Takeoff to Luxury

The demand for these smaller planes is significant, according to Andrew Broom, manager of public relations for Eclipse: "We have a backlog of just under 2,500 planes, two-thirds of which will go for commercial use, such as air taxi services, and the other third for private flyers."

Once FAA approval is granted, the company expects to deliver 86 Eclipse 500s this year, 600 in 2007 and 1,000 per year every year after that.

According to Broom, the customer base for the Eclipse 500 ranges from those who are just learning to fly, to business persons planning to hire pilots, to private pilots who will use it for leisure purposes.

"There are common threads among all of our customers -- they are obviously successful, but they also seek value, and they value money," Broom says. The $1.5 million price tag will make the Eclipse 500 the most affordable business jet on the market.

VLJs are regional planes, not intended for long trips. "A pilot would fly the Eclipse a shorter distance, say from Newark to Miami, but not from coast to coast," explains Broom. Elements of the jet's innovative design include a new, smaller turbo engine, the ability to land on shorter runways and manufacturing techniques that reduce production time.

The influence of Eclipse's executive leadership, including board Chairman Harold Poling, the retired CEO and chairman of the Ford Motor Company, is evident. "We are learning lessons from the auto industry, such as moving assembly lines and outsourcing," Broom says. For example, BMW Design Works designed the plane's interior, which is evocative of the 70 series BMW automobile.

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