Thu, Mar 10, 2005
Progress Includes Receipt Of Engines For Second FAA Conforming
Test Aircraft
Eclipse Aviation
Corporation, manufacturer of the revolutionary Eclipse 500 very
light jet (VLJ), has announced a series of manufacturing milestones
that demonstrate the company's continued progress toward
certification in 2006.
The company's test aircraft fleet, comprised of seven Eclipse
500 aircraft, is nearing completion. Five test aircraft are now in
final assembly positions. Eclipse has finalized all vertical fins
and horizontal stabilizers for its entire flight test fleet,
including instrumentation and strain gauges.
The upper and lower cabin assemblies for the test aircraft,
N505EA and N506EA, were recently joined, while aircraft N502EA and
N504EA are being instrumented for flight testing. The fuselage for
the static test airframe has also been completed. These represent
significant steps towards the successful completion of Eclipse's
test fleet culminating in FAA certification of the Eclipse 500.
These test aircraft will join N503EA, which entered flight
testing on December 31, 2004. Five aircraft will be used in flight
testing and two for static and fatigue testing.
Eclipse recently received both PW610F engines for N502EA, the
second FAA conforming Eclipse 500 test aircraft. N502EA is slated
to enter flight testing in April. Eclipse is now in the process of
completing engine installation checks and fitting the nacelles onto
N502EA. Total test time for all PW610F engines, including time in
the test cell, on the flying test bed and on the Eclipse 500 test
aircraft N503EA, has reached 780 hours.
Eclipse also says its second friction stir welding gantry is now
operational. With an additional 24 inches of "Z" height over the
first gantry, the new gantry provides greater flexibility in
joining parts. The new gantry also features upgraded software that
gives operators improved control of the welding process.
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