The Eclipse 500 is a small, six-seat business jet aircraft manufactured by Eclipse Aviation. It is the second of a new class of business jets known as the Very Light Jet (VLJ, previously called 'Microjets'), following the delivery of the first VLJ, the Cessna Citation Mustang in late 2006.^[1] The plane is powered by two lightweight Pratt & Whitney Canada PW610F turbofan engines in tail-mounted nacelles. The Eclipse 500 costs $1,520,000. Image File history File links Download high resolution version (1800x1200, 1107 KB)Eclipes 500 manufactured by Eclipse Aviation. ... The Eclipse 500, certified 2006-09-30. ... An aerospace manufacturer is a company or individual involved in the various aspects of designing, building, testing, selling, and maintaining aircraft, aircraft parts, missiles, rockets, and/or spacecraft. ... Eclipse Aviation Corporation is an Albuquerque, New Mexico based manufacturer of the Eclipse 500 Very Light Jet (VLJ). ... The Maiden flight of an aircraft is the first occasion on which an aircraft leaves the ground of its own accord. ... is the 238th day of the year (239th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Also see: 2002 (number). ... is the 365th day of the year (366th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday (link displays full 2006 calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... DayJet is a startup that intends to provide air taxi service in Florida using a fleet of Eclipse 500s. ... The United States dollar is the official currency of the United States. ... Business jet, private jet or, in slang, bizjet is a term describing a jet aircraft, usually of modest size, designed for transporting small groups of business people for commercial reasons at a time convenient to their business needs. ... Eclipse Aviation Corporation is an Albuquerque, New Mexico based manufacturer of the Eclipse 500 Very Light Jet (VLJ). ... The Eclipse 500, certified 2006-09-30. ... Cessna Citation Mustang VLJ The Cessna Citation Mustang, Model 510, is a very light jet class business jet built by Cessna Aircraft Company at their Independence, Kansas production facility. ... Pratt & Whitney Canada (PWC) is a Canadian aircraft engine manufacturer. ... The PW600 family of extremely small turbofan engines is being developed by Pratt & Whitney Canada for use in very light jets. ... Schematic diagram of high-bypass turbofan engine CFM56-3 turbofan, lower half, side view. ... In airplanes, the nacelle is a covered housing separated from the main structure that usually holds engines, fuel, or equipment. ...

Development

Precursor design

The production Eclipse 500 is the product of a conceptual design evolution which began with the Williams V-Jet II, which was designed and built by Burt Rutan's Scaled Composites in 1997 for Williams International to be used as a testbed and demonstrator for their new FJX-2 turbofan engine. The aircraft and engine were debuted at the 1997 Oshkosh Airshow. The Williams V-Jet II was designed and built by Burt Rutans Scaled Composites for Williams International as a test bed and demonstrator aircraft for Williams new FJX-2 turbofan engine. ... Elbert Leander Burt Rutan (born June 17, 1943 in Estacada, Oregon) is an American aerospace engineer noted for his originality in designing light, strong, unusual-looking, energy-efficient aircraft. ... Scaled Composites (often abbreviated as Scaled), formerly the Rutan Aircraft Factory, is located at the Mojave Spaceport, Mojave, California, United States and is headed by aircraft designer Burt Rutan. ... Williams International is a manufacturer of small gas turbine engines. ... The Williams FJ22 was a small turbofan engine that was being developed by Williams International for very light jet (VLJ) aircraft applications. ... Schematic diagram of high-bypass turbofan engine CFM56-3 turbofan, lower half, side view. ... Aerobatic team performs at EAA AirVenture The Oshkosh Airshow (officially EAA AirVenture Oshkosh) is an annual gathering of aviation enthusiasts held each summer at Wittman Regional Airport in Oshkosh, Wisconsin. ...

The V-Jet II was an all-composite structure with a forward-swept wing, a V-tail, each fin of which was mounted on the nacelle of the one of the two engines. Williams had not intended to produce the aircraft, but it attracted a lot of attention, and Eclipse Aviation was founded in 1998 to further develop and produce the aircraft. Eclipse Aviation Corporation is an Albuquerque, New Mexico based manufacturer of the Eclipse 500 Very Light Jet (VLJ). ... This is a list of aviation-related events from 1998: Events Cirrus Aircraft successfully flight-tests the CAPS ballistic emergency aircraft parachute. ...

