On Sept. 30, Eclipse Aviation was awarded full certification for its groundbreaking Eclipse 500 jet, and the first customer delivery was expected within days … and then it was expected amid fanfare at the National Business Aviation Association convention in Orlando last week … and now the word (per The New York Times) is, “as early as this week.” Eclipse Aviation spokesman Andrew Broom told AVweb yesterday that no delivery date has been committed to as yet, but he expects it to happen within “the next week or two.” The first customer copy will go to David Crowe, owner of Magnum Aviation, an FBO in California. That jet will be co-owned by Jet Alliance, a fractional operator. The second copy will go to DayJet, which plans to operate a fleet of the jets in Florida, mainly to cater to business travelers. After that, early deliveries will go to a mix of private owners and to DayJet, Broom said.
First Eclipse 500 Delivery Days Away?
Key Takeaways:
- The Eclipse 500 jet received full certification on September 30.
- The first customer delivery has faced multiple delays and is now expected within "the next week or two."
- The initial jet will go to David Crowe (Magnum Aviation), co-owned by Jet Alliance, with subsequent early deliveries largely going to DayJet for its business travel fleet in Florida.
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