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EspañolECLIPSE 500
The 'Eclipse 500' is a small, six-seat business jet aircraft manufactured by Eclipse Aviation. It is the second of a new class of business jets known as the Very Light Jet (VLJ, previously called 'Microjets'), following the delivery of the first VLJ, the Cessna Citation Mustang in late 2006.[1] The plane is powered by two lightweight Pratt & Whitney Canada PW610F turbofan engines in tail-mounted nacelles. The Eclipse 500 costs $1,520,000.
Development
Precursor design
The production Eclipse 500 is the product of a conceptual design evolution which began with the Williams V-Jet II, which was designed and built by Burt Rutan's Scaled Composites in 1997 for Williams International to be used as a testbed and demonstrator for their new FJX-2 turbofan engine. The aircraft and engine were debuted at the 1997 Oshkosh Airshow.
The V-Jet II was an all-composite structure with a forward-swept wing, a V-tail, each fin of which was mounted on the nacelle of the one of the two engines. Williams had not intended to produce the aircraft, but it attracted a lot of attention, and Eclipse Aviation was founded in 1998 to further develop and produce the aircraft.
The prototype and only V-Jet II aircraft was obtained by Eclipse Aviation along with the program, and was donated to the Experimental Aircraft Association AirVenture museum in Oshkosh, Wisconsin in 2001.
Adaptation of V-Jet II design
Eclipse CEO Vern Raburn was one of the first business executives at Microsoft. Subsequently, Bill Gates became a major stake-holder in the Eclipse project. The VLJ concept has been pursued by a number of manufacturers, and because the V-Jet II had been designed around one of the primary VLJ engines, Eclipse believed it was an ideal design to refine and market.
The airframe was significantly redesigned as an all-metal structure with a T-tail and straight wings. The main cabin shape is essentially all that was retained from the V-Jet II. It was recognized that for an aluminum structure to be cost effective, new manufacturing techniques would have to be developed. One of the primary processes specifically developed and patented for this project was friction stir welding, in which the skin and underlying aluminum structure are welded together rather than riveted, as traditional for aluminum aircraft. Anti-corrosion bonding techniques were also developed.[2]
Besides materials processes, the general process of building the airframe was redesigned, with techniques taken from the automotive industry. Traditionally, aircraft structure is mounted in a jig, and the skin is riveted on to the outside of it. For the Eclipse 500, lessons were taken from composite airframe manufacturing, and the aluminum skin is first laid in a mold, and then the structure is built into it. The result is much more precise control of the aircraft's final shape, resulting in a cabin that is more robust and can be pressurized to a higher differential. In addition, the manufacturing techniques are designed so that one crew can assemble an airframe in a single shift. The complete interior is designed to be installed on a moving assembly line in 45 minutes.
Originally Eclipse selected a pair of Williams International EJ-2 engines (a production variant of the FJ22/FJX-2) for the Eclipse 500, but as the aircraft's weight increased, performance was not satisfactory. Pratt & Whitney Canada agreed to participate in the project, and modified the design of their PW615 engine, designating it the Pratt & Whitney Canada PW610F. The prototype Eclipse 500 first flew with the Williams engines in 2002. [3] The redesign to incorporate the new engines resulted in a significant delay to the development program. The first flight of the Eclipse 500 with the new engines occurred on December 31, 2004. [4]
An Eclipse press release says that its aircraft is "the quietest jet aircraft" and that it is "quieter than virtually all multi engine turboprop and piston aircraft".[5]
Instrument Panel
The Eclipse 500 cockpit is designed to utilize glass cockpit technology. Originally Eclipse selected Avidyne, BAE Systems and General Dynamics to supply the technology for the AVIO avionics system, which was designed to integrate virtually all of the aircraft electronics. However, those plans changed with the announcement of Eclipse's plans to part with BAE Systems in 2004 and with Avidyne in 2007. Eclipse published the following announcements that described the new vendors providing products for the Avio System. The new Avio suppliers include Innovative Solutions & Support, Inc. (IS&S), Chelton Flight Systems, Garmin International, Honeywell, FreeFlight Systems, Crossbow Technology, Harco Laboratories, Meggitt Avionics, Autronics, Hispano-Suiza and PS Engineering, Inc. IS&S will provide the PFD and MFD displays and the software included with them. Chelton is producing the flight management system, Garmin with the transponders, Honeywell with the communication and navigation radios, Free Flight Systems the GPS, Crossbow is providing the AHRS, Harco Laboratories with the air data computer and probes, Meggitt is supplying several components including the autopilot, Hispana-Suiza with the FADEC, and PS Engineering with the audio system.[6] [7] Other suppliers include Heads-Up Technologies for the XM datalink receiver and Strategic Aeronautics for the Avio Flight Bag. [8] [9] Until the new Avio system is certified, all aircraft are currently being manufactuered with the older Avidyne system. When the new system becomes available, all of the original systems will be replaced for free, by Eclipse.
