Buying a used Embraer Phenom 300 (Of 300): cost, checks and questions for the seller
Fractional programs flew 33% of the North American Phenom 300 fleet in the twelve months to 31 Jul 2026, at a median of 574 estimated hours a year. Charter aircraft (23%) flew a median of 326 estimated hours, and private aircraft (44%) a median of 95 estimated hours. Judging the cost of a Phenom 300 starts with the group a candidate flew in. A pre-purchase inspection can't show it. Tracking does.
There is one check for each TailCheck chapter: Fatigue, Corrosion, Engines and brakes, and Utilization. Each gives the fleet's median, its spread and the 1 in 20 aircraft that asked most of the airframe on that measure, then red flags and questions for the seller.
What has each flight cost the structure?
The median Phenom 300 flew 1.2 hours for every landing. 1 in 20 landed every 1.1 hours or sooner, the most cycles for the time flown. At the other end, 1 in 20 flew 1.9 hours or more between landings, on longer legs.
Hours per landing, short hops and leg length.
Every landing is a pressurization cycle. A Phenom 300 that flies short legs builds cycles faster than its hours suggest. Cycles count against structural and landing-gear life limits.
Each aircraft’s average flight hours per landing
The 25th to the 75th percentile: typical.
The 5% that ask most of the aircraft
All 581 active Phenom 300s in North America, 1 Aug 2025 – 31 Jul 2026.
The rest of the check
Same aircraft and window| Measure | Fleet median | Middle half | Harder end |
|---|---|---|---|
| Short hops Share of legs under 300 nm | 45% | 36–49% | 5% at 63% or more |
| Leg length Median leg | 344 nm | 303–424 nm | Highest 5%: 720 nm or more |
1.1 hours per landing or less, the rate of the 1 in 20 Phenom 300s that landed most often for their hours.
Short hops, legs under 300 nm, on 63% or more of its legs. Only 1 in 20 of the fleet flew that many.
Logged landings far off what its logged hours imply at the fleet median hours per landing.
How many landings has it logged against its hours, and how does that ratio compare with the fleet median?
Which structural and landing-gear life limits count landings, and how much of each is left?
What air has it lived in?
Salt air, a night within 2 km of the coast, made up 5% of the median Phenom 300's nights. The middle half of the fleet sat between 1% and 9%, and 1 in 20 had 16% or more.
Salt, damp and freeze–thaw where it spends its nights.
Salt, damp and freeze–thaw nights drive corrosion, so where an aircraft spends its nights matters as much as where it flies. On a freeze–thaw night, the temperature at the field crossed freezing. A coastal base doesn't rule an aircraft out. It moves corrosion up the inspection list.
Nights within 2 km of the coast
The 25th to the 75th percentile: typical.
The 5% that ask most of the aircraft
448 Phenom 300s in North America we can place on enough nights at known fields, 1 Aug 2025 – 31 Jul 2026; 10 on their record since 1 Jan 2025, with too few in the twelve months.
The rest of the check
Same aircraft and window| Measure | Fleet median | Middle half | Harder end |
|---|---|---|---|
| Near the coast Nights within 10 km of the coast | 30% | 10–40% | 5% at 82% or more |
| Damp air Hours a day at 80% humidity or more, above freezing | 6.9 h | 5.9–7.8 h | 5% at 10.5 h or more |
| Freeze–thaw Nights that froze and thawed within the day | 8% | 4–12% | 5% at 22% or more |
| Moisture in the air Average absolute humidity overnight | 10.0 g/m³ | 9.0–11.1 g/m³ | 5% at 13.7 g/m³ or more |
16% or more of its nights within 2 km of the coast, a share only 1 in 20 of the fleet reached, and no record of hangar storage.
Freeze–thaw on 22% or more of its nights, as 1 in 20 of the fleet had, with no recent check of drains, seals and sealant.
A main base near the coast and no corrosion inspection anywhere in the records.
Where has it been based, and was it kept in a hangar there?
When was the last corrosion inspection, and what did it find?
What did its departures ask of the engines and brakes?
The median Phenom 300 took off from a short runway on 2% of its departures. At the far end, 1 in 20 did so on 4% or more.
Runway length, heat and height at takeoff.
Short runways load the brakes and tires. Hot, high takeoffs, at 5,000 ft density altitude or more, work the engines. A short runway means a field whose longest runway is under 1.25 times the published takeoff distance. A pattern of both calls for engine trend data and brake records.
Departures where the longest runway was under 1.25× the takeoff distance
The 25th to the 75th percentile: typical.
