Eclipse Aviation Continues To Expand Factory Service Center Network

Eclipse Aviation, manufacturer of the revolutionary Eclipse 500 very light jet (VLJ), and the Gainesville-Alachua County Regional Airport Authority held a groundbreaking ceremony today to begin construction of the Eclipse Aviation factory service center in Gainesville, Florida. The Gainesville facility will be part of a network of seven U.S. Factory Service Centers dedicated to Eclipse 500 maintenance and support.

"We are excited to start building our first facility outside Albuquerque. Gainesville and the state of Florida have given tremendous support that will allow us to construct a state-of-the-art factory service center to serve all of our Eclipse 500 customers including DayJet in the southeast United States," said Eclipse Aviation's vice president of Sales and Product Support, Michael McConnell. "We look forward to operating out of the Gainesville Regional Airport and bringing economic growth to a business friendly state like Florida."

McConnell was joined by the Mayor of Gainesville, Pegeen Hanrahan, Florida State Representative Ed Jennings, and Airport Authority Chair Jim Stringfellow.

"Having Eclipse Aviation come into our community brings such great economic opportunities for East Gainesville. This kind of growth and development is just what East Gainesville needs," said Stringfellow.

Eclipse Aviation Gainesville Factory Service Center This new 61,000 square-foot facility will be complete in early 2007 and will initially house 15 Eclipse employees, with the ability to expand to over 160. The factory service center will consist of 45,000 square-feet of hangar space that can hold up to 12 Eclipse 500 aircraft at a time.
Additional support areas include a 10,800 square-foot maintenance section and a 5,400 square-foot customer service area. The facility will accommodate multiple shift operations. Eclipse technicians at this facility will be able to accomplish all Eclipse 500 scheduled and unscheduled maintenance, including work on the Pratt & Whitney Canada PW610F engines.

"This company with customers all over the world will establish Gainesville Regional Airport Authority as an aviation hub of North Central Florida and have an economic ripple effect throughout our entire region. We are investing in technology and infrastructure for decades to come," said State Representative Jennings.

The $11.2 million construction project was awarded to Scherer Construction & Engineering of Gainesville, Fla. The project will receive almost 50 percent of the funding from the Florida Department of Transportation's (FDOT) Aviation Work Program. The balance of the project will be financed by Compass Bank of Gainesville.

"It's so exciting that the Eclipse Aviation factory service center will be in Gainesville. They are on the cutting-edge of the aviation industry and we are thrilled that they are bringing new jobs and investment to Gainesville," said Mayor Hanrahan.

FMI: www.eclipseaviation.com