Representative imageLight jet
The Phenom 300 has been the world's most-delivered light jet for over a decade running — a clean-sheet Embraer design that brought airline systems philosophy, a genuinely comfortable cabin and single-pilot certification to the class. The current 300E cruises at 453 kt with about 2,010 NM of range.
Typical layouts seat six to eight, with up to ten certifiable.
The aircraft
Embraer announced the Phenom 300 in 2005, at a moment when the light-jet segment belonged almost entirely to Cessna. Conceived alongside the smaller Phenom 100 but engineered into effectively its own aircraft — new wing, trailing-link undercarriage, airline-derived systems philosophy — it was the airliner-maker's declaration that business aviation would be a core business, not a sideline. The prototype flew on 29 April 2008; Brazilian certification and the first customer delivery both came in December 2009, with FAA approval following in early 2010.
What happened next reshaped the class. The Phenom 300 became the world's most-delivered light jet year after year — a run Embraer has now extended beyond a decade — with the fleet passing 800 aircraft across some forty countries. Fractional giants ordered it by the dozen, and that institutional endorsement did as much for residual values as any brochure figure. The 300E of 2017 brought a redesigned cabin and updated avionics; the 2020 enhancement added thrust, lifting cruise speed and range to the current published 2,010 NM.
Announced in 2026, the Phenom 300EV — with emergency autoland among its headline features — signals the programme's next chapter. For a used buyer the significance is continuity: every generation shares the airframe, the type's reputation is without significant blemish, and the production line shows no sign of slowing.
Key figures
Standard published figures for a typically equipped Embraer Phenom 300. Individual airframes vary with configuration and modification — the specification on a listing is what governs.
We do not hold a Embraer Phenom 300 on the books this week, but we place the type regularly. Tell us the specification, hours and budget, and we will come back with airframes that are genuinely available.
Ask us to source a Phenom 300Where it reaches
Click the map to move the origin to your base and see how far the Phenom 300 reaches at 70, 90 and 100 per cent of published range.
The broker’s view
Residual values on the Phenom 300 are the strongest in the light-jet segment, backed by a deep fleet, fractional-operator demand and a type reputation without significant blemish. Used supply is competitive — well-specified examples sell fast and rarely discount.
For an owner-pilot stepping up, the single-pilot capability plus true transcontinental legs make it the class default for good reason.
The family
The original, delivered from 2009 with the Garmin-based Prodigy flight deck. The value entry to the type — same airframe, earlier cabin and avionics, and the deepest used supply.
From 2017: a redesigned interior with more usable cabin space and updated avionics. The mid-generation compromise most private buyers land on — visibly more modern inside without late-model pricing.
More thrust from the PW535E1s lifted cruise speed and range to the current 2,010 NM, alongside a further avionics step. The performance ceiling of the used market and priced accordingly.
Announced in 2026 with emergency autoland, expected to enter service in the years ahead. Relevant now mainly as reassurance — the programme's future is funded and committed.
Common questions
The 300E's published range is about 2,010 NM with reserves — Johannesburg to Nairobi or four-plus hours of sector length non-stop.
Yes — the type is certified for single-pilot operation, a meaningful cost and flexibility advantage for owner-flown and charter operations alike.
The 300E (2017 on) brought a redesigned cabin, avionics updates and, from 2020, more thrust and speed. All generations share the airframe and the market's confidence.
The CJ4 is a fine aircraft with Cessna's unmatched service network; the Phenom answers with a larger, taller cabin, airline-style systems and stronger residuals. Owner-pilots split on cockpit preference. On resale evidence alone, the market has voted Phenom for over a decade.
Published takeoff distance is around 3,200 ft at typical weights — genuinely short-field for a jet this fast. That opens secondary airports and high-elevation fields that force competitors to offload fuel, which in Africa is frequently the difference between non-stop and a tech stop.
Among the most economical aircraft in its class: two efficient PW535-series engines, single-pilot approval trimming crew cost, and maintenance intervals designed around high-utilisation fractional flying. Programme coverage is near-universal on the used fleet, which keeps invoices predictable and supports the type's strong residuals.
Buying or selling, the conversation costs nothing. Tell us the mission and the budget and we will tell you honestly whether the Phenom 300 — or something else — is the right airframe for it.
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