The Eclipse Aviation Corporation was the
Albuquerque, New Mexico
Albuquerque ( ; ), ; kee, Arawageeki; tow, Vakêêke; zun, Alo:ke:k'ya; apj, Gołgéeki'yé. abbreviated ABQ, is the most populous city in the U.S. state of New Mexico. Its nicknames, The Duke City and Burque, both reference its founding in ...
, United States-based manufacturer of the
Eclipse 500
The Eclipse 500 (model EA500) is a very light jet (VLJ) originally produced by Eclipse Aviation of Albuquerque, New Mexico, United States.
The company was founded in 1998 to develop the 1997 Williams V-Jet II demonstrator.
The prototype first ...
very light jet
A very light jet (VLJ), entry-level jet or personal jet, previously known as a microjet, is a category of small business jets seating four to eight people. VLJs are considered the lightest business jets and are approved for single-pilot operati ...
(VLJ), and also at one time proposed developing the
Eclipse 400
The Eclipse 400 (formerly Eclipse Concept Jet, or ECJ) is a single-engine very light jet that was designed by Eclipse Aviation of Albuquerque, New Mexico.
A development of the Eclipse 500, the Eclipse 400 was cancelled when the company went ...
single-engined jet.
The company was founded in 1998 by early
Microsoft
Microsoft Corporation is an American multinational technology corporation producing computer software, consumer electronics, personal computers, and related services headquartered at the Microsoft Redmond campus located in Redmond, Washing ...
employee and former
Symantec CEO Vern Raburn. Due to Raburn's relationship with Microsoft,
Bill Gates
William Henry Gates III (born October 28, 1955) is an American business magnate and philanthropist. He is a co-founder of Microsoft, along with his late childhood friend Paul Allen. During his career at Microsoft, Gates held the positions ...
was a major stake-holder in the Eclipse project.
The company was known for helping usher in a new category of VLJs when the Eclipse 500 was first delivered in late 2006.
In October 2008, production of the Eclipse 500 was halted due to lack of funding. The company entered an unsuccessful
Chapter 11 bankruptcy
Chapter 11 of the United States Bankruptcy Code (Title 11 of the United States Code) permits reorganization under the bankruptcy laws of the United States. Such reorganization, known as Chapter 11 bankruptcy, is available to every business, whe ...
in November 2008, which was converted into a
Chapter 7 bankruptcy
Chapter 7 of Title 11 of the United States Code (Bankruptcy Code) governs the process of liquidation under the bankruptcy laws of the United States, in contrast to Chapters 11 and 13, which govern the process of ''reorganization'' of a debtor. ...
liquidation procedure in February 2009. In the final Chapter 7 procedure, completed on August 20, 2009, there was only one bidder, a new company formed to acquire the assets,
Eclipse Aerospace
Eclipse Aerospace was an American aircraft manufacturer, maintenance and upgrade company. The company provided maintenance and upgrades to the Eclipse 500 fleet and was the manufacturer of the Eclipse 550. The company was formed specifically ...
.
Eclipse operated service centers at
Albuquerque International Sunport
Albuquerque International Sunport is the primary international airport serving the U.S. state of New Mexico, the Albuquerque metropolitan area, and the larger Albuquerque– Santa Fe–Las Vegas combined statistical area. It handles around 5. ...
,
Gainesville Regional Airport
Gainesville Regional Airport is a public airport three miles northeast of Gainesville, in Alachua County, Florida, United States. It is owned by Gainesville-Alachua Co. Auth. The National Plan of Integrated Airport Systems for 2011–2015 catego ...
in
Florida
Florida is a state located in the Southeastern region of the United States. Florida is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the northwest by Alabama, to the north by Georgia, to the east by the Bahamas and Atlantic Ocean, and to ...
, and
Albany International Airport
Albany International Airport is six miles (9 km) northwest of Albany, in Albany County, New York, United States. It is owned by the Albany County Airport Authority. ALB covers of land.
It is an air port of entry in the town of Colon ...
in
New York
New York most commonly refers to:
* New York City, the most populous city in the United States, located in the state of New York
* New York (state), a state in the northeastern United States
New York may also refer to:
Film and television
* '' ...
.
History
Startup and growth
![Eclipse 400 at Oshkosh Air Show 2007](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/68/Eclipse_400_at_Oshkosh_Air_Show_2007.jpg)
Eclipse Aviation was founded by Vern Raburn in 1998 in
Scottsdale, Arizona
, settlement_type = City
, named_for = Winfield Scott
, image_skyline =
, image_seal = Seal of Scottsdale (Arizona).svg
, image_blank_emblem = City of Scottsdale Script Logo.svg
, nick ...
