Company history.

Eclipse Aviation is the result of the vision and dedication of many people. However, Vern Raburn, a successful entrepreneur in high technology, is the man behind the mission.

A senior executive with experience building companies including Microsoft, Lotus Development, Slate and Symantec, Raburn had a consuming passion for aviation from a young age. Yet he kept aviation as only an avocation, because he could never identify the “big idea” in aviation on the scale of those emerging constantly in high-tech.

However, by the mid 1990s, Raburn realized that private jet travel was the only way he could efficiently and productively accomplish his job. A member of multiple company boards across the country, he traveled frequently, but jets at that time were too expensive to purchase or even operate.

At the same time as Raburn was looking for a solution to his travel needs, a NASA initiative championing the development of efficient lightweight engines was launched. This spurred Raburn on. He was convinced advances of the day in digital technology, high-volume manufacturing and high-technology business practices could be applied to create a whole new type of general aviation aircraft and company.

In 1998, Raburn founded Eclipse Aviation. And began building his team. Dr. Oliver Masefield joined the group as vice president of engineering, leading the Eclipse 500™ development team. Dr. Masefield brings nearly 30 years experience in aircraft design, development and manufacture including the successful design and development of the Pilatus PC-12 single engine turboprop. Peter Reed, a seasoned financial executive, completed the founding management team of Eclipse.

Today, the Eclipse vision is being realized: to provide the “missing link” in physical transportation, meeting the needs of an increasingly diversified and geographically distributed economy.

Through the use of advanced avionics, new manufacturing techniques and new applications of digital information technology, Eclipse Aviation Corporation is building a series of next-generation aircraft for the general and commercial aviation markets. These aircraft, manufactured in a state-of-the-art, high-volume production system, will offer greater capabilities and improved safety at dramatically reduced unit prices.