Embraer Praetor 600: Buyer’s And Investor’s Guide

aircraft

by Matt Taylor

December 5, 2023

A buyer’s and investor’s guide to the Embraer Praetor 600 super-midsize business jet.

Pros:

The Praetor 600 pushes the range boundary of the super-midsize category – and it does so at a very competitive price point. Advanced fly-by-wire technology also sets the aircraft apart from the competition.

Cons:

The cabin isn’t quite as large as it’s competitors. In a crowded market sector, cabin-obsessed buyers can find a bigger cabin elsewhere.

More Praetor guides:

Praetor 500

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Embraer unveiled the Praetor 600 at NBAA in 2018 as the significantly improved version of the popular Legacy 500 aircraft. The Praetor 600 is the largest purpose-built business jet that the Brazilian OEM (original equipment manufacturer) makes – sitting in the super-midsize category – competing with the likes of the Gulfstream G280, Bombardier Challenger 3500, Cessna Citation Longitude and Dassault Falcon 2000LXS.

Praetor 600 Cabin

Cabin Size

The Praetor 600 features a flat floor and a cabin height of 6 ft 0 in (1.83m) – 3 inches lower than Gulfstream’s G280 cabin and 2 inches less than the Dassault Falcon 2000.

The cabin width measures at of 6ft 10 in (2.08m) – which is plenty wide enough for the cabin to feel spacious. Other super-midsize aircraft, however, offer wider cabins. The Falcon 2000LXS boasts an impressive cabin width of 7 ft 8 in (2.34m) – almost an additional metre wider than the Praetor – with the Gulfstream G280 and Bombardier Challenger 3500 offering an additional 4 inches (0.33m) of cabin width over that of the Praetor 600.

Interior cabin layout of the Embraer Praetor 600 super-midsize business jet.

Cabin Features

Owners can choose between four cabin configurations in the aft cabin area – ranging from four seats in a club-suite layout, to the most dense configuration that includes two, three-person divans. In this configuration, the Praetor 600 can seat up to 12 passengers, although most Praetor 600 flights will normally only carry up to eight passengers. In every configuration, the front section of the cabin includes four club seats.

For overnight flights, each pair of club seats – which feature leather stitching inspired by the Ipanema Beach boardwalk – can be converted into fully flat berthable beds. Each divan can also be used as a bed.

The cabin features a wet galley that includes all of the necessary equipment – including a conventional oven – to cater from fresh coffee up to a fully prepared meal.

The Praetor 600 has a cabin altitude of 5,800 ft at maximum cruise altitude – about half a mile below the altitude of Aspen. The lower the cabin pressure – the more refreshed passengers feel after flying, due to increased amount of oxygen in the cabin. By comparison, the Citation Longitude has a cabin altitude of 5,950 ft, with the Gulfstream G280 leading the super-midsize pack with a cabin altitude of 4,800 ft.

The cabin includes a HEPA filter to further improve cabin air quality. The filter captures 99.97% of all particles, such as bacteria and viruses. Embraer also applies MicroShield360 – a preventative coating system that continuously prevents the growth of microbes on surfaces – to every Praetor 600 cabin.

Flight information and cabin management features can be accessed on the upper panel display, or from personal electronic devices that connect to the aircraft through Honeywell’s Ovation Select system.

Owners can choose an optional in-flight entertainment system, consisting of a high-definition video system, surround sound, and multiple audio and video input options that are compatible with portable electronic devices.

With 155 cubic ft of luggage storage – which is fully accessible during flight – the Praetor 600 can hold up to 16 bags.

Cabin Connectivity

Viasat’s Ka-band satellite communication system provides high-capacity, ultra high-speed connectivity for all passengers – with speeds of up to 16Mbps and unlimited streaming.

US operators will also benefit from Gogo’s AVACNE L5 air-to-ground connectivity – essentially providing a 4G connection to the aircraft when flying over the United States.

Praetor 600 Flight Performance

Range

Range sells aircraft, which is a good thing for Embraer.

At 4,018 nm (7,441 km), the Praetor 600 has one of the longest ranges of any super-midsize business jet; with a significantly greater range than the Bombardier Challenger 3500 (3,400 nm / 6,297 km), Cessna Citation Longitude (3,500 nm / 3,482 km) and Gulfstream G280 (3,600 nm / 6,667 km).

With four passengers and fuel reserves on board, the Praetor 600 can theoretically fly nonstop between London and Dubai, Miami and São Paulo, or Singapore and Sydney. In practice – the maximum range of any aircraft can vary significantly due to headwinds, air traffic control routing and delays – and even the fuel temperature during refueling. Despite this, the Praetor 600 has an impressive range capability, which is a standout characteristic of the aircraft.

