go-ahead decision on the airplanes, and offered no goals in price or first delivery dates. The company says it remains on schedule to deliver its first Phenom 100 light jet next summer and the larger Phenom 300 about a year later. The Phenom 100 first flew last summer and a second of four flight test airplanes will have joined the program by the time you read this. • MSJ (midsize jet) • MLJ (midlight jet)
