Embraer’s new Praetor 600E cabin
Back in the 1970s the cleverest object most people owned was a thermos bottle.
If you put in cold water it stayed chilled. Fill it with hot coffee, however, and it stayed hot. No one understood how it knew the difference, but it was, undoubtedly, brilliant.
Now we have smart watches, smart doorbells, smart speakers, smart light bulbs, smart fridges and anything else you want to name.
Embraer just announced upgrades to its popular Praetor 500 and Praetor 600 aircraft. The most striking change is the optional, trademarked, Smart Window for the Praetor 600.
The manufacturer says that the 42-inch OLED (that stands for organic light-emitting diode, if that helps?), touchscreen Smart Window allows you to host video meetings, high-resolution video streaming and “provides a real-time view via three externally mounted cameras”.
Buyers of the new Praetor 600E have the option of putting a divan opposite the Smart Window. But for now they can only have one Smart Window in each aircraft.
The main difference between existing Praetor aircraft and the new Praetor 500E and Praetor 600E is in the cabin.
Both Es have a new cabin management system and upgraded in-flight entertainment and lighting. Passengers can use an app to control cabin temperature, airflow, lighting, video and audio. There is Bluetooth audio, wireless and new individualised seat controls. Buyers also have the option to add voice commands and mood lighting.
“Today we are redefining the entire business aviation industry by introducing innovations never before seen in this segment,” said Michael Amalfitano, president and CEO of Embraer Executive Jets, at the virtual launch. “We are proud to unveil the Praetor 600E and Praetor 500E, elevating the private flight experience with smarter, more intuitive jets designed for the next generation of private travellers.”
Deliveries will begin in 2029 for orders placed today. The Praetor 500E is priced at $21.6m with the Praetor 600E at $25.8m.
The Praetor 500E and Praetor 600E have new seats that Embraer says are more comfortable for long flights. The galley has also been expanded to allow passengers to have more meals. Embraer says that there is no plan to offer these cabin upgrades for the existing Praetor fleet.
Pilots get active turbulence reduction, Embraer’s Enhanced Vision System and the company’s Runway Overrun Awareness and Alerting System. Existing Praetor owners can upgrade to the runway awareness system. The Praetor 500E also has an increased maximum zero fuel weight. This can also be retrofitted for Praetor 500 owners.
The Smart Window fits in front of the existing (should we now call them stupid?) window, so future owners can remove it if they want. Praetor Es also have larger ice drawers.
This is especially useful if you are not smart enough to remember your Stanley Bottle