tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-259007992012-01-13T02:28:39.070-06:00Stan Blankenshiphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01524397154793186699noreply@blogger.comBlogger1961100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25900799.post-88532751719749486802008-02-16T19:16:00.005-06:002009-07-06T10:38:07.484-05:00

MOVIN ONThe Eclipse discussion has moved to a new site.www.eclipsecriticng.blogspot.com

Stan Blankenshiphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01524397154793186699noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25900799.post-35304570537778228792008-02-06T20:48:00.000-06:002008-12-10T00:48:34.977-06:00

2007 COLLIER TROPHY AWARDED TO ECLIPSE AVIATION CRITIC Washington, DC – February 7, 2008 – The National Aeronautics Association (NAA) has announced the winner of the coveted Collier Trophy. Commissioned in 1911, the Collier Trophy has been viewed as the most prestigious award in aviation. It is presented to those who have made “the greatest achievement in aeronautics…during the preceding year.”

Stan Blankenshiphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01524397154793186699noreply@blogger.com88tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25900799.post-70573765405338150712008-01-28T16:16:00.001-06:002009-07-06T10:38:35.851-05:00

Time to Say GoodbyeAnybody who follows the blog knows that conditions at Eclipse are getting more desperate. And now that Eclipse intends to bed down with some folks who may not know how to play nice, it is time for me to suspend this blog so as not to become a lightning rod for retribution from ABQ or Europe. Meanwhile, I would encourage others to set up forums so that the our fellow bloggers

Stan Blankenshiphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01524397154793186699noreply@blogger.com105tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25900799.post-72562494457787969912008-01-18T06:22:00.000-06:002008-01-18T06:43:11.897-06:00

from across the pond fred, our fellow blogger from Germany weighed in this morning on the ETIRC involvement with Eclipse:i decided to call my friend in EASA to ask about cert for E500 and possibilities of having a simulator based on a plane non cert. , non finished , non funded , etc...the answer came very straight (sorry for using such words but i want to put it the way it was said ...)"When

Stan Blankenshiphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01524397154793186699noreply@blogger.com276tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25900799.post-88397181421718023092008-01-17T14:34:00.000-06:002008-01-17T14:38:11.506-06:00

Eclipse Aviation Receives Level D Simulator Certification on First AttemptVLJ leader to provide full motion simulator training for customers ALBUQUERQUE, NM - January 17, 2008 - Eclipse Aviation, manufacturer of the world's first very light jet (VLJ), today announced the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has certified its first flight simulator, manufactured by OPINICUS, as a Level D Full

Stan Blankenshiphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01524397154793186699noreply@blogger.com27tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25900799.post-40685941006319761262008-01-11T13:22:00.000-06:002008-01-11T13:23:30.234-06:00

FIKI Certification - A RecapThe blog's resident statistician and historian, FlightCenter compiled the following background on the dates Eclipse had scheduled for certification to provide for Flight Into Known Icing conditions:There have been a number of discussions regarding the expectations Eclipse set for itself in terms of delivering FIKI. Here is a recap of their FIKI commitments. In May of

Stan Blankenshiphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01524397154793186699noreply@blogger.com255tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25900799.post-14260906699217594302008-01-10T20:32:00.000-06:002008-01-10T20:33:25.411-06:00

Dear Eclipse Supplier,Over the past few months, Eclipse has demonstrated measured improvements and sustained results in regards to achieving our delivery ramp, due in large part to the implementation of the Eclipse Production System. In 2007, Eclipse certified and delivered the first Avio-NG jet. A total of 104 E500s were certified of which 98 were delivered to customers since December 31, 2006.

Stan Blankenshiphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01524397154793186699noreply@blogger.com36tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25900799.post-59228373151764315022008-01-06T22:20:00.000-06:002008-01-07T09:36:43.330-06:00

Upgrade Schedule and ProgressJricciardelli Posted: 06 January 2008As promised earlier this week, I want to give you an update on our progress and plans for the ETT and Avio upgrades. As Mike Press reported (and thanks for the pictures), the first aircraft is undergoing the Validation/Verification of the ETT performance mods at Gainesville. We began the mods during the week between Christmas and

Stan Blankenshiphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01524397154793186699noreply@blogger.com168tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25900799.post-47569754617910084222008-01-01T20:16:00.000-06:002008-01-01T20:17:01.186-06:00

Eclipse Aviation Completes First 100 Airplanes Faster Than Any General Aviation Jet Aircraft Manufacturer in History VLJ leader sets record by certifying more than 100 Eclipse 500s in only 12 months ALBUQUERQUE, NM -- January 1, 2008 -- Eclipse Aviation, manufacturer of the world's first very light jet (VLJ), today announced it has produced and certified 104 Eclipse 500s since December 31, 2006.

