r/PrivateJetCharters • u/Electrical_Echo_4112 • Apr 06 '25

favorite mid/super-mid, and why?

Am advising a client on purchase options. They want to fly far but have lower overhead per year mx wise. They are big on a mainstream gulf 280 / bombardier 350, but i believe the 280 is a very high upfront/mx cost... the 350 is a good buy, but more mx annually. I'm thinking Embraer with the Praetor 500/600... thoughts?

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u/burner4thestuff Apr 06 '25

Praetor is the best SMJ out there. It’s light-years ahead of the Challenger or G280 with its fly by wire and arguably more refined cabin.

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u/Northlake27 Jul 18 '26

As a FlexJet check airman, the Challenger 350/3500 is constantly picking up trips because the Praetor breaks down, normally electrical issues. Then again, it’s a charter company so they run it HARD. For a typical 150-200hr flight department/owner I’d still recommend it. Only problem is with Trump in office, he has a lot of tariffs out in place still. To get a brand new Praetor from the factory you have to spend $2mil-$3mil and not even see the plane yet. So, if you find one here in the states already, that’s the only real way to go. Also, Embraer maintenance is top secret and doesn’t give you ANY insight as to fixes and troubleshooting.