The 5% that ask most of the aircraft
581 Phenom 300s in North America with enough departures we could assess, 1 Aug 2025 – 31 Jul 2026.
The rest of the check
Same aircraft and window| Measure | Fleet median | Middle half | Harder end |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hot, high takeoffs Departures at 5,000 ft density altitude or more | 6% | 3–9% | 5% at 20% or more |
| Density altitude Typical density altitude at takeoff | 1,523 ft | 1,358–1,782 ft | 5% at 3,047 ft or more |
Short runways on 4% or more of its departures, like 1 in 20 of the fleet, without brake and tire records to match.
Hot, high takeoffs on 20% or more of its departures, as 1 in 20 of the fleet made, with no engine trend data to match.
Are its engines, Pratt & Whitney Canada PW535E or PW535E1 (EASA TCDS EASA.IM.A.158 Issue 11, p.9), on an hourly maintenance program, and does it transfer with the sale?
Is there engine trend data, and do brake or tire changes line up with the shorter or hotter fields it used?
How hard has it been flown?
Fractional aircraft flew a median of 574 estimated hours a year. Charter aircraft flew a median of 326 estimated hours, and private aircraft a median of 95 estimated hours. Across the fleet, 1 in 20 flew 660 estimated hours or more.
Estimated hours, flights and flying days: how much of its life it has used.
Utilization is the quickest read on how much life an aircraft has used. More hours mean hours-based inspections and engine overhauls come due sooner. Compare the tracked flying with the logbook hours you're shown, month by month.
From time in the air
The 25th to the 75th percentile: typical.
The 5% that ask most of the aircraft
All 581 active Phenom 300s in North America, 1 Aug 2025 – 31 Jul 2026. Tracking misses some flights, so hours are minimums.
The rest of the check
Same aircraft and window| Measure | Fleet median | Middle half | Harder end |
|---|---|---|---|
| Flights a month In the months it flew | 17.1 | 5.2–37.3 | 5% at 45.8 or more |
| Days flown a month Days with at least one flight | 9.5 | 4.1–16.6 | 5% at 19.4 or more |
660 hours or more a year, the level of the busiest 1 in 20, presented as typical use.
Logbook hours well below what tracking shows. Tracking misses some flights and its hours are estimates, so a small gap means little; a large one needs an explanation.
Do the logbook hours match the tracked flying, month by month?
Has it flown charter, under management or in a fractional program, and for how long?
What affects the price of a used Phenom 300
Six factors shape what a used Phenom 300 has been through: age, hours, landings, charter and fractional flying, demanding fields and salt air. Each comes with the fleet's figure and the TailCheck chapter that grades it.
| What moves the price | Across the Phenom 300 fleet | TailCheck chapter |
|---|---|---|
| Age | Model year says little about wear; hours and landings say more. Calendar inspections come due with time, flown or not, so check when each was last done. Tracking starts on 1 Jan 2025; earlier years come from the logbooks. | Fatigue |
| Hours | The more hours an aircraft flies, the sooner hours-based inspections and engine overhauls come due. The middle half of the fleet flew between 96 and 550 estimated hours a year. Set a candidate beside its group's median in the Utilization check. | Utilization |
| Landings | Landings count against structural and landing-gear life limits, so an aircraft with few hours per landing has used more of them for its hours. Short legs lower the ratio. The median Phenom 300 flew 45% of its legs as short hops, under 300 nm. Set a candidate's ratio beside the fleet median in the Fatigue check. | Fatigue |
| Charter history | Charter and fractional flying add hours and landings quickly. Aircraft on our charter list make up 23% of the tracked fleet, and fractional aircraft 33%. Set an ex-charter or ex-fractional aircraft beside its own group's median in the Utilization check, and ask for the maintenance program records for those years. | Utilization |
| How hard it has been flown | Demanding fields wear brakes, tires and engines. The median Phenom 300 left from a short runway on 2% of its departures and from a hot, high field on 6%. Both measures are defined in the Engines and brakes check. | Engines and brakes |
| Base and corrosion exposure | Where an aircraft spends its nights shapes its corrosion risk. Salt air is one part, set out in the Corrosion check. Freeze–thaw is the other: the median Phenom 300 had 8% of its nights cross freezing. Corrosion found late takes more work to fix, so either pattern calls for an early look. | Corrosion |
Asking prices vary by aircraft, and the tail’s history explains much of the difference. Check a tail →
Where TailCheck fits in a Phenom 300 purchase
Run the usage checks before signing anything. At that point, walking away costs nothing. Afterward, the report shows the records reviewer and the inspection shop where to look hardest.
