Thu, Aug 25, 2005
N506EA Achieves First Flight: Five Jets Flying, Nearly 300
Total Flight Test Hours Logged
It's getting pretty
darned crowded in the skies over Albuquerque these days... and for
all the right reasons. Eclipse has successfully tested its fifth
conforming flight test aircraft and the second of its two beta test
jets. The maiden flight of N506EA marks the completion of
Eclipse's flight test fleet, and reflects the company's rapid
advancement towards certification and first customer deliveries
next year.
At 7:30 p.m. (MDT) on August 24, aircraft N506EA, powered by two
Pratt & Whitney Canada (P&WC) PW610F turbofan engines, took
off from the Albuquerque International Sunport. As Eclipse's
certification program advances, N506EA will be used extensively for
function and reliability testing under accelerated usage
conditions.
"We now have all five of our FAA-conforming flight test aircraft
in various stages of flight testing and will be building flight
hours at an unprecedented rate over the coming months," said
Eclipse Aviation president and CEO Vern Raburn.
"This fleet of test
aircraft will allow us to meet our goal of achieving FAA
certification for the Eclipse 500 early next year and delivering
jets to customers shortly thereafter."
Eclipse's flight test fleet has accumulated nearly 300 flight
hours, while reaching a maximum speed of 285 knots, stall speed of
67 knots and service ceiling of 41,000 feet. Eclipse has now
manufactured six out of its seven preproduction aircraft, which
include five flight test aircraft, one static test airframe and one
fatigue test airframe. The static airframe will complete
testing over the coming weeks. The fatigue airframe is
scheduled for completion by early fall and will then begin a
testing program that will assess its endurance over the equivalent
of two airframe lifetimes by certification in March 2006.
N506EA will be showcased on static display at upcoming trade
shows including the Aircraft Owners and Pilot's Association (AOPA)
Expo in Tampa, Florida from November 3rd to 5th and the National
Business Aviation Association (NBAA) Convention in New Orleans,
Louisiana from November 15th to 17th.
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