Emphasis is on currently; the current Beechjet program is legitamite. The proposed changes, however, are really blurring the line of whether Purdue is getting involved with PFJ or not. I really doubt the TFO operation will be able to consolidate operations into off peak hours. Cordova and her minions will not want to fly during the off hours and spend unnecessary overnights in various locales. Doing V1 cuts, emergency descents, etc. will be quite a strain on the airplane and the instructors. Mitch, Petrin, and Carnie will be incredibly stressed if they begin to do type training in the Phenom (acutal airplane). If everything was going to be done in the actual airplane, what is the point of purchasing the FTD and retraining all of the 72 instructors on it? If Purdue has never offered a full type rating in the past, I can't imagine why they would do it now. The 72 instructors have many hours of PIC in the 72's and the simulators meet the required levels.
The Phenom is a VERY touchy airplane and one that a lot of students will have a great deal of trouble adjusting to. The airplane is very fast and if you are not prepared for this then you will have a great deal of trouble adjusting; it is imperative that you FLY THE FLIGHT DIRECTOR. I've seen enough students having trouble with the warrior, nevertheless an aircraft travelling three times as fast with a whole new glass cockpit suite.
If I was in Purdue's shoes, I would have just retrofitted the King Airs with Proline 21. This would be much more applicable to current airframes and future avionics systems than the G1000. There is no doubt the G1000 is the future of GA, but it is by no means a comprehensive flight management system in the nature of Collins or Honeywell systems. Unfortunately, Purdue is under the guise of poor leadership who are unable to recognize trends in the industry and are most concerned with the continued fiscal success of the flight program rather than the education of students.