, and the company started to design the twin-engined
Eclipse 500
The Eclipse 500 (model EA500) is a very light jet (VLJ) originally produced by Eclipse Aviation of Albuquerque, New Mexico, United States.
The company was founded in 1998 to develop the 1997 Williams V-Jet II demonstrator.
The prototype first ...
very light jet. Due to investments by the State of New Mexico and incentives and concessions from the City of Albuquerque, the company decided to set up its production facilities there and moved its headquarters in 2000.
Construction of the first prototype started in 2001 and it first flew on August 26, 2002. Originally powered by two
Williams International EJ22 turbofans, these were found to be unsuitable, and the aircraft was redesigned to accommodate a pair of
Pratt & Whitney Canada PW610F-A turbofans. The engine change caused a delay in the programme and the PW610F-equipped prototype first flew in 2004. The aircraft was
FAA
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is the largest transportation agency of the U.S. government and regulates all aspects of civil aviation in the country as well as over surrounding international waters. Its powers include air traffic m ...
certified on July 27, 2006 and the first customer aircraft was delivered in January 2007.
European Aviation Safety Agency
The European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) is an agency of the European Union (EU) with responsibility for civil aviation safety. It carries out certification, regulation and standardisation and also performs investigation and monitorin ...
certification for private use was achieved on November 21, 2008.
In February 2006 the company was named the winner of the
Collier Trophy
The Robert J. Collier Trophy is an annual aviation award administered by the U.S. National Aeronautic Association (NAA), presented to those who have made "the greatest achievement in aeronautics or astronautics in America, with respect to im ...
for 2005 by the
National Aeronautic Association
The National Aeronautic Association of the United States (NAA) is a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization and a founding member of the Fédération Aéronautique Internationale (FAI).
Founded in 1905, it is the oldest national aviation club in the Uni ...
for its work with the Eclipse 500.
The award was controversial because only the prototype aircraft was flying.
On July 23, 2007, at
AirVenture
EAA AirVenture Oshkosh (formerly the EAA Annual Convention and Fly-In), or just Oshkosh, is an annual air show and gathering of aviation enthusiasts held each summer at Wittman Regional Airport and adjacent Pioneer Airport in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, ...
in
Oshkosh, Wisconsin
Oshkosh is a city in Winnebago County, Wisconsin, of which it is the county seat. The city had a population of 66,816 in 2020, making it the ninth-largest city in Wisconsin. It is also adjacent to the Town of Oshkosh.
History
Oshkosh was ...
, Eclipse unveiled the already flying prototype of a second company design initially called the ''Eclipse Concept Jet''. The four-seat aircraft was powered by a single Pratt & Whitney Canada PW610F turbofan and was built in secrecy at
NASA
The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA ) is an independent agency of the US federal government responsible for the civil space program, aeronautics research, and space research.
NASA was established in 1958, succeeding t ...
's
Wallops Flight Facility
Wallops Flight Facility (WFF) is a rocket launch site on Wallops Island on the Eastern Shore of Virginia, United States, just east of the Delmarva Peninsula and approximately north-northeast of Norfolk. The facility is operated by the Goddard ...
in
Virginia
Virginia, officially the Commonwealth of Virginia, is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Southeastern regions of the United States, between the Atlantic Coast and the Appalachian Mountains. The geography and climate of the Commonwealth ar ...
by
Swift Engineering
Swift Engineering Inc. is an American spacecraft engineering firm that builds autonomous systems, helicopters, submarines, spacecraft, ground vehicles, robotics, and composite parts. Swift used to produce racing cars for open-wheel racing series ...
and BaySys Technologies.
The ECJ had first flown on July 2, 2007 and the company said then did not intend to place the aircraft into production but by May 2008 it began to take orders for a production version designated the
Eclipse 400
The Eclipse 400 (formerly Eclipse Concept Jet, or ECJ) is a single-engine very light jet that was designed by Eclipse Aviation of Albuquerque, New Mexico.
A development of the Eclipse 500, the Eclipse 400 was cancelled when the company went ...
.
In October 2007 the company laid off between 100 and 150 contract workers and employees, about 10% of its workforce.
In November 2007 subcontractor
Hampson Aerospace, which built the tail assembly for the Eclipse 500, filed a suit against Eclipse alleging that Eclipse had not paid them for work completed.
During 2007 Eclipse had produced 104 aircraft and claimed a record for building its "first 100 airplanes faster than any GA jet aircraft manufacturer in history."
