The Eclipse 500 is a small 6 seat business jet aircraft powered by two lightweight Pratt & Whitney Canada PW610F turbofan engines.

Manufactured by Eclipse Aviation based in Albuquerque, New Mexico, the Eclipse 500 is undergoing testing and is expected to commence deliveries to customers by mid 2006.

CEO Vern Raburn has set out to create a new class of small busines jet utilising new technologies. Examples of this are friction stir welding for airframe construction and the utilisation of glass cockpit technology not usually found in such lightweight and relatively low-cost aircraft.

Originally slated to use ultra-lightweight EJ22 jet engines from Williams International Ltd, the development powerplants failed to meet performance and envelope expansion targets and were dropped in favour of the Pratt & Whitney product.

External links

• Eclipse Aviation