Service History
The Eclipse 500 entered service in December 2006 with ambitious goals to transform the business aviation market. Eclipse Aviation delivered 260 aircraft during its brief production run from December 2006 to October 2008, targeting general aviation owners who had never owned jets. The aircraft competed directly with high-end piston aircraft and turboprops, offering jet performance at unprecedented acquisition and operating costs for its class.
The Eclipse 500's service history was marked by both innovation and controversy. In June 2008, the FAA issued an Airworthiness Directive grounding all Eclipse 500s after an incident at Chicago Midway International Airport where an aircraft's engines surged to full power during landing, causing a runway overshoot. The grounding lasted only four days after Eclipse resolved the issue through avionics software modifications. Despite domestic challenges, the European Aviation Safety Agency certified the EA500 for private use on November 21, 2008.
The Manufacturer
Eclipse Aviation Corporation was founded in 1998 by Vern Raburn, Microsoft's 18th employee, with backing from Bill Gates due to his relationship with Raburn. The company relocated from Scottsdale, Arizona to Albuquerque, New Mexico in 2000, where it established production facilities. Eclipse Aviation's ambitious vision centered on creating a "very light jet" category that would democratize business jet ownership.
The company's corporate history reflects the volatile nature of the early VLJ market. Eclipse Aviation entered Chapter 11 bankruptcy in November 2008, converting to Chapter 7 liquidation in February 2009. Eclipse Aerospace purchased the assets in August 2009, later merging with Kestrel Aircraft in April 2015 to form One Aviation. After One Aviation's Chapter 7 bankruptcy liquidation in February 2021, AML Global Eclipse acquired the program in 2023, operating as Eclipse Aerospace, Inc., and maintaining support for all Eclipse aircraft.
Engine & Technical Details
The Eclipse 500's engine history exemplifies the challenges faced by early VLJ programs. Vern Raburn originally designed the aircraft around Williams International EJ22 turbofans, basing it on the 1997 Williams V-Jet II demonstrator built by Scaled Composites. However, by November 2002, Raburn acknowledged that the EJ22 engines never delivered rated thrust and had fundamental developmental problems. The prototype flew only once with the Williams engines installed.
Eclipse switched to Pratt & Whitney PW610F turbofans, with the first flight using these engines occurring in 2004. This engine change proved critical to the program's viability, though it compromised the original selling price and operating economics that hinged on the Williams powerplants. The production aircraft featured an aluminum airframe and the innovative Avio avionics system, with type certification allowing single-pilot IFR operations—a significant advancement for its class.
Pilot Perspective
The Eclipse 500 offered pilots their first entry into jet operations at an unprecedented price point. With a crew requirement of just one pilot under IFR conditions, the aircraft opened jet ownership to operators previously limited to high-performance piston aircraft or turboprops. The Avio avionics system provided modern glass cockpit technology, though the software issues that led to the 2008 grounding highlighted the challenges of integrating complex systems in cost-sensitive aircraft.
Performance specifications included a maximum speed of 370 knots, with the aircraft capable of carrying six occupants in a pressurized cabin. The Eclipse 500's operating economics represented its primary selling point, offering jet performance while maintaining operating costs closer to turboprop aircraft.
Production & Legacy
Eclipse 500 production totaled 260 aircraft during its 22-month production run, far short of the ambitious goals Eclipse Aviation had set. The program's failure stemmed from undercapitalization, technical challenges with the original engine selection, and the broader economic pressures affecting the general aviation market in 2008.
The Eclipse 500's legacy lives on through its successor, the Eclipse 550, which Eclipse Aerospace announced in October 2011. The first Eclipse 550 customer delivery occurred on October 22, 2013, representing an updated and refined version of the original concept. As of 2023, AML Global Eclipse has restarted 550 production, delivering two examples that year while maintaining support for the entire Eclipse fleet.
The Eclipse 500 remains significant as the first successful very light jet, establishing a new category in business aviation despite its manufacturer's financial difficulties. The aircraft demonstrated that a market existed for affordable business jets, paving the way for subsequent VLJ programs from established manufacturers like Cessna and Embraer.