Eclipse Aviation EA500 Eclipse 500

Additional Information:

The Eclipse 500 (model EA500) is a very light jet (VLJ) originally produced by Eclipse Aviation of Albuquerque, New Mexico. The company was founded in 1998 to develop the 1997 Williams V-Jet II demonstrator. The prototype first flew with Williams EJ22 turbofans on August 26, 2002. The engines were replaced by Pratt & Whitney Canada PW610Fs in 2004 and Eclipse Aviation won the Collier Trophy in February of 2006 for the design. A provisional FAA type certification was received on July 27, 2006 and the first delivery occurred on December 31, 2006.

Eclipse Aviation designed and executive jet for corporation personnel transportation and charter taxi usage. Design included a revolutionary welding process which involved fusing butt joint mating of aluminum panels. This reduced gross weight of structure because it eliminating joint-lap strips and rivets. Lower gross weight of aircraft translated to lower fuel consumption and lower operational costs. The six-seat aircraft has an all-metal airframe with a T-tail and straight wings. It is powered by two turbofan engines in aft fuselage-mounted nacelles. The original engines did not perform as proposed, so larger engines and increased fuel capacity were re-designed into 500-A model. Performance was not lowered and that reduced fiscal viability.

The economic downturn of 2008-10 forced the production of the Eclipse 500 to be halted in October of 2008 due to lack of funding after 260 aircraft had already been delivered. On November 25, 2008, Eclipse Aviation entered Chapter 11 bankruptcy, then Chapter 7 liquidation on February 24, 2009. In August of 2009, Eclipse Aerospace bought the Eclipse Aviation assets, and announced the Eclipse 550 update in October of 2011. Eclipse Aerospace was merged into One Aviation in April of 2015, which entered Chapter 7 bankruptcy liquidation in February of 2021.

The aircraft became popular with owners and a new corporation was formed to upgrade original design, train pilots and provide maintenance of computers systems.

Eclipse Aviation donated a model of the original “A” model aircraft to the Cavalcade of Wings aviation museum display at the Albuquerque Sunport after the plane was unveiled.

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