The prototype and only V-Jet II aircraft was obtained by Eclipse Aviation along with the program, and was donated to the Experimental Aircraft Association AirVenture museum in Oshkosh, Wisconsin in 2001. Eclipse Aviation Corporation is an Albuquerque, New Mexico based manufacturer of the Eclipse 500 Very Light Jet (VLJ). ... The Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA) is an international organization of aviation enthusiasts based in Oshkosh, Wisconsin. ... Location of Oshkosh, Wisconsin City hall Downtown Oshkosh at U.S. Route 45 Oshkosh Public Museum Mouth of the Fox River into Lake Winnebago. ... Year 2001 (MMI) was a common year starting on Monday (link displays the 2001 Gregorian calendar). ...

Adaptation of V-Jet II design

Eclipse CEO Vern Raburn was one of the first business executives at Microsoft. Subsequently, Bill Gates became a major stake-holder in the Eclipse project. The VLJ concept has been pursued by a number of manufacturers, and because the V-Jet II had been designed around one of the primary VLJ engines, Eclipse believed it was an ideal design to refine and market. Microsoft Corporation, (NASDAQ: MSFT, HKSE: 4338) is a multinational computer technology corporation with global annual revenue of US$44. ... For other persons named Bill Gates, see Bill Gates (disambiguation). ...

The airframe was significantly redesigned as an all-metal structure with a T-tail and straight wings. The main cabin shape is essentially all that was retained from the V-Jet II. It was recognized that for an aluminum structure to be cost effective, new manufacturing techniques would have to be developed. One of the primary processes specifically developed and patented for this project was friction stir welding, in which the skin and underlying aluminum structure are welded together rather than riveted, as traditional for aluminum aircraft. Anti-corrosion bonding techniques were also developed.^[2] Friction Stir Welding (FSW) is an exotic solid-state welding process (meaning the metal is not melted during the process) and is used for applications where the original metal characteristics must remain unchanged as far as possible. ...

Besides materials processes, the general process of building the airframe was redesigned, with techniques taken from the automotive industry. Traditionally, aircraft structure is mounted in a jig, and the skin is riveted on to the outside of it. For the Eclipse 500, lessons were taken from composite airframe manufacturing, and the aluminum skin is first laid in a mold, and then the structure is built into it. The result is much more precise control of the aircraft's final shape, resulting in a cabin that is more robust and can be pressurized to a higher differential. In addition, the manufacturing techniques are designed so that one crew can assemble an airframe in a single shift. The complete interior is designed to be installed on a moving assembly line in 45 minutes.

Originally Eclipse selected a pair of Williams International EJ-2 engines (a production variant of the FJ22/FJX-2) for the Eclipse 500, but as the aircraft's weight increased, performance was not satisfactory. Pratt & Whitney Canada agreed to participate in the project, and modified the design of their PW615 engine, designating it the Pratt & Whitney Canada PW610F. The prototype Eclipse 500 first flew with the Williams engines in 2002. ^[3] The redesign to incorporate the new engines resulted in a significant delay to the development program. The first flight of the Eclipse 500 with the new engines occurred on December 31, 2004. ^[4] Pratt & Whitney Canada (PWC) is a Canadian aircraft engine manufacturer. ... The PW600 family of extremely small turbofan engines is being developed by Pratt & Whitney Canada for use in very light jets. ... This is a list of aviation-related events from 2002: Events American Airlines and British Airways drop plans to introduce codesharing on transatlantic flights after U.S. regulators demand that other American carriers be given access to London Heathrow Airport. ...

An Eclipse press release says that its aircraft is "the quietest jet aircraft" and that it is "quieter than virtually all multi engine turboprop and piston aircraft".^[5]