Speed

The Praetor 600 has a maximum operating speed of M 0.83 (636 mph / 1,024 kmph), which is marginally slower than the Dassault Falcon 2000LXS and the Gulfstream G280 – by 23 mph (37 kmph) and 16 mph (26 kmph) respectively.

On a 4,000 nm (7,411 km) mission, the Falcon 2000LXS would arrive just 15 minutes earlier than the Praetor 600 – a time saving that a go-around or a convoluted taxi route to the FBO could quickly erode.

Engines

The Praetor 600 is powered by two Honeywell HTF7500E engines that generate 7,528lbs of thrust each. The engines are derived from the Honeywell HTF7000 family – which has flown over seven million flight hours – and of which different variations are used to power other super-midsize aircraft such as the Gulfstream G280, Bombardier Challenger 350 and the Cessna Citation Longitude.

The HTF7500E engines follow an on-condition maintenance program – meaning the engines remain on the aircraft until an issue arises during a scheduled inspection. On-condition maintenance helps minimise downtime and avoiding unnecessary repairs, although it can be more difficult to budget for maintenance events.

The aircraft is currently approved to use a blend of up to 50% sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) mixed with conventional jet fuel – although Embraer have already successfully tested the Praetor 600’s ability to run on 100% SAF.

Airfield Performance

Airfield performance dictates the size of the runway an aircraft needs to safely operate from. Airports with smaller runways are normally much closer to major destinations (think Billy Bishop, Toronto City Airport). Being able to utilise these smaller airports can save a significant amount of time transferring between the aircraft and the passenger’s final destination.

At maximum weight, the Praetor 600 has a takeoff distance of 4,717 ft (1,438 m) – which is about 100 ft (30 m) less than its super-midsize competitors. This means the Praetor 600 is able to fly into popular airports such as Lugano Airport, Switzerland and Nantucket Memorial Airport, Massachusetts – although it currently isn’t certified to operate at London City Airport.

Flying

The Praetor 600 is controlled using fly-by-wire technology – essentially a series of computers that process inputs from the pilot, and translates these inputs into movements of the flight control surfaces. Fly-by-wire replaces mechanical linkages from the cockpit to the rest of the aircraft – providing significant weight saving and fuel efficiency benefits, and ensures the aircraft always operates within its safety envelope.

Fly-by-wire also benefits passenger comfort. The Praetor 600 features an active turbulence reduction system, that uses the fly-by-wire system to act as a shock absorber in the sky.

The Praetor 600 is the only super-midsize class aircraft to feature full fly-by-wire technology, which is usually reserved for larger, more expensive aircraft.

The Praetor 600 is controlled by side-sticks and is equipped with a Rockwell Collins Pro Line Fusion flight deck.

Highlights of the cockpit include predictive wind shear radar capability, Embraer’s Enhanced Vision System (E2VS) with a Head-up Displays (HUD), an Enhanced Video System (EVS) and Synthetic Vision Guidance System (SVGS).

Buying / Investing

The super-midsize category is a competitive one, with the Bombardier Challenger 350 (and subsequent Challenger 3500) generally regarded as the market leader – especially in terms of deliveries. But all manufacturers have brand loyalists who tend to buy up and down a manufacturer’s product line. Many Gulfstream G280 owners will also own larger Gulfstream jets, for example.

Embraer’s focus has always been on the smaller aircraft sizes, with the Praetor 600 being the largest purpose-built business jet they manufacture. It is very likely that owners of smaller Embraer jets who are looking to upgrade are going to have the Praetor 600 firmly in their sights.

List price for a new Praetor 600 is $24,779,500 USD, according to Conklin & De Decker.

Prices for pre-owned Praetor 600s vary by total flight hours, as well as configuration, but buyer’s should expect to pay between $20m USD and $23m for a pre-owned aircraft.

Oliver Stone, managing director, Colibri Aircraft said, “Its got a lot of the numbers to it, its got a great cabin to it, it’s got the long range. Now you can open things up like London to New York or Dubai to London. That makes a big difference.”

Given its price point and range capabilities, it is no surprise that the Praetor has stolen some of the spotlight away from its competitors.

Owning

Operating Costs

According to Guardian Jet, the typical fixed costs for a Praetor 600 is just under $550,000 USD per year. This includes pilots, hangarage, and the necessary insurances.

On top of this, owners will also need pay variable costs – such as fuel and maintenance. Based on 300 flight hours per year, the annual variable cost is estimated to be $936,900 USD – or $3,123 per flight hour.