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TURBINEPILOT

Cessna launched the Mustang in2002, putting the Eclipse 500 squarelyin its crosshairs and beating it to theFAA-certification milestone. Embraer

saw an opportunity to expand its exec­utive jet division, and followed shortlywith the announcement of its Phe­

nom 100 and 300 jets in 2005. Mustangdeliveries commenced in spring 2007,and about 400 airframes have beendelivered since then. Just fewer than300 Phenom 100s have been producedsince December 2008.

Seen from the ramp, the Mustangdoesn't make any excuses. It looks

exactly like what it is: a small andmodern jet witli its heritage con­

firmed by a classic, low-slungCitation look. The Mustang's

wingspan is 43 feet, 2 inches;tip-to-taillength is 40 feet,

7 inches; and the heightfrom the ground to the

top of the tail is 13 feet,5 inches.

Taking a quickwalk around

this aircraft,

you will notice modern fea­tures, such as LED position andanticollision lights. The wing isslightly swept (the planform looksquite a bit like a scaled-down versionof the mid-size Sovereign wing), andit incorporates boots for ice protec­tion. The main cabin door is operatedwith one hand by pulling down on asingle lever, and opening the doorreveals a set of familiar folding steps,straight out of SOO-series Citations ofthe past 40 years.

Embraer went to great lengths to givethe Phenom 100 the ramp presence ofa larger airplane. The Phenom's exter­nal dimensions are 42 feet, 1 inch long;14 feet, 3 inches tall at the tail; and ithas a wingspan of 40 feet, 4 inches, soits footprint is just about the same asthe Mustang's. However, the Phenom'staller stance and full airstair door

make a strong impression. Like theMustang, the Phenom has rubberdeice boots, but they're silver. This mayfool casual observers to believe the

Phenom has hot-wing anti-icing,but the color comes at the expense

of reduced ability to identify slow iceaccretion from the cockpit. Somebelieve that the two large aerodynamicfences on each wing spoil the Phenom'slooks a bit.

The Phenom and Mustang bothhave very sizeable external baggageareas, considering the overall size ofthe aircraft. The Phenom's aft bag­gage compartment has a volume of53 cubic feet, and the baggage areain the nose will hold seven cubic feet

of small stuff. Cessna quotes 37 cubicfeet for the Mustang's aft baggagearea and 20 cubic feet for the nosecompartment. Both aircraft shouldaccommodate skis. Limited baggagespace is available inside the pressurizedcabin of the Mustang by lashing itemsto the potty seat with the providednet. Cabinets in the Phenom's cabin

will hold a respectable amount of softgoods, although many operators usethe larger forward wardrobe cabinet asa refreshment center.

Moving about in the Mustang'scabin, it will be apparent that the fuse­lage cross-section is comparable to

AOPAPILOT' T-6 •MARCH 2012

The Mustang may have a bigger nose baggagecompartment (far left) than the Phenom 100's (left), butthe Phenom's cabin (below left) Is 16 Inches wider, five Inchestaller, and has an aft flushing potty. The Mustang cabin (below)has a center arm rest for the aft seats, and Its side-facing pottyis opposite the cabin entry door. In flight, the Phenom 100'swings may look swept (opposite page), but they're not. Andunlike the Mustang, the Phenom 100's wings have stall fences.

that of some twin-piston aircraft. It'snot cramped, but tall passengers willdefinitely develop a case of "inboardlean syndrome." The cabin is config­ured in a four-seat club, with the twoaft seats up against the rear bulkhead(they do not recline). These seats havea shared, fold-down automotive-stylearm rest, and the aft-facing seats havestowable arm rests and a great deal ofrecline range.

The sideways-facing potty seat,opposite the main door, is not belted(and therefore cannot be used as a pas­senger seat for takeoff and landing),but it makes a great place to observethe cockpit in smooth air. The lava­tory under this seat is a simple "honeybucket," meaning that there is nofluid inside, and one must put up twocurtains to provide a small amountof privacy-it's really an emergencies­only affair.

Philosophical

differences between

Cessna and Embraer

become apparent

when you sit in each

airplane's left seat.

Rounding out the Mustang's cabinappointments are stowable writingtables, slim cabinets behind the cockpitwith an ice drawer, and an abundanceof cup holders throughout.

Embraer claims the Phenom 100 hasthe tallest and widest cross-section inits class (the Phenom 300 has the samecross-section). The Phenom's cabin

measures 5 feet, 1 inch at the widestpoint and 4 feet, 11 inches tall fromthe bottom of the dropped aisle, com­pared to 4 feet, 7 inches wide and 4 feet,6 inches tall in the Mustang.

The standard Phenom 100 comeswith the traditional four-seat club

arrangement, a flushing potty seatbehind a divider in the aft cabin, anda large wardrobe cabinet with a roll-updoor opposite the entryway. The seatshave stowable arm rests and limited

recline; adding the optional solid lava­tory door to the rear divider (replacing acurtain) will eliminate all recline in theforward-facing seats.

