Eclipse Aerospace says it plans to deliver its first new production very
light jet, sometime in 2013, since buying the assets of bankrupt Eclipse
Aviation in 2009.
New aircraft will be known as the Eclipse 550 and will feature integrated
FMS, synthetic vision, enhanced vision, auto-throttles and FAR Part 135
upgrades, including a stand-alone emergency standby instrument system.
Capabilities will include RNP .1 to .15 navigation, required time of arrival
navigation, ADS-B, ADF, a Wi-Fi-based cabin entertainment system and an Iridium
phone. The aircraft will be priced at $2.695 million in 2011-year dollars.
“This is a great day for Eclipse Aerospace. We only acquired the assets [of
Eclipse Aviation] two years ago. This will be the most advanced light jet in
production. It will offer the best operating economics,” says Mason Holland,
chairman and CEO of Eclipse Aviation.
Assuming standard day conditions, the Eclipse 550 will cruise at 37o KTAS at
FL 310 while burning 471 pph, according to Business and Commercial Aviation’s
May 2007 Purchase Planning Handbook. It will be able to fly 1,125 nm. with NBAA
IFR reserves, assuming a long-range cruise speed of 329 KTAS at FL 410. Most
missions, though, are likely to be less than two hours in duration.
Jeff Pino, president of United Technology’s Sikorsky Aircraft division and a
major investor in Eclipse Aerospace, confirmed that PZL Mielec subsidiary will
build the wings, fuselage and empennage, replacing Fuji Heavy Industries,
Metalcraft Technologies and Hampson Aerospace, the three firms that built those
structures for the original EA500. Even though most of the primary airframe will
be manufactured in Poland, the friction stir welding process will be retained
because structural certification tests of the original aircraft were based on
using the process.
“Eclipse Aviation invested a billion dollars in the program. Eclipse
Aerospace bought the assets for pennies on the dollar. For us, the business case
makes a lot of sense,” says Pino. “One thing you learn is that UTC is an
extremely disciplined and well-managed company. Sikorsky will take an extremely
disciplined approach to this program. We have a supply chain that can be made
operational very quickly.”
UTC-owned Pratt & Whitney Canada will continue to supply the
900-pounds-thrust PW610F-A turbofans for the aircraft. Integrated Solutions
& Support will furnish most of the avionics package, including the
auto-throttle system. About 85% of the suppliers for the Eclipse 550 are under
contract, Holland says. Almost all the original vendors asked to participate in
the new production have agreed to support the program.
Final assembly of the first aircraft will be done in Albuquerque at Eclipse
Aerospace’s headquarters, says Holland. “But we’re vetting opportunities in
other locations.”
Holland wouldn’t say when production of the Eclipse 550 would start in 2013
or how many aircraft he expects to deliver the first year. He did project
average deliveries of 50 to 100 aircraft per year during a 10-year period.
Actual launch of new aircraft production depends on how many orders Eclipse
Aerospace receives. As incentives, introductory position holders are being
offered a $124,000 package in optional equipment and no escalation in the 2011
prices.
acknowledgement: Fred George fred_george@aviationweek.com
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