Eclipse 500

Twin Jet· 252 globally registered

The Eclipse 500 holds the distinction of being the first very light jet (VLJ) to achieve FAA type certification, entering service in 2006 as the flagship of Eclipse Aviation's ambitious vision to democratize jet ownership. Designed around two Pratt & Whitney Canada PW610F turbofans producing just 900 pounds of thrust each, the EA50 was engineered to operate from shorter runways and cost a fraction of traditional light jets to purchase and fly. Its clean-sheet design featured friction-stir welding borrowed from aerospace manufacturing, a single-pilot-certified cockpit with Avio integrated avionics, and a six-seat cabin in a package weighing just 6,000 pounds at max takeoff. The Eclipse 500 cruises at 370 knots true airspeed up to 41,000 feet with a range of approximately 1,125 nautical miles, making it ideal for regional business travel and owner-flown missions. Though Eclipse Aviation filed for bankruptcy in 2008 amid production challenges and the financial crisis, the type certificate was acquired by Eclipse Aerospace (later One Aviation), which continued support and produced the improved Eclipse 550 variant. The EA50 proved the VLJ concept was technically viable even as the market evolved differently than early forecasts predicted, and the fleet remains active in private and small-charter operations worldwide. SkyMeter has tracked 263 flights across 103 airframes and 98 operators, with GRAY & CO INC the largest observed operator.