There is now an optional beltedpotty seat and also a belted side-facing.seat (in lieu of the large wardrobe cabi­net opposite the entryway), providingtotal accommodations for up to six pas­sengers in the cabin. Large windows,LED upwash lights, and blue lights on

AOPA PILOT' T-7· MARCH 2012

TURBINEPILOT

Phenom 100 The Phenom 100's cockpit was designedwith simplicity and ergonomics In mind.

The pilot side panel (below) has Just a fewcontrols. The Phenom 100's Prodigyavionics suite (bottom) Is basically aGarmln G1000 system tailored specificallyfor the Phenom. It Includes systemsynoptic pages, as shown on the centralmultifunction display, as well as enginegauges and Information readouts.

primary flight display (PFD) is a 10.4­inch LCD unit-the size commonlyfound in Cessna piston singles-butin the center of the panel is an almosttheatrically huge IS-inch LCD multi­function display (MFD). Interactionwith the MFD is performed via a key­pad located aft of the thrust levers. Amode control panel (MCP), front andcenter under the glareshield, is used tooperate the GFC700 autopilot and flightdirector. A trio of electromechani-cal standby instruments above theMFD rounds out the ergonomi­cally straightforward layout oftheMustang cockpit. Fans of precisehand -flying will be relieved to finda manual pitch trim wheel on thethrottle quadrant (an item sorelymissed in the pitch-sensitivePhenom).

While developing the Phenomseries, Embraer opted to push foran unprecedented level of air­craft systems integration with theGIOOO platform. The companybelieved the resulting avionics

the sidewalls beneath the folding tableslend the Phenom's cabin a bright andstylish feel.

Featured prominently in thebusiness end of the Mustang is theubiquitous Garmin GIOOOsuite. Each

AOPAPIWf' T-8 •MARCH 2012

The Mustang's panel (top) alsoincorporates Garmin's G1000, plus tiltedsubpanels fitted out with a number ofswitch groupings. Unlike the Phenom 100'spanel-mounted FMS keypad, the Mustang'sIs located on the center console (above),below the thrust levers.

had advanced far enough froman off-the-shelfGlOOO installation

to dub it something completelydifferent: Prodigy. The mostnotable feature of Prodigy is itssynoptic display of the Phenom'smain systems (electrical, fuel,environmental, and ice protec­tion), modeled after those foundin Embraer's family of regionalairliners.

In all other respects, Prodigywill be completely familiar to anypilot with previous GlOOOexpe­rience. The PFDs and MFD are

interchangeable l2-inch units,and the same Garmin keypad from theMustang makes an appearance justbelow the MFD. GFC700 brains run the

Phenom's autopilot and flight directoras well, but a different MCP is used; thisone does not have mode-active lightsnext to the buttons, so pilots are forcedto cross-check mode selections with the"scoreboard" on the PFD.

Philosophical differences betweenCessna and Embraer become apparentwhen you sit in each airplane's left seatand begin the before-start checklist.Cessna set out to build a pilot's airplane

with the Mustang; it has tried-and­true systems and plenty of switchesto keep you busy. Embraer focusedon ergonomics and automation; thePhenom approach to switchology isbest described as "all switches: AUTOor NORM."

Citation Mustang

AOPA PILOT· T-9· MARCH 2012

All specifications are based on manufacturer's calculations. All performance figures are based on

standard day. standard atmosphere. sea level. gross weight conditions unless otherwise noted.

TURBINE

For every bit of operational simplic­ity gained in the Phenom, electroniccomplexity was added. The Mustang'ssystems must be checked; the Phenom'sare just monitored by a computer.Pushing the envelope indeed comeswith risks. For instance, the Phenom'selectric flaps and "brake-by-wire" sys­tems gained an amount of notorietyduring the first year of operation andresulted in a slew of service bulletins

to correct problems with overzealousmonitoring logic .

The factory-standard Mustangcomes with a high level of equipment,especially in the avionics department.Embraer prefers that buyers chooseexactly what they need and noth­ing they don't, but this forces them topay for very common equipment, suchas TCAS, weather radar, DME, ADF, ora second Mode S transponder. Syn-

The Phenom 100 and Cessna Mustang

(below) are comparable In many respects,but the Phenom 100's cabin is slightlylarger, and Its high-speed cruise is almost30 knots faster than the Mustang's. Onthe other hand, under many conditions the

Mustang's takeoff and landing distancesare shorter than those for the Phenom 100.

In the full-fuel payload department, theairplanes are virtually Identical.