| # | Step | Where TailCheck helps |
|---|---|---|
| 01 | Shortlist Screen candidates on how they have been used before spending on anything else. | Free record for each tail, then TailCheck on the shortlist |
| 02 | Letter of intent Price and terms, subject to inspection and a records review. | — |
| 03 | Records review Logbooks, maintenance programs and damage history. | Hours, landings and long gaps to check the logbooks against |
| 04 | Pre-purchase inspection At a shop that knows the type. | Brief the shop on what the usage data flagged |
| 05 | Discrepancies and price Negotiate on what the inspection and records found. | Grades against the type support the conversation |
| 06 | Closing and delivery Title, escrow, registration and acceptance flight. | — |
What each part of the purchase answers
Usage is one leg of a purchase; paperwork and condition are the others| Item | Why it matters on a Phenom 300 | Who answers it |
|---|---|---|
| Usage history | Hours, landings, bases and gaps, against the 581 North American Phenom 300s. | TailCheck |
| Logbooks | Complete, back-to-birth records, and whether they square with the tracked flying. | Records review |
| Damage history | Any structural repair, how it was signed off, and whether it was disclosed. | Records review |
| Inspections due | When the next major inspections fall due, by hours, landings and calendar. | Records review |
| Engine program | Whether the Pratt & Whitney Canada PW535E or PW535E1 engines are enrolled on an hourly maintenance program, and whether it transfers.Engines: EASA TCDS EASA.IM.A.158 Issue 11, p.9 | Records review |
| Physical condition | Corrosion, structure, systems and interior: what the usage data says to look at hardest. | Pre-purchase inspection |
| Title and registry | Liens, the ownership chain and any export or import between registries. | Title search |
What tracking can and can’t tell you
Tracking shows how a Phenom 300 was flown and where it spent its nights. It can't see hangar storage, work done on the aircraft or damage. Those come from the records.
| What it can show | What it can’t establish |
|---|---|
| What it has flown, and where | Its mechanical condition, maintenance quality or airworthiness |
| How hard it is used against other Phenom 300s | Its exact hours and landings, or flights we didn’t see |
| Long stays on the ground, and gaps in the track | What work was done at any shop, or why it sat anywhere |
| Where it spends its nights, and the weather there | Whether it was hangared or parked outside |
| What its departures asked: runway length, heat and height | Its takeoff weight, or which runway it used |
Ben
Ben founded The Aircraft Ledger to show buyers how an aircraft has really been flown. Before that, he spent five years researching what more than 140 private jet models cost to buy and run, for clients mostly in the US.
Down to two Phenom 300s?
Check both tails before you choose.
Enter the two tails on your shortlist. TailCheck grades each one on Fatigue, Corrosion, Engines and brakes, and Utilization against the Phenom 300 fleet, then puts them side by side.
Buying a used Phenom 300: questions
How many hours a year is normal for a Phenom 300?
The median North American Phenom 300 flew 272 estimated hours a year in the twelve months to 31 Jul 2026. The middle half of the fleet flew between 96 and 550 estimated hours, a wide spread because charter, fractional and private aircraft flew at very different rates. Fractional aircraft flew the most and private aircraft the least. Set a candidate beside its own group's median in the Utilization check above.
Is a high-hour Phenom 300 a bad buy?
No. High hours alone don't make it a bad buy. Hours flown on long legs bring fewer landings than the same hours on short hops, and landings count against structural and landing-gear life limits. The median Phenom 300 flew 1.2 hours per landing. Check a candidate's hours and landings together, and set its hours against its group's median.
Does a TailCheck report replace a pre-purchase inspection?
No. A TailCheck report shows how the aircraft was flown, and a pre-purchase inspection shows its condition. The report helps the inspection team decide what to examine first.
Can tracking show whether a Phenom 300 was hangared?
No. Tracking shows where the aircraft spent its nights and the weather there. Whether it sat inside a hangar is a question for the seller and the records.
When should I run these checks?
Run them before a letter of intent, while nothing is committed. Then pass the report to your records reviewer and inspection shop.
Does this guide cover the Phenom 300E?
Yes. Both are the EMB-505 on the type certificate (EASA TCDS EASA.IM.A.158 Issue 11, p.12). The registry entries we matched don't tell the Phenom 300 and Phenom 300E apart, so the benchmarks cover both, across 581 North American Phenom 300s.
Cite this data
The Aircraft Ledger. “Buying a used Embraer Phenom 300.” Data to 29 August 2026. theaircraftledger.com/guides/embraer-phenom-300
Method: benchmarks are North American Phenom 300s with at least 20 tracked flights in the latest twelve full months, ADS-B tracking 1 Aug 2025 – 31 Jul 2026; each figure is the fleet median with its middle half (25th–75th percentile) and the 5% at the harder end. Estimated hours from time in the air; tracking misses some flights, so counts and hours are minimums. We assume the longest runway at each field, so short-runway figures are conservative. Engines from the type certificate data sheet, cited. This guide is general information, not an inspection, appraisal or records review. About our data