Get ready for jet air taxis. Eclipse Aviation is getting close to FAA certification for its Eclipse 500 4-seat VLJ, very light jet. They’ve got 2,500 on order and air taxi operations are getting ready to shuttle you around at a cost similar to first class. Tom Ramstack has the details.
It’s been a long road for Eclipse CEO Vern Raburn. Originally the Eclipse 500 was going to be powered by a cheapo engine from Williams International Ltd., but when Williams couldn’t deliver Eclipse went to Pratt and Whitney. And the jet was going to cost $850,000. Now the price is up at $1.5 million.
There is competition coming up, but Eclipse will be first to market.
On Eclipse Aviation’s website gives the details of the project. A May 30 press release reports
that six customer Eclipse 500 VLJs are in various assembly positions on the production line. The Eclipse 500 is on track to achieve FAA certification by the end of this quarter and will be the first VLJ to market.
It sure would be cool to fly one of those babies. Cruising speed is about 375 knots and stall speed in landing configuration is 67 knots. Range is a surprising 1,395 nautical miles with four occupants.
There are more facts available from Wikipedia. Did you know that Bill Gates was an investor?
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