SPECSHEET

Citation Mustangtypical factory price: $3.3 million

Powerplants (2) P&WC PW615F

Engine flat rating 1.460 Ib

Length 40 ft 7 in

Height 13 ft 5 in

Wingspan 43 ft 2 in

Wing loading 41.2 Ibs/sq ft

Seats 1+5

Cabin length 9 ft 9 in

Cabin width .4 ft 7 in

Cabin height.. .4 ft 6 in

Standard empty weight.. 5.755 Ib

Max ramp weight.. 8.730 Ib

Max takeoff weight.. 8.645 Ib

Useful load 3.155 Ib

Zero fuel weight. 6.750 Ib

Payload w/full fuel 575 Ib

Max landing weight. 8.000 Ib

Fuel capacity (usable) 385 gal (2.580 Ib)

Baggage capacity. internal 6 cu ft

Baggage capacity. external 57 cu ft

Performance

Takeoff field length

Sea level @ 15°C 3.110 ft

5.000 ft@ 25°C 6.600 ft

Landing distance (MLW. SL. 15C) 2.390 ft

NBAA IFR range 1.150 nm

Max high-speed cruise speed 365 KTAS

Service ceiling .41.000 ft

Limiting and Recommended Airspeeds

vFE ••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• 185/150 KIAS

VLE •••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• 250 KIAS

VlO

Extend 250 KIAS

Retract 185 KIAS

V",o ..•......•..•...•...•..•...•................................. 250 KIAS

M"'0 · · · 0.63M

V,IVr/V, @ MTOW/SL. 89/89/97 KIAS

VREF @ MLW 94 KIAS

Phenom 100typical factory price: $4 million

................................. (2) P&WC PW617F-E

..................................................... 1.695 Ib

....................................................42 ft 1 in

....................................................14 ft 3 in

................................................... .40 ft 4 in

............................................ 51.9 Ibs/sq ft

..................................................... 1+5 to 7

...........................................................11ft

......................................................5 ft 1 in

....................................................4 ft 11 in

...................................................... 7.016 Ib

.................................................... 10.516 Ib

.................................................... 10.472Ib

...................................................... 3.384 Ib

...................................................... 8.444 Ib

.......................................................... 580Ib

....................................................... 9.7661b

....................................... 418 gal (2.805 Ib)

........................................................... 7 cu ft

........................................................53 cu ft

....................................................... 3.493 ft

....................................................... 6.382 ft

........................................................ 2.695 ft

..................................................... 1.178 nm

..................................................... 390 KTAS

..................................................... 41.000 ft

.................................... 200/160/145 KIAS

..................................................... 180 KIAS

..................................................... 180 KIAS

..................................................... 180 KIAS

...................................................... 275 KIAS

.......................................................... 0.70M

.................................... 102/104/107 KIAS

..................................................... 100 KIAS

the tic vision and electronic chartsfor the G 1000 are available for bothaircraft.

The satellite radio option for theMustang adds a headphone jack andvolume control at each of the fourclub seats in the cabin, as well as aremote that lets the passengers browsechannels. The Phenom has standard

headset jacks at every passenger seat,but they are the liMo type (Linux­based software), so adapters must bepurchased in order to use consumerheadphones.

For all their physical differences,these two airplanes have a lot in com­mon. The Mustang is powered by twoPratt & Whitney Canada PW615F turbo­fans and the Phenom 100 by a slightlyup rated version of that engine, thePW617F-E. Both airplanes incorporatefull authority digital engine controls(FAD EC). Both also have electrichydraulic pumps in the nose to powerbrakes and landing gear extension/retraction; conventional flight controls;electrically actuated flaps; and electricvapor-cycle air conditioning. Both are

stable hand-flyers and incredibly easyto land (especially with their trailing­link landing gear).

The primary, objective disparity isprice and performance; put simply,the Phenom is bigger, faster, heavier,and pricier-$700,000, or about 20percent, more expensive. The Phenomis able to take off at gross weights upto 10,472 pounds, compared to 8,645pounds for the Mustang. A Mustang'stypical zero-fuel-weight-limitedmaximum payload is 1,175 pounds,with a full-fuel payload of575 pounds.For the Phenom 100, these numbersare 1,312 pounds and 578 poundsrespectively.

The Phenom is an average of 35knots (true airspeed) faster, with a cor­responding decrease in fuel efficiency;it is capable of high-speed cruise in therange of 360 to 395 KTAS,versus 320 to345 KTAS.However, when the Phenomis slowed to the Mustang's high-speedcruise airspeed at the same altitude, thespecific fuel consumption is equivalent(at altitudes in the mid-30s, anyway).NBAA IFR range (high-speed cruise at

FL410) for the Mustang with two, four,and six occupants, respectively, are1,175 nm, 999 nm, and 716 nm in zerowind. The Phenom's numbers are 1,211nm, 1,070 nm, and 785 nm. Hot-and­high takeoff and climb performancewill always be problematic for jets inthis class, so quibbling over 15 poundsof payload and 30 feet of runway issemantic.

So, which will it be? In my experi­ence, most buyers shopping for anentry-level, single-pilot light jet tryand fly both of these airplanes. Forsome buyers, the key is the price dif­ference. Many have been flying Cessnaairplanes for years and are loyal to thecompany's products. Others prefer thecomfort and space of the Phenom'scabin. But, for most, the real clincheris that one or the other is just moresatisfying to own and fly, plain andsimple. lOA

Cyrus Sigari is co-founder and presidentofjetA VIVA, a leading light jet sales andacquisition, training, and technical ser­vices firm in Santa Monica, California.