Stan Blankenshiphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01524397154793186699noreply@blogger.com219tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25900799.post-15695840024333672682007-12-28T14:34:00.000-06:002007-12-29T10:47:53.797-06:00

2007 Year in Review – Eclipse Top 10 List10. Eclipse secured their production certificate. 9. Eclipse’s largest customer, DayJet, launched operations and took delivery of 23 aircraft. Several other air taxi companies launched Eclipse 500 aircraft operations in 2007. Several VLJ management companies announced Eclipse 500 aircraft management programs, including JetAviva. 8. Eclipse transitioned

Stan Blankenshiphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01524397154793186699noreply@blogger.com88tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25900799.post-44880947585590256392007-12-23T10:42:00.000-06:002008-12-10T00:48:35.447-06:00

The Night Before Christmas 'Twas the night before Christmas, and out on the ramp, Not an airplane was stirring, not even a Champ. The aircraft were fastened to tiedowns with care, In hopes that come morning, they all would be there. The fuel trucks were nestled, all snug in their spots, With gusts from two-forty at 39 knots. I slumped at the fuel desk, now finally caught up, And settled down

Stan Blankenshiphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01524397154793186699noreply@blogger.com121tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25900799.post-9923743655842776502007-12-20T18:46:00.000-06:002007-12-20T18:51:33.542-06:00

Eclipse Aviation Achieves FAA Certification of Avio NGNext-generation system provides unmatched functionalityDecember 20, 2007 ALBUQUERQUE, NMEclipse Aviation, manufacturer of the world’s first very light jet (VLJ), today announced that it has received certification of Avio NG from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). The Avio NG Total Aircraft Integration™ system, exclusive to the Eclipse

Stan Blankenshiphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01524397154793186699noreply@blogger.com89tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25900799.post-25782840992537959582007-12-19T15:06:00.000-06:002007-12-19T15:09:52.052-06:00

From Eclipse to their customers: Three weeks ago, we announced a special offer to lock in your standard aircraft price at $1.25M USD in exchange for $625,000 in escrow by December 14th. The offer required participation from enough customers for us to raise a minimum of $30M USD before we could access the funds. I am very pleased to report that we have reached our goal of $30M. At this point,

Stan Blankenshiphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01524397154793186699noreply@blogger.com71tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25900799.post-79247150847251717872007-12-10T22:30:00.000-06:002008-12-10T00:48:35.594-06:00

Vern's no Bill Lear...But there are some similarities.Bill kept his Collier Trophy on his desk, won not for the Lear Jet, but rather his development of an autopilot in late 40's. Never heard anyone say it wasn't well deserved.Vern didn't actually win one. The NAA awarded the 2005 Collier to the company. Opinions vary as to whether the Eclipse award was deserved.In conceiving their airplanes, both

Stan Blankenshiphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01524397154793186699noreply@blogger.com259tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25900799.post-88454966464528644142007-12-04T13:48:00.000-06:002008-12-10T00:48:35.812-06:00

EASA CertificationIn early November I had written a draft post to discuss EASA certification for the Eclipse. EASA (European Aviation Safety Agency) is made up of over 30 member countries and can best be described as Europe's equivalent to the FAA.While it is possible, in some countries under some circumstances, to operate aircraft under U.S. registration, for some period of time, EASA

Stan Blankenshiphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01524397154793186699noreply@blogger.com406tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25900799.post-89291598103060129572007-11-30T12:08:00.000-06:002008-12-10T00:48:36.065-06:00

From T206H Hello,Long time reader, first time poster. Here goes:Credentials seem to be important on this blog. Here are mine: I own a business; I’m an instrument rated private pilot and I own a Cessna T206, which I regularly fly to the flight levels with large loads and suck too much oxygen as a result. This works really well when eastbound and really poorly when going west. As for my

Stan Blankenshiphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01524397154793186699noreply@blogger.com326tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25900799.post-72133439115461075772007-11-30T05:28:00.000-06:002008-12-10T00:48:36.360-06:00

Intrigue in Albuquerque -Chance Discovery Starts InvestigationBy: Staff Writer, Washington-In-The-KnowALBUQUERQUE, NM – A janitor’s find here has implications far beyond the banks of the Rio Grande River. Manuel Ortega was cleaning a men’s room at the Albuquerque International Airport when he found an Apple iPhone on the sink. He scrolled through a few pages before turning it over to police. The

Stan Blankenshiphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01524397154793186699noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25900799.post-72100841913745851552007-11-27T20:21:00.000-06:002007-11-27T20:59:41.772-06:00

From Vern:Last week, I shared some of my reflections of our recent momentum. By our own accounts, this year we have come up short in several of our projections for aircraft deliveries and program schedules. But, as measured against any other general aviation manufacturer, our accomplishments this year are unparalleled. Eclipse has always benefited from the strong partnership with our customers.

Stan Blankenshiphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01524397154793186699noreply@blogger.com193tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25900799.post-57640693780205493042007-11-27T10:32:00.000-06:002008-12-10T00:48:36.567-06:00

Where did it all go wrong?This is the question I ponder as I sit in 22D, .76M at FL270 on an east bound AA flight this morning, returning to my current client’s company after a great Thanksgiving holiday with family. I hope all my fellow bloggers, regardless of which side of this discussion they come down on, had an equally fantastic holiday, and had the opportunity to give thanks for the

Stan Blankenshiphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01524397154793186699noreply@blogger.com63tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25900799.post-31434423962658662652007-11-21T11:10:00.000-06:002007-11-21T11:18:55.866-06:00

Dear Customer,As we near this week’s Thanksgiving holiday, it’s a good time to step back, and reflect on several recent experiences. Even though we are not where I had hoped to be in terms of aircraft production, I am incredibly proud of what the entire Eclipse team has accomplished over the past 11 months, and 2007 is not even over! In the next six weeks, Eclipse will complete another series of

Stan Blankenshiphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01524397154793186699noreply@blogger.com283tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25900799.post-32052594240297522602007-11-19T11:42:00.000-06:002007-11-19T12:06:42.777-06:00

