Announces 80 Orders From Two On-Demand Carriers

Thursday at NBAA 2005 -- "Where Business Aviation Gets Business Done" -- exactly that happened, as Eclipse Aviation revealed their order count for the Eclipse 500 very light jet (VLJ) -- including options -- now stands at 2,357 aircraft. The announcement came as the company announced fleet operators JetSet Air Ltd and Linear Air had placed a total of 80 orders for the upcoming jet.

"The Eclipse 500 order book is the largest in the VLJ segment, and we attribute this to our ability to deliver the industry's highest-performance jet at a breakthrough price," said Vern Raburn, president and CEO of Eclipse Aviation. "This is a great aircraft for everyone from owner operators to high-utilization air-taxi and shared ownership businesses."

JetSet Air Ltd plans to offer on-demand air taxi service from the UK to popular European destinations. The company, which intends to offer customers the option to purchase bulk-flight-time in 25, 50 and 100 hour increments, placed 25 firm orders for the Eclipse, with 25 options.

Linear Air, a private air travel service with operations in Boston and NYC, purchased 30 Eclipse 500s -- 15 firm orders and 15 options -- to coincide with a planned expansion of service into several new markets, according to an Eclipse release. The company currently flies Cessna Grand Caravans.

Both carriers will begin operating the Eclipse 500 within two years of the start of production, according to the Albuquerque, NM-based jet manufacturer. The company expects FAA certification of its VLJ within the first quarter of 2006.

FMI: www.eclipseaviation.com, www.linearair.com