Eclipse Aviation News
Today Eclipse Aviation, manufacturer of the world’s first very light jet (VLJ), announced that it will locate an Eclipse Service Center (ESC) at Van Nuys Airport in California. The service center will be located at Castle & Cooke Aviation Services, the airport’s largest corporate aviation facility. California is home to one of Eclipse’s largest customer bases, and the Van Nuys ESC will be one of two Eclipse service centers in the state. The second location has not yet been announced.
Eclipse’s Van Nuys service location will be operational on January 1, 2007. The company will have 10,000 square feet of hangar space, with 200 square feet of dedicated shop space. In addition Eclipse will have access to 350 square feet of unattached Class A office space co-located at Castle & Cooke.
“We look forward to introducing our California-based customers to this convenient, proven service location,” said Vern Raburn, president and CEO of Eclipse Aviation. “Castle & Cook Aviation Services’ stellar reputation reflects our own high service standards, and it will be a pleasure to join forces with this world-class organization.”
Owned by David H. Murdock, Castle & Cooke Aviation Services is an affiliate of Castle and Cooke, Inc. They have been a tenant at Van Nuys Airport for over 25 years. The company has hangared and serviced over 200 individual client aircraft and currently hangars over 45 privately owned jets at VNY. Castle & Cooke Aviation recently completed development of a 40,000 square foot hangar and 12,000 square foot office complex at the airport. The organization’s Van Nuys facilities have grown to a total of 100,000 square feet of hangar space and more than 25,000 square feet of Class-A office space.
“We are pleased to team up with Eclipse to provide the first Eclipse Service Center in California at our facilities in Van Nuys,” said Steven C. Friedmann, vice president of Development for Castle & Cooke Aviation Services. “We have a proven track record
as a premier aviation service provider with hangar office and maintenance facilities, along with on-site fueling and ground services. We look forward to being a part of the creative vision for Eclipse’s Service Centers. Eclipse is a powerful force in the market, and it will be exciting to play a key role in the company’s successful growth.”
Castle & Cooke, Inc. and its affiliated companies have operations in over 24 states. The company’s diversified businesses include the development and ownership of real estate, leasing of transportation equipment, manufacturer of brick and building materials and ownership of public warehouses. The company’s real estate developments include master planned communities such as Mililani Town on the island of Oahu, Hawaii, Lake Sherwood in Thousand Oaks, California, Seven Oaks in Bakersfield, California and Keene’s Pointe in Orlando, Florida. The Company also owns two of the world’s highest-rated resorts on the 98% owned island of Lana’i in Hawaii. For more information please visit the Castle & Cooke, Inc. website at www.CastleCooke.net or for Castle & Cooke Aviation Services go to www.castlecookeaviation.com.
Eclipse Aviation, manufacturer of the world's first certified very light jet, is in the business of designing, certifying and producing modern, affordable jet aircraft that will revolutionize the transportation market. The company is applying advanced electronics systems, manufacturing and business practices to produce aircraft that cost less than a third of today's small jet aircraft, will be significantly safer and easier to operate than those of today, and have the lowest cost of ownership ever achieved in a jet aircraft.
The goal of Eclipse is to bring the word "personal" into aviation, making it possible for commercial air passengers to move directly between cities on a quick, affordable and convenient basis. It will also allow pilot owners to enter the world of jet-powered aviation.