Eclipse Aviation News
The milestone meeting took place at the First Flight Centennial Celebration, a six-day tribute to the past, present and future of aviation that begins today. To symbolically unite the past and the future of flight, Eclipse Aviation and EAA brought the 1903 Wright Flyer reproduction, which will attempt to fly on the 100th anniversary of the Wright brothers' first flight, together with the Eclipse 500 jet in front of the Wright Brothers National Monument in Kill Devil Hills, North Carolina.
“As aviation enters its second century, it is at a critical inflection point,” said Vern Raburn, president and CEO of Eclipse Aviation. “The retirement of the Concorde and the struggles of aerospace leaders such as Boeing have many people wondering what the next 100 years of flight will hold. We see tremendous opportunity ahead for aviation and for air travelers, but realizing it will require us all to re-ignite the spirit of aviation innovation sparked by the Wright brothers on December 17th, 100 years ago.”
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.