| Eclipse to Produce Single-Engine Jet |
Very Light Jet manufacturer Eclipse Aviation has begun taking orders for the single-engine Eclipse 400, a production version of the Eclipse Concept Jet developed in secret and unveiled at Oshkosh in 2007.
Powered by a single Pratt & Whitney Canada PW615F turbofan, the 4 seat Eclipse 400 is priced at $1.35 million, with deliveries expected to begin in the fourth quarter in 2011.
At the same time, the Albuquerque, N.M.-based company has raised the price of its twin-engine Eclipse 500 VLJ from just under $1.6 million to $2.15 million. The 500 was priced under $1 million when introduced in 1998.
The manufacturer opened its order book for the new single-engine jet to existing Eclipse 500 customers at an event in Albuquerque, offering an exclusive $125,000 discount off the final delivery price for deposits placed before July 25th. Deposits from other customers will be accepted starting at the EAA AirVenture show in Oshkosh in July.
With a distinctive V-tail and its engine mounted above the fuselage, the Eclipse 400 will cruise at speeds up to 330 kts and altitudes up to 41,000 ft., burning less than one pound of fuel per nautical mile, say Eclipse.
The Eclipse Concept Jet was designed and built by rapid-prototyping specialists Swift Engineering, but the production aircraft will be designed and produced by Eclipse, the company says.
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