Eclipse 500 Test Program Intensifies

Though they're not quite rounding third for home base, YET, there's no denying that the Eclipse 500 program is looking good for it's early 2006 Certification target. Eclipse continues to drive aggressively towards FAA certification with an intense flight test schedule that has now amassed 500 total flight hours. Each FAA-conforming Eclipse 500 test aircraft has demonstrated the ability to fly multiple flights per day while safely and successfully completing significant test points.

"Our recent progress demonstrates that we will deliver what we promised to our customers - a jet that will withstand and exceed the rigors of high-cycle operations," said Eclipse Aviation president and CEO Vern Raburn.

"Our test aircraft are proving to be exactly what we intended when we designed the Eclipse 500 - high performing, reliable and easy to maintain."

Testing Milestones

The Eclipse 500 test fleet of FAA-conforming aircraft has exceeded 500 flight hours, accelerating to speeds of 285 knots and soaring to heights of 41,000 feet. The flight test fleet, which is comprised of aircraft N502EA, N503EA, N504EA, N505EA and N506EA, most recently completed critical testing milestones, including:

• Lightweight foreign object debris (FOD) testing at various throttle settings up to take-off thrust, and at a variety of speeds ranging from standstill to 70 knots
• Developmental water ingestion testing, which taxied the jet through a � inch trough of water at speeds up to 100 knots to simulate heavy rain conditions
• 20 landings in one day on one aircraft to test tire wear
• Achieving more than 100 test points on a single aircraft in one day
• Endurance testing with single flight durations of more than three hours

FMI: www.eclipseaviation.com