Eclipse Support ModelA Guest Editorial from flightcenterA number of people have been making the case that the Eclipse 500 is an airplane that costs more to produce than Eclipse is selling it for. Those folks have been making the case that Eclipse's business model isn't sustainable.Now that Eclipse is delivering airplanes, it is time to look at the Eclipse 500 support model and consider whether

Stan Blankenshiphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01524397154793186699noreply@blogger.com178tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25900799.post-45220242063606732952007-11-15T13:09:00.001-06:002007-11-15T13:23:29.316-06:00

Eclipse CEO Blames Supplier for ProblemsBy Andrew WebbAlbuquerque JournalEclipse founder and CEO Vern Raburn on Wednesday lashed out at Hampson Aerospace, claiming it supplied poor-quality parts and is a significant contributor to production ramp-up delays that have plagued Eclipse.Hampson, a U.K.-based company that builds tail sections for Eclipse at a Texas plant, sued the light jet

Stan Blankenshiphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01524397154793186699noreply@blogger.com312tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25900799.post-35226003147278174362007-11-14T08:02:00.000-06:002007-11-14T08:10:58.403-06:00

Eclipse Is Sued By SupplierBy Andrew WebbAlbuquerque JournalEclipse Aviation took another hit Tuesday, this time from a U.K.-based company building tail sections for the Eclipse 500 jet.Hampson Aerospace sued the Albuquerque jet maker,alleging failure to make required payments.The rest of the story is on line - www.abqjournal.com

Stan Blankenshiphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01524397154793186699noreply@blogger.com115tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25900799.post-89530506850782086092007-11-07T10:26:00.000-06:002007-11-07T10:37:11.603-06:00

From airtaximanRedtail,I think Cessna is really satisfied with their program and their product, as well as how sales are going for the Mustang. Hundreds of real customers seem to be, too.But I guess these idiots at Cessna could have priced the plane to sell 500 a year... but there risk in that decision. A lot of risk.They might have developed their own avionics, as well... but why? There's risk

Stan Blankenshiphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01524397154793186699noreply@blogger.com293tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25900799.post-72166239915704199972007-10-31T20:26:00.000-05:002007-10-31T20:35:41.198-05:00

Another MilestoneEclipse Aviation Brings Airline-Quality Safety Program to General Aviation Company establishes first FAA-approved aircraft manufacturer FOQA program ALBUQUERQUE, NM -- October 31, 2007 -- Eclipse Aviation, manufacturer of the world's first very light jet (VLJ), today announced that it has received approval of its Flight Operational Quality Assurance (FOQA - pronounced foh-qwah)

Stan Blankenshiphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01524397154793186699noreply@blogger.com221tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25900799.post-83969015473781143642007-10-30T14:59:00.000-05:002008-12-10T00:48:36.777-06:00

“And the days dwindle downTo a precious fewSeptember, November...”From the outside things appear quiet at Eclipse. The public relations machine is on mute and a few airplanes are rolling out to the ramp. On the inside I envision a futuristic scene. Remember the James Bond movie in which the hero defuses the hydrogen bomb with 007 seconds left to go?The threat to Eclipse is a different nuclear

Stan Blankenshiphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01524397154793186699noreply@blogger.com61tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25900799.post-9496055043716240762007-10-26T06:38:00.000-05:002008-12-10T00:48:38.155-06:00

Marvellous?Responding to a comment from the one of the "Faithful" that perhaps the plane and the company is so "marvellous" that the blog has to resort to baloney to try to knock it?ColdWetMackarelofReality in turn asked:What specifically marvellous about demanding 60% "6-month" progress payments from hundreds of depositors last fall, raising over $100M then announcing weeks later that Avio was

Stan Blankenshiphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01524397154793186699noreply@blogger.com107tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25900799.post-18828079402311325062007-10-20T08:31:00.000-05:002008-12-10T00:48:38.368-06:00

Eclipse Stumbling...Or worse cratering at this point, while a welcome vindication for some, WOULD be bad for everyone as you (flightcenter) point out.Bad for the employees who have no doubt sacrificed so much (their health, time with their families, career advancement elsewhere, putting up with childish tantrums and obscenity laden outbursts from the CEO); bad for suppliers who have tooled and

Stan Blankenshiphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01524397154793186699noreply@blogger.com275tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25900799.post-70172130072102365942007-10-16T17:10:00.000-05:002008-12-10T00:48:38.525-06:00

Press on RegardlessFlightCenter reminds us of how DayJet costs changed but the business plan remained steady on course.We've (the blog) talked a lot about the performance guarantees made by Eclipse to its customers.As a number of folks have pointed out, Ed should have been able to find any number of other aircraft with the performance numbers required to start an air taxi business.That's true

Stan Blankenshiphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01524397154793186699noreply@blogger.com254tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25900799.post-7274346651078439562007-10-12T18:04:00.000-05:002007-10-12T18:18:53.594-05:00

From Flight InternationalBusiness jet start-ups face production challenges By Graham WarwickSuccessful start-ups are rare in aircraft manufacturing. Most fail to reach certi­fication, but even if they get that far these newcomers face steep hurdles acquiring the resources and expertise to move into volume production and profitability."It's turned out to be really hard," says Eclipse Aviation's

Stan Blankenshiphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01524397154793186699noreply@blogger.com219tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25900799.post-90850732947940421942007-10-09T06:43:00.000-05:002007-10-09T07:19:23.166-05:00