Instrument Panel

The Eclipse 500 cockpit is designed to utilize glass cockpit technology. Originally Eclipse selected Avidyne, BAE Systems and General Dynamics to supply the technology for the AVIO avionics system, which was designed to integrate virtually all of the aircraft electronics. However, those plans changed with the announcement of Eclipse's plans to part with BAE Systems in 2004 and with Avidyne in 2007. Eclipse published the following announcements that described the new vendors providing products for the Avio System. The new Avio suppliers include Innovative Solutions & Support, Inc. (IS&S), Chelton Flight Systems, Garmin International, Honeywell, FreeFlight Systems, Crossbow Technology, Harco Laboratories, Meggitt Avionics, Autronics, Hispano-Suiza and PS Engineering, Inc. IS&S will provide the PFD and MFD displays and the software included with them. Chelton is producing the flight management system, Garmin with the transponders, Honeywell with the communication and navigation radios, Free Flight Systems the GPS, Crossbow is providing the AHRS, Harco Laboratories with the air data computer and probes, Meggitt is supplying several components including the autopilot, Hispana-Suiza with the FADEC, and PS Engineering with the audio system.^{[6] [7]} Other suppliers include Heads-Up Technologies for the XM datalink receiver and Strategic Aeronautics for the Avio Flight Bag. ^{[8] [9]} Until the new Avio system is certified, all aircraft are currently being manufactuered with the older Avidyne system. When the new system becomes available, all of the original systems will be replaced for free, by Eclipse. This article does not cite any references or sources. ... Avidyne Corporation is an avionics company based in Lincoln, Massachusetts. ... BAE Systems plc is the worlds fourth largest defence contractor,[3] the largest in Europe and a commercial aerospace manufacturer. ... General Dynamics (NYSE: GD) is a defense conglomerate formed by mergers and divestitures, and as of 2005 it is the sixth largest defense contractor in the world[1]. The company has changed markedly in the post-Cold War era of defense consolidation. ... Innovative Solutions & Support, Inc. ... // Chelton Flight Systems is a part of Cobham plc Avionics and Surveillance, a division of Cobham plc, a respected aerospace company. ... Garmin Ltd. ... Honeywell Heating Specialties Company Stock Certificate dated 1924 signed by Mark C. Honeywell - courtesy of Scripophily. ... A Flight Managment System is a little computer onboard almost every aircraft that will guide the aircraft to it designated destination. ... In telecommunication, the term transponder (sometimes abbreviated to XPDR or TPDR) has the following meanings: An automatic device that receives, amplifies, and retransmits a signal on a different frequency. ...

Certification

The Eclipse 500 received provisional type certification from the FAA on July 27, 2006, shortly after the aircraft's PW610F engine was certified by the Canadian authorities. FAA Administrator Marion Blakey presented Raburn with the provisional certificate in a special ceremony at the 2006 Oshkosh Airshow. FAA may refer to: Federal Aviation Administration in the United States Fleet Air Arm in the UK Royal Navy Fuerza Aérea Argentina in Argentina This is a disambiguation page — a navigational aid which lists other pages that might otherwise share the same title. ... is the 208th day of the year (209th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday (link displays full 2006 calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Marion C. Blakey was appointed Federal Aviation Administration Administrator by President George W. Bush in 2002. ...

Full certification was not granted at that time because the composite wing tip fuel tanks did not meet FAA lightning strike criteria. As a result, Eclipse started testing an improved wingtip fuel tank made from aluminium. Eclipse also started ramping up production of the 500, so aircraft could be released to customers once full certification was achieved.

Full type certification was eventually achieved on 30 September 2006. At that point, in addition to the five flying prototypes, 23 aircraft were in production and two had already been completed. Full certification allows the 500 to be flown using IFR (instrument flight rules) with a single pilot throughout its operating envelope. Deliveries to customers can now start. However, some avionics functionality (e.g. GPS navigation, weather radar, etc) will not be available until some 6-12 months after the initial deliveries and will have to be retro-fitted into in-service aircraft. is the 273rd day of the year (274th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday (link displays full 2006 calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ...

The Eclipse 500 still has not obtained certification from the FAA to fly into "known icing conditions". The icing certification for the Eclipse 500 is expected in 2007.

Eclipse has now received its FAA production certificate. ^[10] Eclipse did not receive its production certificate as expected in Q4 of 2006. This caused a delay in the delivery of its first plane. ^[11] Until the production certificate is granted, each airplane that rolls off the line must be individually inspected and certified airworthy by the FAA. On March 1, 2007, the Aero-News Network reprinted a letter that CEO Vern Raburn sent to Eclipse's potential customers notifying them that his company was continuing to experience production schedule delays. He provided a list of eight reasons for the delays. He also announced, "While it is impossible to predict the exact timing for the receipt of our Production Certificate (PC), we will keep you informed of our progress."^[12]

Modifications

In early December 2006 and in March 2007, Eclipse announced, in letters to customers a number of changes to the initial specifications, including:

1. New fairings for the landing gear, wheel covers, and tail
2. Control surface hinge covers
3. Extended rudder and elevator, to eliminate gurney flaps
4. Improved lower engine nacelle panel aerodynamics
5. Extended wingtip fuel tanks (+12 US gal. on each side)
6. Changes to engine FADEC software, to increase cruise thrust above 25000ft altitude
7. Overall weight increase of 79 lbs with no change to full fuel payload or max useful load.

Together, these measures are expected to increase the cruise speed from 360 to 370kts TAS and increase NBAA IFR range from 1055 to 1125nm. All aircraft, including the already delivered initial deliveries, will be upgraded to this new standard.^[13] The wing root of a simple aircraft, an American Aviation AA-1 Yankee, showing a wing root fairing A fairing is a structure whose primary function is to produce a smooth outline and to reduce drag. ... Invented by Dan Gurney, the Gurney Flap (or wickerbill) is a right-angle piece of metal rigidly bolted or riveted to a wings trailing edge increasing lift or downforce. ...