Certification
The Eclipse 500 received provisional type certification from the FAA on July 27, 2006, shortly after the aircraft's PW610F engine was certified by the Canadian authorities. FAA Administrator Marion Blakey presented Raburn with the provisional certificate in a special ceremony at the 2006 Oshkosh Airshow.
Full certification was not granted at that time because the composite wing tip fuel tanks did not meet FAA lightning strike criteria. As a result, Eclipse started testing an improved wingtip fuel tank made from aluminium. Eclipse also started ramping up production of the 500, so aircraft could be released to customers once full certification was achieved.
Full type certification was eventually achieved on 30 September, 2006. At that point, in addition to the five flying prototypes, 23 aircraft were in production and two had already been completed. Full certification allows the 500 to be flown using IFR (instrument flight rules) with a single pilot throughout its operating envelope. Deliveries to customers can now start. However, some avionics functionality (e.g. GPS navigation, weather radar, etc) will not be available until some 6-12 months after the initial deliveries and will have to be retro-fitted into in-service aircraft.
The Eclipse 500 still has not obtained certification from the FAA to fly into "known icing conditions". The icing certification for the Eclipse 500 is expected in 2007.
Eclipse has now received its FAA production certificate. [10]
Eclipse did not receive its production certificate as expected in Q4 of 2006. This caused a delay in the delivery of its first plane. [11] Until the production certificate is granted, each airplane that rolls off the line must be individually inspected and certified airworthy by the FAA. On March 1, 2007, the Aero-News Network reprinted a letter that CEO Vern Raburn sent to Eclipse's potential customers notifying them that his company was continuing to experience production schedule delays. He provided a list of eight reasons for the delays. He also announced, "While it is impossible to predict the exact timing for the receipt of our Production Certificate (PC), we will keep you informed of our progress."[12]
Modifications
In early December 2006 and in March 2007, Eclipse announced, in letters to customers a number of changes to the initial specifications, including:
# New fairings for the landing gear, wheel covers, and tail
# Control surface hinge covers
# Extended rudder and elevator, to eliminate gurney flaps
# Improved lower engine nacelle panel aerodynamics
# Extended wingtip fuel tanks (+12 US gal. on each side)
# Changes to engine FADEC software, to increase cruise thrust above 25000ft altitude
# Overall weight increase of 79 lbs with no change to full fuel payload or max useful load.
Together, these measures are expected to increase the cruise speed from 360 to 370kts TAS and increase NBAA IFR range from 1055 to 1125nm. All aircraft, including the already delivered initial deliveries, will be upgraded to this new standard.[13]
Production and marketing
From the beginning, the aircraft was intended to bring a new economy to small jet aircraft, and both cost of acquisition and ongoing operational costs were considered in the design of the plane. Eclipse is attempting to market the aircraft to a segment of general aviation that has not had a jet participating in the market, so it is directly competing with high-end piston and turboprop aircraft. Thus, Eclipse's marketing efforts are focusing on the plane's very low service costs and comprehensive maintenance and support program for customers. Being able to land at over 10,000 airports in the United States, Eclipse and other VLJ manufacturers hope that this would proliferate an air taxi role for their aircraft.
Eclipse is reporting 2,700 total orders and options to order its Eclipse 500. The company initially advised customers and investors that they hoped to deliver 10 aircraft by the end of 2006[14], but as of March 2, 2006, Eclipse was still unable to obtain a production certificate, nor were they able to deliver even their second aircraft. The Eclipse has an initial cost of 1.52 million USD for those that make a deposit before August 31, 2007. Starting September 1, 2007, Eclipse has announced a 5% price increase to 1.595 million USD.[15] For comparison, the Cessna Citation Mustang, another VLJ, cost around 2.62 million USD at launch in 2006.
Eclipse will offer the Jet Complete program, guaranteeing private owners a maintenance cost of $209 per flight hour for three years (if the aircraft is operated between 300 and 3,000 hours during that period). A similar Jet Complete Business program will cover charter operators.
