Big Day For DayJet: First Three Eclipse 500s Delivered

On Saturday, Eclipse Aviation delivered three Eclipse 500s to DayJet– the planned per-seat, on-demand air-taxi operator — at themanufacturer’s headquarters in Albuquerque, N.M. According to Eclipsespokesman Andrew Broom, these three very light jets do not yet havethe required backup air data/attitude and heading reference system(ADAHRS) display needed for Part 135 operations, but the airplaneswill allow DayJet to start training pilots under Part 91 rules whileEclipse continues to pursue FAA approval for the backup system, whichis expected soon. DayJet, which has firm orders for 239 Eclipse 500sand options for 70 more, plans to start air service with the VLJs bythe end of June. “Today is a major milestone for DayJet, as we beginto take delivery of our Eclipse 500 jets,” said DayJet President andCEO Ed Iacobucci. “Like many great innovations in history,there is a confluence of hardware and software advances thattogether, promise radical change and benefit to thousands of regionalbusiness travelers.”

Also on Saturday, Eclipse sent a letter to customers along with a draft copy of the aircraft flight manual’sSection 5 that outlines the final Eclipse 500 aircraft configuration,meaning the large aluminum tiptanks, the new Avio NG avionics and allaerodynamic refinements. “You will see from these data that theEclipse 500 aircraft meets its performance guarantees and performslike we have always told you it would,” notes Raburn. According tothis data, the Eclipse 500 will cruise at more than 370 knots, have a1,130-nm NBAA IFR range with four occupants and have a stall speed aslow as 60 knots. Some takeoff and landing numbers are just shy of theguaranteed performance in the draft section, but Eclipse says it isworking to meet or exceed these goals.