Financial challenges and decline
Founding president and CEO Vern Raburn resigned as a condition of a financing package by European Technology and Investment Research Center (ETIRC) Aviation, which had invested more than US$100 million in Eclipse in 2008. Raburn announced his resignation at
AirVenture
EAA AirVenture Oshkosh (formerly the EAA Annual Convention and Fly-In), or just Oshkosh, is an annual air show and gathering of aviation enthusiasts held each summer at Wittman Regional Airport and adjacent Pioneer Airport in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, ...
on Monday July 28, 2008.
The new CEO,
Roel Pieper, the chairman of the board of directors and president of ETIRC,
said that the company should be profitable by the first quarter of 2009.
Despite orders for the aircraft, the company announced in August 2008 that development of the Eclipse 400 was on hold and it had not started the certification process.
[Over and Out Inc, et al.: ''In the United States Bankruptcy Court in the District of Delaware - Complaint Case 08-13031 (MFW)'', page 5.] The company declared it had not spent any of the deposit money for the Eclipse 400 but the deposits were later a subject of legal action.
On Wednesday, August 20, 2008, Hampson Aerospace closed their Grand Prairie production plant, leaving Eclipse without a supplier of tail sections.
On August 22, 2008, Eclipse announced that it would be laying off 650 of its workforce of 1800 people (38% of its work force)
[The Canadian Pres]
Eclipse Aviation announces layoffs of 650 workers
Archived version
from August 26, 2008[ ] and a week later
Pratt & Whitney Canada
Pratt & Whitney Canada (PWC or P&WC) is a Canada-based aircraft engine manufacturer. PWC's headquarters are in Longueuil, Quebec, just outside Montreal. It is a division of the larger US-based Pratt & Whitney (P&W), itself a business unit of ...
repossessed 24 engines sold to Eclipse.
[United States Bankruptcy Court for the District of Delaware: ''Case No 08-13031 (MFW) Statement of Financial Affairs Eclipse Aviation Corporation'', page 12.]
From August 2008 onwards a number of customers filed lawsuits against the company for failure to return deposits for cancelled and delayed orders. The company indicated that due to lack of funding it was not in a position to return deposits.
On September 19, 2008, Eclipse's largest customer,
DayJet
DayJet was an American commercial aviation operation that provided on-demand jet travel using Eclipse 500 very light jets. Founded by Ed Iacobucci, the former leader of the IBM-Microsoft Joint OS/2 development team IBM executive and the foun ...
, representing 1400
orders for the Eclipse 500, ceased flying operations for financial reasons.
Eclipse Aviation announced on September 23, 2008, that it would establish a factory in
Ulyanovsk
Ulyanovsk, known until 1924 as Simbirsk, is a city and the administrative center of Ulyanovsk Oblast, Russia, located on the Volga River east of Moscow. Population:
The city, founded as Simbirsk (), was the birthplace of Vladimir Lenin (born ...
,
Russia
Russia (, , ), or the Russian Federation, is a List of transcontinental countries, transcontinental country spanning Eastern Europe and North Asia, Northern Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by area, largest country in the ...
to assemble the Eclipse 500, but then halted production of the 500 in October 2008, with the company indicating that it lacked funds to continue production or refund customer deposits.
Bankruptcy and liquidation
On November 21, 2008, the company announced that it had achieved
EASA
The European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) is an agency of the European Union (EU) with responsibility for civil aviation safety. It carries out certification, regulation and standardisation and also performs investigation and monitori ...
certification for the 500 and then just four days later, on November 25, 2008, filed for
Chapter 11 bankruptcy
Chapter 11 of the United States Bankruptcy Code (Title 11 of the United States Code) permits reorganization under the bankruptcy laws of the United States. Such reorganization, known as Chapter 11 bankruptcy, is available to every business, whe ...
protection.
The company was "seeking court approval for
debtor-in-possession financing Debtor-in-possession financing or DIP financing is a special form of financing provided for companies in financial distress, typically during restructuring under corporate bankruptcy law (such as Chapter 11 bankruptcy in the US or CCAA in Canada). ...
and procedures for the sale of substantially all of its assets under Section 363 of the U.S. Bankruptcy Code." The company also stated that it had found a buyer for the company's assets, EclipseJet Aviation International, an affiliate of ETIRC Aviation, the company with major investments in Eclipse.
Bankruptcy documents indicated that a total of $702.6 million was owed and the court documents filed indicated that the bankruptcy occurred because the company "continued to lose larger than expected sums of money on each aircraft manufactured and has not reached cash flow positive in its operations." Total company liabilities were estimated at over $1 billion.
At the time of bankruptcy filing on November 25, 2008 Eclipse had delivered 259 EA500s.