Future Valuescj3driver 's prediction for the future re-sale value of the Eclipse:There are many reasons why I think the Eclipse will continue to depreciate in a big way.1. It was a huge mistake to pre-sell Eclipse’s at way, way below factory pricing, way too far out in the future.The appeal of a sub-one million dollar jet, produced unheard of orders when re-announced, fueled by the dot-com boom

Stan Blankenshiphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01524397154793186699noreply@blogger.com190tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25900799.post-89333735424738982022007-10-08T08:28:00.000-05:002007-10-08T10:26:58.679-05:00

The blog's a year and a half oldWith 165 posts and over 14,000 comments, there is really not much new to cover that has not been hashed and re-hashed on this board. Yet questions certainly remain. What's going on in ABQ? How many airplanes are getting their C of A's? How many are being delivered? Why is there such a lag in getting deliveries and C of A information posted to the FAA site? How many

Stan Blankenshiphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01524397154793186699noreply@blogger.com78tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25900799.post-54880509779254413262007-10-02T12:39:00.000-05:002008-12-10T00:48:38.705-06:00

DayJet Takes Off...Launching New Era in Regional TransportationWorld's First "Per-Seat, On-Demand" Jet Service to Improve Productivity and Quality of Life for Southeastern Business TravelersTALLAHASSEE, Fla.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Tomorrow DayJet Corporation will formally announce the launch of the world's first "Per-Seat, On-Demand" jet service in Florida. DayJet members - which number more than

Stan Blankenshiphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01524397154793186699noreply@blogger.com343tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25900799.post-80608788146665559532007-09-28T08:30:00.000-05:002007-09-28T09:06:06.030-05:00

NBAA FeedbackTroglodyte 's brief thoughts from NBAA:Very busy show with lots of action but relatively little in the way of unexpected news or announcements in the light / very light jet segments.The eclipse booth was large and, from what I could see, modestly attended. Eclipse employees that I spoke with seemed honest and forthcoming about the challenges that the company faces, the fact that they

Stan Blankenshiphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01524397154793186699noreply@blogger.com115tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25900799.post-43692436781728324082007-09-25T14:09:00.000-05:002007-09-25T14:28:10.651-05:00

Eclipse 'Greenest' Airplane?NBAASeptember 24, 2007Russ Niles AVwebEditor-in-Chief Eclipse Aviation says it's setting the standard for environmental impact with its Eclipse 500. CEO Vern Raburn told a news conference at the National Business Aviation Association convention that on (his) scale of 30, his company's jet is a perfect 30 in environmental impact. He said he invites comparisons on key

Stan Blankenshiphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01524397154793186699noreply@blogger.com215tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25900799.post-89579750537721546542007-09-22T17:42:00.000-05:002007-09-22T18:33:24.252-05:00

Eclipse Aviation Turns To Automotive Industry For InspirationSep 21, 2007 By Joseph C. Anselmo and Anthony L. Velocci, Jr., Aviation WeekAlbuquerque, N.M. Nearly a year after winning FAA type certification, Eclipse Aviation CEO Vern Raburn casts blame in a lot of directions when asked why his company has been able to deliver barely 50 small jets-far short of the hundreds he had forecast. His

Stan Blankenshiphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01524397154793186699noreply@blogger.com185tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25900799.post-8158232971448144842007-09-21T14:13:00.000-05:002007-09-21T14:21:30.483-05:00

The Eclipse in Perspective From Jetaburner:My real point is not how great the TBM is but that e-clips has not created anything revolutionary. There are already similar products in the market price. All they have done is sacrificed range, payload, and size for two jet engines which gives them an advantage on speed, altitude, and jet prestige. That is important to some people but not all. Here's

Stan Blankenshiphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01524397154793186699noreply@blogger.com115tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25900799.post-960073165631447892007-09-18T11:05:00.001-05:002007-09-18T14:52:03.781-05:00

The Post MortemIt may be premature, but the critics have already started the draft:Bonanza Pilot wrote - I really wish they would have done a more conventional plane and kept the cost closer to the original estimate. Even if the performance had sunk to say 300 knots or even 280 knots...there would be many of us interested in a sub 1 million dollar jet with excellent fuel burn. I wish they would

Stan Blankenshiphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01524397154793186699noreply@blogger.com314tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25900799.post-57483899983943418142007-09-17T20:08:00.000-05:002007-09-17T20:18:07.160-05:00

ExpectationsThe reason this blog exists is because Eclipse has historically set very high expectations for themselves, but continues to miss the expectations they've set for themselves by wide margins. AeroObserver says that while 46 deliveries isn't the fairy tale promised by Vern a couple years ago, it is pretty good. And he is right, it is pretty good. But a couple of years ago, the official

Stan Blankenshiphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01524397154793186699noreply@blogger.com66tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25900799.post-40375049186562396422007-09-14T13:50:00.000-05:002008-12-10T00:48:38.970-06:00

E500 Reliability & Maintainability White PaperColdWetMackarelofReality served up some thoughts on an Eclipse 'White Paper' written in 2004 to address reliability and maintainability issues for the 500.He described it as the 'Reliability and Maintainability Toilet Paper':First paragraph in the document: "This document is provided by Eclipse Aviation to provide information regarding the

Stan Blankenshiphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01524397154793186699noreply@blogger.com291tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25900799.post-25616157233756491782007-09-11T19:15:00.000-05:002008-12-10T00:48:39.135-06:00

A RecapitulationFrom black tulip:1. There was a natural appeal when the Eclipse was introduced. For many pilots, this was their only shot at owning a jet. Priced at less than the cost of a new Baron, the Eclipse was going to be the airplane for the masses. Value proposition entered our vocabulary.2. Not only was the new jet going to be inexpensive, it promised performance previously not matched.

