Eclipse Aviation News
“First metal cutting marks a very exciting and significant milestone in the production of the Eclipse 500,” said Vern Raburn, president and CEO of Eclipse Aviation. “After more than three years of hard work and dedication, we have entered the production phase of the development program. Unlike the competition we continue to distance ourselves from, we are now seeing our design become a reality.”
Machinists at Metalcraft cut the aluminum to create a frame for the lower cabin assembly of the Eclipse 500. The frame will later be friction stir welded to the aluminum skin of the aircraft in its next phase of assembly.
Using stretch-forming, hydro-forming, five-axis machining and other technologies, Metalcraft will provide Eclipse with numerous production-conforming components for the fuselage of the Eclipse 500 including the windshield frame, lower right and lower left cabin assemblies and parts for the nose of the aircraft.
Metalcraft Technologies, Inc. is a full-service parts manufacturer offering engineering, fabrication, machining, automated metal finishing and other services to companies in the aviation and aerospace industries.
Eclipse Aviation 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 quarter 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.