| you can’t afford your own plane? Think again. | | | | which is even still much lower than any of its |
| Introducing the newest, lightest jet on the market | | | | competition which sits around the 2.62 million USD point. |
| – The Eclipse 500 ( . This is a small 6-seat very | | | | Eclipse plans to produce about four aircraft each day |
| light jet produced by Eclipse Aviation and it is making | | | | by the end of 2008. |
| waves in the aviation industry. It is the second in its | | | | “We look forward to receiving our jet sooner |
| class of business jets, known as Very Light Jet, | | | | rather than later,” said Peter Klamka, an Ann |
| previously termed Microjet. The aircraft is powered by | | | | Arbor, Michigan investor with extensive travel needs. |
| two lightweight turbofan engines in tail-mounted | | | | Currently DayJet is Eclipse’s largest customer |
| nacelles. | | | | hoping to obtain about 250 light jets for air taxi roles. |
| When it was first launched, the purpose was to bring a | | | | Low operating costs are the focus of the Eclipse and |
| new marketplace to small jet aircraft and the Eclipse is | | | | they hope to guarantee owners such as DayJet a |
| attempting to market the jet to a segment of the | | | | cost of $209 per flight hour for a minimum of three |
| marketplace that has not had a jet participating in its | | | | years. The company is utilizing advanced electrical |
| product line. This makes it a strong competitor for | | | | systems, manufacturing practices, and business |
| turbo aircraft, The Eclipse is centralizing its marketing | | | | economics to produce very light jets that will cost a |
| plan on low service costs as well as a comprehensive | | | | third of today’s standard small jet plane. Eclipse |
| service and maintenance program for its consumer. | | | | has as its goal the notion of bringing |
| With its ability to land at well over 10,000 airports in | | | | “personal” into the aviation marketplace, |
| America, the Eclipse and other light jet producers are | | | | making it feasible for commercial passengers to move |
| hoping this will create an air taxi role for their planes. | | | | between cities in an efficient, affordable fashion. This |
| With over 2,500 orders on the books, the expected | | | | will make the Eclipse a much safer and simpler aircraft |
| success of the Eclipse is said to skyrocket. Eclipse has | | | | to operate than those in today’s market. This |
| yet to clarify what an order actually means as there | | | | will then lower the cost of ownership every obtained in |
| are different deposit amounts for the individual | | | | a jet plane. |
| customer. They had hoped to have 10 aircraft | | | | “We see an opportunity to service |
| delivered by the end of 2006, but were only able to | | | | corporations with immediate travel needs with services |
| provide even their second plane. The initial cost of the | | | | like DayJet,” added Kimberly Tavil, an |
| Eclipse is said to be around the 1.52 million USD mark | | | | independent corporate travel planner. |