Stan Blankenshiphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01524397154793186699noreply@blogger.com235tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25900799.post-62240162706349363552007-09-09T20:00:00.000-05:002008-12-10T00:48:39.404-06:00

Secret SocietiesIn 1977, an expose in Esquire magazine outed Skull and Bones, the exclusive but secretive Yale University organization whose 15 new members each year often go on to very powerful positions within the government and commerce. The 175 year old organization can boast of some very powerful members, George Bush Sr., George Bush Jr., Henry Luce, William F. Buckley, Averell Harriman,

Stan Blankenshiphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01524397154793186699noreply@blogger.com167tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25900799.post-8658276025360444702007-09-05T06:28:00.000-05:002007-09-05T06:35:26.714-05:00

DayJet's Locked and LoadedBOCA RATON, Fla.—September 5, 2007—DayJet Corporation announced today that its subsidiary, DayJet Services, LLC, received authorization from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to use Eclipse 500™ very light jets (VLJs) in its operations. DayJet Services is the holder of an on-demand air carrier certificate from the FAA authorizing operations under Part 135 of the

Stan Blankenshiphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01524397154793186699noreply@blogger.com281tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25900799.post-24973624077465590682007-09-03T22:40:00.000-05:002007-09-03T23:01:02.224-05:00

Amateur HourSubject: Your blog "eclipseaviationcritic"Date: Sep 3, 2007 9:29 PMHi Mr. Blankenship,I enjoyed reading your blog, and it is just incredible how this company acts.I was ready to order one, and in spite of many warnings of industry professionals I decided to go ahead. What followed was a ridiculously arrogant response from this company that has nothing but failed their customers so far

Stan Blankenshiphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01524397154793186699noreply@blogger.com73tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25900799.post-20843257681355729582007-08-31T22:46:00.000-05:002007-08-31T23:00:31.257-05:00

Heard Similar Reports BeforeBut none as detailed as what FLY ON WALL provided this evening:It's crunch time in production! It is end of August and not even close to one a day. Aircraft stacking up with out wings to install, mandatory long work days, local 12 week trainee's pouring in with backgrounds in JR-High teaching, Grocery tellers, auto mechanics,... Management believes you can snap an

Stan Blankenshiphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01524397154793186699noreply@blogger.com235tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25900799.post-14201491185621126592007-08-28T20:56:00.000-05:002007-08-28T21:18:08.598-05:00

The blog is Now Writing Vern's Future LettersFrom a critic, CJ3driver, as a way out of the current no-win situation of having perhaps hundreds of contracts written years ago that fail cover today's cost to build:Albuquerque, NMAugust 28, 2007Dear loyal Eclipse customer,We sincerely appreciate your patience and understanding during the difficult and lengthy process you have endured while awaiting

Stan Blankenshiphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01524397154793186699noreply@blogger.com434tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25900799.post-83958778621607378532007-08-26T05:46:00.000-05:002007-08-26T05:51:43.079-05:00

Random Thoughts From Niner ZuluRandom thoughts were going through my head as I was reading through the blog tonight. I thought I'd just write them down for fun, in no particular order.One was that I really don't know exactly WHAT the "disruptive technology" is that Eclipse is supposed to have. What does it have that other planes don't that is really going to make my life as a pilot more enjoyable

Stan Blankenshiphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01524397154793186699noreply@blogger.com369tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25900799.post-67004266369968029072007-08-22T11:00:00.000-05:002008-12-10T00:48:39.858-06:00

REPORT FROM THE FRONT – August 22, 2007Intense fighting broke out in the Blogosphere last night as Eclipse Aviation Critic erupted in violence. The virtual battleground has been relatively quiet for weeks but that changed early in the evening. The opponents, known as the Faithful and the Naysayers, have been circling each other for weeks looking for an advantage. The Faithful had been re-supplied

Stan Blankenshiphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01524397154793186699noreply@blogger.com338tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25900799.post-35331028724469587332007-08-17T23:56:00.000-05:002007-08-18T00:17:26.901-05:00

Taxi Anyone?Karen Di Piazza reported "Today, North American Jet Charter Group, LLC, became the world's first on-demand air charter operator to fly two paying charter passengers on the Eclipse 500 very light jet. On Aug. 14, North American Jet Charter became the world's first FAR Part 135 operator to receive Federal Aviation Administration approval to begin commercial service using the Eclipse VLJ

Stan Blankenshiphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01524397154793186699noreply@blogger.com354tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25900799.post-71030137250259635792007-08-14T12:02:00.000-05:002008-12-10T00:48:40.099-06:00

Bill E. Goat Recently Dreamed...He was CEO of Eclipse and in charge of parties and announcements. His accomplishments:We have a Provisional TC. It's granted, via Executive Order, by the FAA administrator, under duress of losing her job.We have Full TC. It's granted over the officially filed grienvances of FAA test pilots and engineers.The first DayJet airplanes have C of A's though we had to have

