 |
Eclipse 500 Test
Fleet Surpasses 1,000 Flight Hours.
Jet-Alliance
Pronounces 2006 “The Year of the Eclipse”
Westlake Village,
CA - January 19, 2006 – This is the year that Americans will begin
flying in the revolutionary new Eclipse 500 Jet. With news from
Eclipse Aviation of yet another significant milestone, Jet-Alliance
Members anxiously await first deliveries. With co-ownership prices
starting at $93,750, the dream of “Affordable Jet Ownership” will
soon come true.
VLJ leader's five
test jets rapidly accumulate flight hours and testing milestones in
New Mexico skies 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 its 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.
About Eclipse Aviation
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 about 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.
About Jet-Alliance
Jet-Alliance, Inc. is the leading Fractional Jet Ownership Company
in the new VLJ (Very Light Jet) category of aircraft. Headquartered
in Westlake Village, California, Jet-Alliance is offering ownership
opportunities in the Eclipse 500 private jet, starting at $93,750.
For additional information, call
866-538-2554.
Secure a position on our
waiting list.
Top
of Page
|