DayJet will initially be Eclipse's largest customer, with around 250 aircraft operating in an "air taxi" role. Aviation analysts remain somewhat doubtful whether the company's aggressive sales and production targets will be feasible.[16]
Although Raburn told customers in late November of 2006 that he anticipated delivering 10 aircraft before the end of the year, his company was only able to get a single copy of its jet delivered on December 31, 2006.14 The official delivery ceremony occurred on January 4, 2007, when the keys were handed over to its co-owners, David Crowe, an owner-pilot and the shared-jet cooperative group, Jet Alliance.[17]
On April 19, 2007, it was reported that Eclipse had delivered a total of six Eclipse 500 aircraft, including three to DayJet.[18]
Eclipse has announced previously that it intends to build 4 aircraft per day in 2008.
Milestones
★ August 26, 2002 - Maiden Flight. First flight of the Eclipse 500.
★ December 31, 2004 - Second Maiden Flight. Flight flight of the redesigned Eclipse 500 with Pratt & Whitney Canada PWC610F turbofan engines.
★ September 30, 2006 - Type Certification Received.
★ December 31, 2006 - First Aircraft Delivered. Serial Number 000001 was delivered to first customer, David Crowe.
★ August 14, 2007 - First Revenue Flight. North American Charter Group carried its first paying passenger under Part 135 rules.[19]
Interior amenities
A New York Times article from August 29, 2006 posed the question, "Will having a lavatory on board be the key factor in short flight success?"[20] A July, 2006 NBC Nightly News with Brian Williams broadcast also discussed the issue of the Eclipse 500's lack of an on board toilet.[21] Passengers needing to relieve themselves on the Eclipse 500 will be required to bring along a portable container. Eclipse Aviation's CEO Vern Raburn suggests that most of his company's customers will be using the VLJ for short flights from 300-500 miles in length in 40-80 minutes and that the lavatory issue is not going to be a problem for VLJ customers.
Rick Adam, CEO of Adam Aircraft Industries, disagrees and says, "people are not going to get on a plane without a bathroom, at least they are not going to do it more than once". However, the new air taxi service companies, which make up the bulk of the Eclipse 500 orders, have done surveys that show that having a toilet is not a concern for most of their passengers. The CEO of DayJet says that even if his company outgrows the Eclipse 500 in the future, he will also have his company's larger planes configured without a toilet.21
Option of electric flush, remove to service, toilet is now available on the Eclipse 500 at the expense of one passenger seat. [22]
Interior (cabin) dimensions not noted in the below specifications are: Length - 12.3 feet, Height (Max) 4.2 feet, Width (Max) 4.7 feet. [22]
Specifications
References
1. Cessna Beats Out Eclipse In First VLJ delivery
2. "An Inside Look at Eclipse" Eclipse Aviation press release (last accessed November 29, 2006)
3. Eclipse 500 Jet Achieves First Flight
4. Eclipse Aviation Completes Two Successful Flights of First Eclipse 500 Certification Flight Test Aircraft
5. Eclipse Press release (last accessed April 10, 2007)
6. Eclipse Aviation Partners with World-Class Suppliers to Deliver Next-Generation Avio Total Aircraft Integration System
7. Eclipse Aviation Assembles World Class Supplier Team for Avio Total Aircraft Integration
8. We've partnered with the best to bring you the best.
9. Eclipse Aviation Unveils Avio Flight Bag
10. Eclipse Aviation Receives Production Certificate
11. Glenn Pew Eclipse Addresses Delays And Performance Guarantees ''AVWeb'' December 6, 2006
12. Vern Raburn Eclipse 500 Production Schedule Slips Due To Several Issues Aero-News Network, March 2, 2007
13. Vern Raburn, ''Letter to Eclipse Customers'', March 26, 2007, Reprinted by AVWeb
14. Eclipse Aviation Customer/Investor Update 11-27-06 Vern Raburn
15. New Mexico Business Weekly, Eclipse raises jet's price, reveals new products, July 25, 2007
16. Bill Cox VLJs Turn Short Final Pilot Journal, Sept/Oct 2005 issue. (last accessed Nov. 29, 2006)
17. Company second in U.S to deliver light jets
18.
Eclipse 500 makes European debut at Aero 2007
19. North American Jet Charter Flies First Passengers On Eclipse VLJ'' CharterX'' Friday, August 17, 2007
20. Joe Sharkey Big Battle in Small Jet Skies'' New York Times'' Tuesday, August 29, 2006
21. Karen Di Piazza No Throne Room on Eclipse VLJ: Real Issue or Media Hype? CharterX (last accessed Nov 29, 2006)
22. See Eclipse Aviation Official Website
23. See Eclipse Aviation Official Website
External links
★ Eclipse Aviation
★ First look from AOPA Pilot Magazine
★ Eclipse Aviation begins production of its landmark Very Light Jet (VLJ)
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