Stan Blankenshiphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01524397154793186699noreply@blogger.com336tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25900799.post-16401715337686418952007-08-10T06:23:00.000-05:002007-08-10T07:25:52.100-05:00

Their Turn to Make FunnyDateline 2077. A recent archeological dig discovered a plethora of extinct dinosaurs. Seventy years ago life came to an abrupt end in the Wichita plains. It is believe that a new generation of VLJs filled the air and stopped sunlight from reaching the surface in the Wichita Valley. Unfortunately, the dinosaurs were unable to adapt and perished. Scientist on the scene

Stan Blankenshiphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01524397154793186699noreply@blogger.com451tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25900799.post-26366459470888861922007-08-08T04:57:00.000-05:002007-08-08T05:23:05.206-05:00

Vern's Oshkosh ReportPossibly more than any other trade show, Eclipse looks forward to AirVenture and the annual gathering with customers, friends and fellow aviation enthusiasts in Oshkosh. It is an event that symbolizes innovation and aviation dreams. We know this well as Oshkosh is where Eclipse Aviation was launched in 2000. It is also becoming a vacation destination for families, and Eclipse

Stan Blankenshiphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01524397154793186699noreply@blogger.com244tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25900799.post-78093430109404942612007-08-05T20:00:00.000-05:002008-12-10T00:48:40.480-06:00

Can You Connect the Dots?One of the mysteries surrounding the Eclipse program is why approvals have been put on the fast track by the FAA, at the highest level.The GIT-R-DONE post, April 24, 2007 discussed three examples:1. The Provisional Type Certificate Marion Blakey presented Vern at Oshkosh 2006, the one where she proclaimed, "What I have in my hand is probably the most significant piece of

Stan Blankenshiphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01524397154793186699noreply@blogger.com143tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25900799.post-50309873028467846092007-08-04T14:11:00.000-05:002008-12-10T00:48:40.608-06:00

NEW POLITICAL PARTY MAY BE IN THE WORKSWASHINGTON POST EXCLUSIVEWashington, DC, August 4, 2007 – An unidentified political operative told the Washington Post that a new political party may field a candidate in the 2008 Presidential Election. “Voters are tired of the Republicans and Democrats,” he said. “They crave a fresh face and a new approach. I’ve been researching an obscure aircraft internet

Stan Blankenshiphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01524397154793186699noreply@blogger.com72tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25900799.post-88897419719105157412007-08-02T13:36:00.000-05:002008-12-10T00:48:40.783-06:00

EclipseOwner387 said... Based upon Eclipse's own schedule, we will not know until at least Q1 2008 if Eclipse is delivering a completed airplane. Until then, the position holders and owners will have to endure criticism of the program. Fortunately, the critics are having a smaller list of "issues" as Eclipse tidies up its IOU's. The next big milestone is ramp up of production. It will take a few

Stan Blankenshiphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01524397154793186699noreply@blogger.com108tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25900799.post-18666221076178362902007-07-29T20:40:00.000-05:002008-12-10T00:48:40.959-06:00

Happy Days Are Here Again...The skies above are blue again...Vern's got coins in his jeans again...Happy Days Are Here Again!Just as the emerging crocus in our yards become the harbinger of spring, the new billboard looking for warm bodies up on the West side of Wichita tells us Vern is once more flush with cash.During the past month or so, various sources have reported a new financing component,

Stan Blankenshiphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01524397154793186699noreply@blogger.com247tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25900799.post-50426032357564641242007-07-25T19:28:00.000-05:002007-07-25T21:25:40.206-05:00

Oshkosh 2007The year of the One Engine Jet.Single engine turbo-props have been around for years; most offering impressive performance numbers, good economy and good safety records. And in spite of the fact most turbo-props can carry bigger loads out of shorter runways and with greater range, they are still prop driven and just don't have the panache that comes with owning a "jet".Piper, Cirrus,

Stan Blankenshiphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01524397154793186699noreply@blogger.com212tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25900799.post-86125147108653921842007-07-25T12:45:00.000-05:002008-12-10T00:48:41.204-06:00

Vern's Motivational Message to the EmployeesFrom: Vern Raburn Sent: Monday, July 23, 2007 6:16 AMTo: All EnterpriseSubject: Eclipse to unveil Eclipse Concept Jet today at OshkoshDear Eclipse Team,Greetings from Oshkosh! Today, Eclipse will announce some very exciting news during the opening day of AirVenture 2007. I want to take the opportunity to share this news with all of you before the formal

Stan Blankenshiphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01524397154793186699noreply@blogger.com15tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25900799.post-12977042912884809952007-07-19T22:00:00.000-05:002007-07-25T12:55:04.337-05:00

Looking Back - Part 2Lest these points get buried away in the comment section that gets read about as often as last week's newspaper, let us review the conclusions offered by mouse a few weeks ago on the engine change:Eclipse claimed the 2003 engine change was due to the failure of Williams to produce a reliable engine that would meet the original specifications.According to mouse, even if the

Stan Blankenshiphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01524397154793186699noreply@blogger.com277tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25900799.post-67198804319700998002007-07-15T08:05:00.000-05:002008-12-10T00:48:41.523-06:00

ECLIPSE AVIATION FIRES ECLIPSE AVIATION CRITICJuly 15, 2007Albuquerque, NM – Vern Raeburn, President & CEO, announced today that his company’s ties with Eclipse Aviation Critic had been severed. “This outfit joins a long line of those who have failed to meet our company’s high standards,” said Vern gravely. “First it was Williams with the engines, then Avidyne with avionics, then United for