Production and marketing

From the beginning, the aircraft was intended to bring a new economy to small jet aircraft, and both cost of acquisition and ongoing operational costs were considered in the design of the plane. Eclipse is attempting to market the aircraft to a segment of general aviation that has not had a jet participating in the market, so it is directly competing with high-end piston and turboprop aircraft. Thus, Eclipse's marketing efforts are focusing on the plane's very low service costs and comprehensive maintenance and support program for customers. Being able to land at over 10,000 airports in the United States, Eclipse and other VLJ manufacturers hope that this would proliferate an air taxi role for their aircraft. It has been suggested that this article or section be merged into Air charter. ...

Eclipse is reporting 2,700 total orders and options to order its Eclipse 500. The company initially advised customers and investors that they hoped to deliver 10 aircraft by the end of 2006^[14], but as of March 2, 2006, Eclipse was still unable to obtain a production certificate, nor were they able to deliver even their second aircraft. The Eclipse has an initial cost of 1.52 million USD for those that make a deposit before August 31, 2007. Starting September 1, 2007, Eclipse has announced a 5% price increase to 1.595 million USD.^[15] For comparison, the Cessna Citation Mustang, another VLJ, cost around 2.62 million USD at launch in 2006. Cessna Citation Mustang VLJ The Cessna Citation Mustang, Model 510, is a very light jet class business jet built by Cessna Aircraft Company at their Independence, Kansas production facility. ...

Eclipse will offer the Jet Complete program, guaranteeing private owners a maintenance cost of $209 per flight hour for three years (if the aircraft is operated between 300 and 3,000 hours during that period). A similar Jet Complete Business program will cover charter operators.

DayJet will initially be Eclipse's largest customer, with around 250 aircraft operating in an "air taxi" role. Aviation analysts remain somewhat doubtful whether the company's aggressive sales and production targets will be feasible.^[16] DayJet is a startup that intends to provide air taxi service in Florida using a fleet of Eclipse 500s. ...

Although Raburn told customers in late November of 2006 that he anticipated delivering 10 aircraft before the end of the year, his company was only able to get a single copy of its jet delivered on December 31, 2006.^[14] The official delivery ceremony occurred on January 4, 2007, when the keys were handed over to its co-owners, David Crowe, an owner-pilot and the shared-jet cooperative group, Jet Alliance.^[17]

On April 19, 2007, it was reported that Eclipse had delivered a total of six Eclipse 500 aircraft, including three to DayJet.^[18] April 19 is the 109th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (110th in leap years). ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era. ... DayJet is a startup that intends to provide air taxi service in Florida using a fleet of Eclipse 500s. ...

Eclipse has announced previously that it intends to build 4 aircraft per day in 2008.

Interior amenities

A New York Times article from August 29, 2006 posed the question, "Will having a lavatory on board be the key factor in short flight success?"^[19] A July, 2006 NBC Nightly News with Brian Williams broadcast also discussed the issue of the Eclipse 500's lack of an on board toilet.^[20] Passengers needing to relieve themselves on the Eclipse 500 will be required to bring along a portable container. Eclipse Aviation's CEO Vern Raburn suggests that most of his company's customers will be using the VLJ for short flights from 300-500 miles in length in 40-80 minutes and that the lavatory issue is not going to be a problem for VLJ customers.^[19] The New York Times is an internationally known daily newspaper published in New York City and distributed in the United States and many other nations worldwide. ... NBC Nightly News is the flagship evening news program for NBC News and broadcasts from Studio 8G at the GE Building, Rockefeller Center in New York City. ...

Rick Adam, CEO of Adam Aircraft Industries, disagrees and says, "people are not going to get on a plane without a bathroom, at least they are not going to do it more than once". However, the new air taxi service companies, which make up the bulk of the Eclipse 500 orders, have done surveys that show that having a toilet is not a concern for most of their passengers. The CEO of DayJet says that even if his company outgrows the Eclipse 500 in the future, he will also have his company's larger planes configured without a toilet.^[20] Adam Aircraft Industries (AAI) is an aircraft manufacturer founded by George F. Adam Jr and John C. Knudsen at Centennial Airport, Denver, Colorado, in 1998. ...