[Walrath, Mary F.: ''Order (A) Authorizing The Debtors to Sell Substantially All Of Their Assets Free and Clear etc''. United States Bankruptcy Court for the District of Delaware, January 23, 2009, Case Number 08-13031 (MFW)]
On January 20, 2009, Federal Bankruptcy Court Judge Mary Walrath verbally approved the sale of the assets of Eclipse Aviation to EclipseJet Aviation International headed by Eclipse Aviation's chairman,
Roel Pieper, under Section 363 of the United States Bankruptcy Code. EclipseJet Aviation International was unable to secure the funding they had anticipated and on February 24, 2009 a group of companies to whom Eclipse owed money applied to the court to force the unfinished Chapter 11 proceedings into
Chapter 7, a move supported by the company management.
[The Ad Hoc Committee: ''Motion of the Ad Hoc Committee of Secured Noteholders for an Order Converting the Debtors' Chapter 11 Bankruptcy Cases to cases under Chapter 7 of the Bankruptcy Code'', United States Bankruptcy Court for the District of Delaware, February 24, 2009, Case Number 08-13031 (MFW)][The Ad Hoc Committee: ''Motion to Shorten Notice of the Motion of the Ad Hoc Committee of Secured Noteholders for an Order Converting the Debtors' Chapter 11 Bankruptcy Cases to cases under Chapter 7 of the Bankruptcy Code'', United States Bankruptcy Court for the District of Delaware, February 24, 2009, Case Number 08-13031 (MFW)]
After a lengthy Chapter 7 process running from March to August 2009, there was only one bidder for the assets of the company.
Eclipse Aerospace
Eclipse Aerospace was an American aircraft manufacturer, maintenance and upgrade company. The company provided maintenance and upgrades to the Eclipse 500 fleet and was the manufacturer of the Eclipse 550. The company was formed specifically ...
, headed by Mike Press and Mason Holland, offered US$20M in cash and US$20M in new promissory notes, stating that they would locate the new company in the existing Eclipse facilities in Albuquerque. Eclipse Aerospace provided upgrades to the current Eclipse fleet and restarted production. Eclipse Aerospace was confirmed as the new owner of the assets of the former Eclipse Aviation on August 20, 2009 and opened for business on September 1, 2009. The company later merged to become
One Aviation
The One Aviation Corporation, stylized as ONE Aviation, was a company formed in 2015 to merge the aircraft manufacturers Eclipse Aerospace and Kestrel Aircraft. The company had its headquarters in Albuquerque, New Mexico, United States.
O ...
and it subsequently went bankrupt in 2018.
[ ]
Other products
Eclipse Aviation pioneered the use of
friction stir welding
Friction stir welding (FSW) is a solid-state joining process that uses a non-consumable tool to join two facing workpieces without melting the workpiece material. Heat is generated by friction between the rotating tool and the workpiece material ...
in aircraft structures, using it extensively in the primary structure of the Eclipse 500.
Eclipse also developed
PhostrEx PhostrEx is a fire suppression agent developed for use in aviation applications to replace halon, a greenhouse gas (GHG). It was developed by Eclipse Aviation for use aboard their Eclipse 500 very light jets as an engine fire suppression system, an ...
, a fire suppression agent for use in aviation applications to replace
halon, a
greenhouse gas
A greenhouse gas (GHG or GhG) is a gas that Absorption (electromagnetic radiation), absorbs and Emission (electromagnetic radiation), emits radiant energy within the thermal infrared range, causing the greenhouse effect. The primary greenhouse ...
(GHG). It was developed by Eclipse Aviation for use aboard their Eclipse 500 jets, and is now being marketed to other aviation manufacturers.
See also
*
Aspen Avionics
Aspen Avionics is an American aircraft avionics manufacturer.
Aspen specializes in producing aftermarket EFIS display systems that retrofit into certified general aviation aircraft. The Evolution Flight Display system family is the company's ma ...
*
Williams V-Jet II
The Williams V-Jet II was designed and built by Burt Rutan's Scaled Composites for Williams International as a test bed and demonstrator aircraft for Williams' new FJX-1 turbofan engine.
Development
Williams International had been building sma ...
References
External links
Eclipse Aviation homepageon
Archive.org
The Internet Archive is an American digital library with the stated mission of "universal access to all knowledge". It provides free public access to collections of digitized materials, including websites, software applications/games, music, ...
{{Eclipse Aviation
Manufacturing companies based in Albuquerque, New Mexico
Defunct aircraft manufacturers of the United States
Companies established in 1998
1998 establishments in Arizona
Companies that have filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy
Companies that filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in 2008
Collier Trophy recipients
Defunct manufacturing companies based in New Mexico