Stan Blankenshiphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01524397154793186699noreply@blogger.com226tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25900799.post-68812065448627339482007-07-09T19:29:00.000-05:002008-12-10T00:48:42.397-06:00

Bill e. Goat's July UpdateOkay, here's my stab at translating Vern's latest weasel-o-gram into English...-----------------------Vern: "Since our first aircraft delivery on December 31, 2006, our primary objective has been a ramp-up to our production goals".Goat: Vern, Vern, Vern- your primary objective since Jan 01, 2006 has been to ramp-up production. Whatever bogus paperwork (Osh Kosh 2006 “

Stan Blankenshiphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01524397154793186699noreply@blogger.com218tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25900799.post-65514154253926068512007-07-08T12:22:00.000-05:002008-12-10T00:48:42.550-06:00

Vern's July Update Now available at:http://www.eclipse500club.org/index.php/news/more/781/ Which drew a sharp response from cj3 driver:Vern has stooped to a new low. It is incomprehensible that the president of a 1.2 billion dollar company (spent) would refer to an accident of a competitor’s product in justifying the delays, mismanagement, missed performance, over budget and still in development

Stan Blankenshiphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01524397154793186699noreply@blogger.com65tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25900799.post-30027356313872442042007-07-07T17:34:00.000-05:002008-12-10T00:48:42.802-06:00

Yep, It's TrueOshkosh, Wisconsin - July 23, 2007Excitement is running high here at the opening day of EAA AirVenture 2007. As the curtain is pulled open at the Eclipse Aviation tent, this reporter has conducted an exclusive interview with Vern Raeburn, President and CEO.“I am pleased to end months of speculation about Eclipse Aviation. As some have guessed, we are introducing a new jet here at

Stan Blankenshiphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01524397154793186699noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25900799.post-3801509693674845952007-07-07T10:58:00.000-05:002008-12-10T00:48:43.087-06:00

Secret ProjectsTempus fugit...1,073 Saturday mornings ago (December 13, 1986 to be exact), I stood in front of my bathroom mirror, in my skivvies, brushing my teeth. We were living in our old house that was about a quarter of a mile off the center-line for the back-course to Wichita Mid-Continent's runway 19L, five miles to the South.Suddenly, I began to hear this distinctive whine. It sounded a

Stan Blankenshiphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01524397154793186699noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25900799.post-28683668295346344712007-07-05T13:21:00.000-05:002008-12-10T00:48:43.342-06:00

Mike Press Addressing the FaithfulFreedomjamstart provided this firsthand account:Well whoopee folks. Thank you so much dearest Vern for convincing the FAA to limit the Partial Eclipse to DAY VFR under 18 000'. The FAA was reluctant, but Vern saved the day...[Mike leaps up, hoists Sherri in the air]Gimme a V (for VFR)Gimme a E (for Eclipse…)[the crowd roars]Gimme a R (for resale value)Gimme a N

Stan Blankenshiphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01524397154793186699noreply@blogger.com83tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25900799.post-16912099976593426092007-07-01T16:57:00.001-05:002008-12-10T00:48:43.514-06:00

Looking BackWhile waiting for some forward progress in ABQ, the blog has been looking back.In the last post, flyger questioned the Vern's wisdom in choosing to develop and certify so many new aspects for the Eclipse. In a later comment he asked the question, "Why did they choose to make a proprietary avionics system, and why did they stick with Avidyne so long?"Today in a follow up rumination

Stan Blankenshiphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01524397154793186699noreply@blogger.com144tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25900799.post-7465181966076507642007-06-30T07:25:00.000-05:002007-06-30T07:35:31.222-05:00

A Flawed ApproachIn over a year and thousands of comments posted to this blog, no one, including the blog administrator, has summarized the flaw in the Eclipse approach better than what flyger did last night:"Eclipse thought they were in the "aviation technology invention business", but that's misguided. They wasted a lot of their time fooling with stuff that ain't ready instead of just building

Stan Blankenshiphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01524397154793186699noreply@blogger.com38tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25900799.post-22488843717210694022007-06-28T08:40:00.001-05:002008-12-10T00:48:43.641-06:00

ECLIPSE AVIATION INTRODUCES PHARMACEUTICAL PRODUCTALBUQUERQUE, NM, June 28, 2007 – Vern Raeburn, President of Eclipse Aviation, announced today the introduction of Eclipsidrin, a new pharmaceutical product. “We have disrupted the aviation industry,” said Mr. Raeburn, “and now we intend to do the same thing with prescription drugs.”“We recognize that many of our depositors have been sitting around

Stan Blankenshiphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01524397154793186699noreply@blogger.com104tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25900799.post-32161215318052787242007-06-27T21:30:00.000-05:002008-12-10T00:48:43.823-06:00

ExpectationsEvery time one of the delightful parodies or satires gets highlighted here, the Eclipse "faithful" cite this as evidence the blog is running out of steam because there is nothing else to write about.What the "faithful" fail to recognize is that this blog responds to news relating to the program and there just isn't much news coming out of Eclipse. Let's face it, the plants growing in

Stan Blankenshiphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01524397154793186699noreply@blogger.com29tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25900799.post-65710639355612835772007-06-21T17:05:00.000-05:002007-06-21T17:32:41.145-05:00

