Eclipse Aviation is turning its sights on to the European market as its third Eclipse 500 very light jet – N504EA – moves into flight testing at its Albuquerque, New Mexico site. As of last week, the three aircraft had clocked up more than 50 flights and almost 70h.
Around a tenth of Eclipse's 2,200 orders are from European customers, but the company was at Aero 2005, and will be at the European Business Aviation Convention and Exhibition in Geneva, Switzerland later this month, to pitch the six-seat aircraft at the region's owner/ flyers, corporate flight departments and air taxi operators.
But, although Eclipse flew an aircraft to last month's Sun ‘n Fun fly-in in Lakeland, Florida last month, it is unlikely European audiences will see the $1.18 million aircraft in the flesh before US certification, expected in March next year.
The last two test aircraft are scheduled to fly by the end of the third quarter.
Source: Flight International
