Tue, Dec 16, 2003
Old Meets New
This week near Kitty
Hawk, North Carolina the jet that is poised to define the next
century of flight, Eclipse Aviation's revolutionary Eclipse 500
jet, stood face-to-face with the world's most accurate 1903 Wright
Flyer reproduction for the first time in a moment that signified
the transition from the first century of flight to the
second.
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."
Vern Raburn will participate in a panel discussion today on The
Future of General Aviation on Tuesday, December 16 at 4:00 p.m. at
the First Flight Centennial Media Tent. He will be joined by
executives from the FAA, the EAA and Cirrus Design.
The Eclipse 500 is a revolutionary new aircraft that will
redefine jet safety, performance and value in the next century.
Priced at less than $1 million, and providing twin-jet safety and
performance, the Eclipse 500 is credited with spurring both the
very light jet market and the growth of the emerging air taxi
transportation model.
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