VLJ leader’s five test jets rapidly accumulate flight hours and testing milestones as company advances toward FAA certification

ALBUQUERQUE, NM — January 19, 2006 — Eclipse Aviation, manufacturer of the revolutionary Eclipse 500 very light jet (VLJ), today announced that the Eclipse 500 test fleet passed the 1,000 flight hour mark yesterday as it accelerates towards FAA certification and first customer deliveries this year. In addition to logging more than 1,000 flight hours, Eclipse’s five test jets have achieved a series of critical testing milestones that highlight the innovative jet’s robust design, unmatched reliability and breakthrough performance.

“Six years ago we pioneered the VLJ category with a vision to change air travel, and it’s incredibly rewarding to move even closer to our goal of bringing the world’s first VLJ to market this summer,” said Vern Raburn, president and CEO of Eclipse Aviation. “We designed the Eclipse 500 to provide our customers with an unprecedented dispatch rate, and we’re experiencing the benefits of this commitment firsthand as our test fleet achieves critical test points and builds hours at an astonishing rate.”

Eclipse 500 Test Fleet Paces Market

The Eclipse 500 test fleet is comprised of seven aircraft, including five flying aircraft, one static test airframe and one fatigue airframe. The static airframe successfully completed certification static testing in September, 2005. Eclipse’s five flying aircraft have now amassed more than 1,000 flight hours in just over 750 flights. Each of the company’s flight test jets has achieved a series of milestones in a focused area of testing. These include:

• N502EA is the aerodynamic and structures certification test aircraft. This aircraft has completed tests for flutter, stall characteristics, longitudinal and lateral handling qualities, and performance development.
• N503EA is the mechanical systems and powerplant certification test aircraft. This aircraft has completed testing the powerplant installation, initial powerplant operating characteristics, fuel system, pressurization system, environmental control system, landing gear, flaps, foreign object damage (FOD) and water ingestion.
• N504EA is the avionics and electronics certification test aircraft. This aircraft has completed testing for avionics development, powerplant drainage, smoke clearing, and the interior and exterior lighting system. N504EA will also be used to certify the communications/navigation system, the Flight Management System (FMS) and the autopilot.
• N505EA is a beta test aircraft that has completed lightning testing, attitude heading reference system (AHRS) developmental testing and night flying evaluation. The aircraft is currently undergoing high intensity radio field (HIRF) testing in Patuxent River, Maryland, and will soon undergo function and reliability testing.
• N506EA is a beta aircraft that has been touring the southern U.S. since last November, allowing potential customers to get up close and personal with the market-leading VLJ. This aircraft has visited cities in Florida, Georgia, Tennessee, Texas and California, and over the next month is scheduled to go back to Florida and California, and then on to Arizona and Nevada.

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Andrew Broom
Original Release