Eclipse Aviation realizes groundbreaking achievement as revolutionary
Eclipse 500 jet becomes the world’s first FAA-certified VLJ

“We have looked forward to this monumental accomplishment since Eclipse was founded nearly eight years ago,” said Vern Raburn, president and CEO of Eclipse Aviation. “I am incredibly grateful for the tireless efforts of the combined Eclipse-FAA team that guided us to this critical moment in our company’s history. As we celebrate today, we also know that certification is not our destination; the most important measure of our success will be our ability to continue to deliver unprecedented performance, reliability, technology, training and service innovations to our customers for years to come.”

FAA certification was officially granted to the Eclipse 500 on July 27, and the provisional type certificate was presented to Vern Raburn, president and CEO of Eclipse Aviation, by FAA Administrator Marion Blakey in a special ceremony at EAA’s 2006 AirVenture in Oshkosh, Wisconsin.

Eclipse 500 Redefines Private Jet Value Proposition
The Eclipse 500 is the least expensive twin-turbofan business jet in the world, delivering acquisition and operating costs that are dramatically lower than those of current entry-level jets. The Eclipse 500 gives customers technologies and capabilities traditionally only found in jets costing millions more. Further lowering customer cost of ownership, the Eclipse 500 is designed for high hour/cycle operations, providing airline-like reliability and dispatch availability.

The Eclipse 500 is powered by two Pratt & Whitney Canada PW610F engines that are flat rated at 900 pounds of thrust and feature a dual-channel Full Authority Digital Electronic Control (FADEC). Designed with an approximately 50 percent reduction in parts count, the PW610F incorporates the latest technologies while offering optimum value to the operators.

Using a test fleet of five FAA conforming aircraft, the Eclipse 500 was certified in more than 1,800 flights and 2,700 flight hours. To meet the FAA’s stringent performance and safety requirements, Eclipse’s comprehensive flight test program assessed the Eclipse 500’s performance across thousands of test points that examined aircraft handling, flight characteristics, avionics and electronics performance, environmental/noise impact, systems reliability and aircraft safety.

Tooled and designed for high-volume, low-cost production, Eclipse plans to deliver more than 50 Eclipse 500s through the end of 2006.

About Eclipse

Eclipse Aviation is in the business of designing, certifying and producing modern, affordable jet aircraft that will revolutionize the transportation market. The company is applying advanced electronics systems, manufacturing and business practices to produce aircraft that cost less than a third of today's small jet aircraft, will be significantly safer and easier to operate than those of today, and have the lowest cost of ownership ever achieved in a jet aircraft.

The goal of Eclipse is to bring the word "personal" into aviation, making it possible for commercial air passengers to move directly between cities on a quick, affordable and convenient basis. It will also allow pilot owners to enter the world of jet-powered aviation. Contact Eclipse at http://www.eclipseaviation.com.

Press Contacts
Andrew Broom
Eclipse Aviation
505-724-1369
This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it

Original Release