Option of electric flush, remove to service, toilet is now available on the Eclipse 500 at the expense of one passenger seat. ^[21]

Specifications

Data from Eclipse Aviation^[22]

General characteristics

• Crew: one or two pilots
• Capacity: 4 to 5 passengers
• Length: 33 ft 1 in (10.1 m)
• Wingspan: 37 ft 3 in (11.4 m)
• Height: 11 ft 0 in (3.4 m)
• Empty weight: 3,550 lb (1,610 kg)
• Loaded weight: 5,520 lb (2,504 kg)
• Useful load: 2,400 lb (1,089 kg)
• Max takeoff weight: 5,950 lb (2,699 kg)
• Powerplant: 2× Pratt & Whitney Canada PW610F turbofan engines, 900 lbf (4 kN flat-rated to > ISA+10C) each

Performance

• Cruise speed: 370 knots (425 mph, 685 km/h)
• Stall speed: 67 knots (77 mph, 124 km/h) in landing configuration
• Range: 1,125 nm (1,295 mi, 2,084 km)
• Service ceiling: 41,000 ft (12,500 m)

• Takeoff distance: 2,155 ft (657 m)
• Landing distance: 2,040 ft (622 m)

Avionics

• Avio Next Generation (aka Avio NG)
• Displays: Two 768 x 1024 resolution PFD displays and One 1440 x 900 resolution MFD display
• Suppliers: Innovative Solutions & Support, Inc., Honeywell, Chelton Flight Systems, Garmin International, FreeFlight Systems, Crossbow Technology, Harco Laboratories, Meggitt, Autronics, Hispano-Suiza, Heads-Up Technologies, Strategic Aeronautics and PS Engineering, Inc.

References

The distance AB is the wing span of this Aer Lingus Airbus A320. ... In aviation, the Maximum Take-Off Weight (or MTOW) is the maximum weight with which an aircraft is allowed to try to achieve flight. ... The PW600 family of extremely small turbofan engines is being developed by Pratt & Whitney Canada for use in very light jets. ... CFM56-3 turbofan, lower half, side view. ... Airspeed Indicator in a light aircraft The VC of an aircraft is the V speed which refers to the velocity of cruising. ... Stall speed is an aerodynamic term. ... The maximal total range is the distance an aircraft can fly between takeoff and landing, as limited by fuel capacity in powered aircraft, or cross-country speed and environmental conditions in unpowered aircraft. ... In aeronautics, the service ceiling is the maximum density altitude where the best rate of climb airspeed will produce a 100 feet per minute climb(twin engine) and 50 feet(single engine) at maximum weight while in a clean configuration with maximum continuous power. ... A primary flight display is a modern aircraft instrument dedicated to flight information. ... MFD Avidyne MFD used in many General Aviation aircraft A Multi-function display (MFD) is a small screen (CRT or LCD) in an aircraft surrounded by multiple buttons that can be used to display information to the pilot in numerous configurable ways. ... Innovative Solutions & Support, Inc. ... Honeywell Heating Specialties Company Stock Certificate dated 1924 signed by Mark C. Honeywell - courtesy of Scripophily. ... // Chelton Flight Systems is a part of Cobham plc Avionics and Surveillance, a division of Cobham plc, a respected aerospace company. ... Garmin Ltd. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday (link displays full 2006 calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... November 29 is the 333rd day of the year (334th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era. ... is the 119th day of the year (120th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era. ... is the 119th day of the year (120th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era. ... This article is about the day. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era. ... is the 119th day of the year (120th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era. ... is the 119th day of the year (120th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era. ... is the 119th day of the year (120th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era. ... is the 119th day of the year (120th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday (link displays full 2006 calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 331st day of the year (332nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday (link displays full 2006 calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... November 29 is the 333rd day of the year (334th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era. ... January 5 is the 5th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era. ... is the 16th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... The New York Times is an internationally known daily newspaper published in New York City and distributed in the United States and many other nations worldwide. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday (link displays full 2006 calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... November 29 is the 333rd day of the year (334th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ...

External links

• Eclipse Aviation
• First look from AOPA Pilot Magazine
• Eclipse Aviation begins production of its landmark Very Light Jet (VLJ)

Related content

Comparable aircraft

• Adam A700
• Cessna Citation Mustang
• Embraer Phenom 100

The Adam A700 AdamJet is a six-seat civil utility aircraft currently under development. ... Cessna Citation Mustang VLJ The Cessna Citation Mustang, Model 510, is a very light jet class business jet built by Cessna Aircraft Company at their Independence, Kansas production facility. ... The Phenom 100 is a Very Light Jet (VLJ) developed by Brazilian aircraft manufacturer Embraer. ...

See also

• Eclipse Aviation