Guest Editorial - The DayJet Business ModelThere’s no way a DayJet customer pays $3,200.00 for a round trip from Boca to Pensacola and then agrees to a 20 min. stop on the way to pick-up a stranger. I honestly believe the market for that type of service, with those conditions, is small.My opinion is, the DayJet model is doomed to failure. The market is too small, the service area is too small,

Stan Blankenshiphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01524397154793186699noreply@blogger.com326tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25900799.post-84727710045949302402007-06-21T06:41:00.000-05:002007-06-21T17:03:54.977-05:00

DayJet Rates“…those who need to leave within the hour might pay $4 per mile…”At that rate, a 350 mile trip will cost $2,800.00. You might as well charter a King Air or Citation, have the entire plane, for the whole day. The plane will be waiting for you when you get there, both ends, take you there non-stop, in private, in a cabin 3 times the size, in a proven aircraft, plus you can take 5

Stan Blankenshiphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01524397154793186699noreply@blogger.com18tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25900799.post-1592671692604128932007-06-19T10:29:00.001-05:002007-06-19T10:44:07.426-05:00

Vern's June CommitmentDear Customers, Eclipse Aviation has matured greatly since December 31, 2006 when we delivered our first aircraft. While it has been more challenging than I ever thought it would be, in a peculiar way, it has also been more rewarding because we have overcome so many unexpected hurdles. With the hire of strong executive leaders including Mark Borseth, our EVP/CFO and Todd

Stan Blankenshiphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01524397154793186699noreply@blogger.com150tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25900799.post-1790233726671746932007-06-17T21:10:00.000-05:002007-06-18T10:27:35.476-05:00

No News is Good NewsWell maybe not.What happened to the monthly newsletter from Mike Press. While his reports were certainly slanted towards the favorable aspects of the Eclipse program, he didn't hesitate in adding a cautionary note here and there. His last was on April 4, the eighth in a series. Around April 20. Mike took delivery of Eclipse serial 004, went to ground school, got his type

Stan Blankenshiphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01524397154793186699noreply@blogger.com54tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25900799.post-10085091506180928052007-06-17T16:08:00.000-05:002008-12-10T00:48:44.064-06:00

Fast ForwardDateline: April, 2019Publisher: Albuquerque JournalSubject: Where Are They Now?On the twentieth anniversary of the launch of the Eclipse 500 Jet, the aviation writer of this newspaper has conducted a retrospective in this interesting aircraft and the company that ‘produced’ it. Few of the participants could be located and even fewer would comment for publication. An extraordinary

Stan Blankenshiphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01524397154793186699noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25900799.post-4465294748374512442007-06-15T15:44:00.000-05:002007-06-15T15:52:17.416-05:00

Eclipse Aviation Delivers Another First for the Revolutionary VLJ MarketAlbuquerque, NM -- June 15, 2007Eclipse Aviation, non-manufacturer of the world's second or third very light jet announced today that it had achieved yet another first for the emerging Very Light Jet market.Said Andrew Broom, Director, Public Relations "As you know, Eclipse was the very first, well, second really, Very Light

Stan Blankenshiphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01524397154793186699noreply@blogger.com120tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25900799.post-77730802781338016462007-06-13T21:25:00.000-05:002007-06-13T21:36:04.470-05:00

Flight Un-AwareAlbuquerque, NM -- June 13, 2007Eclipse Aviation Corporation, non-manufacturer of the first and revolutionary Eclipse 500 Very Light Jet (VLJ) announced today what has long been suspected in aviation circles, admitting that the high-tech jet is actually a stealth biz-jet built using proprietary 'low observable' technology."We knew that our dinosaur competition and a very small and

Stan Blankenshiphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01524397154793186699noreply@blogger.com178tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25900799.post-29416746601451213562007-06-13T08:55:00.000-05:002007-06-13T09:07:15.230-05:00

From AVweb - An UpdateJune 12, 2007Eclipse Aircraft says its Avio NG avionics package for the Eclipse 500 very light jet is progressing through testing at a pace that is slightly behind schedule, but the system has been flown on one jet. A second Avio NG-equipped 500 will fly later this month. The company believes it has identified and resolved a pitot/AOA system icing problem discovered in

Stan Blankenshiphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01524397154793186699noreply@blogger.com58tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25900799.post-85062870157430731762007-06-08T21:38:00.000-05:002008-12-10T00:48:44.259-06:00

Finally, The TruthEmbargoed for release to media outlets until June 9, 2007ECLIPSE 500 CITED AS PROOF OF INTELLIGENT DESIGNAlbuquerque, New Mexico – Vern Raeburn, President & CEO of Eclipse Aviation, announced that the Eclipse 500 jet has been selected as singular proof of Intelligent Design. Intelligent design is the assertion that certain features of the universe and of living things are best

Stan Blankenshiphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01524397154793186699noreply@blogger.com231tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25900799.post-83659096822966931322007-06-07T22:22:00.000-05:002008-12-10T00:48:44.508-06:00

The Gang That Can't Shoot StraightThe faithful claim it's just teething problems...bumps along the road...part of the learning experience, typical for a new company.Wait a minute, we're not talking about a minor glitch here or there, we're talking major miss-fires, major misrepresentations.On April 4th, the company forecast the delivery of 46 units by the end of May. As in, here's what we are

Stan Blankenshiphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01524397154793186699noreply@blogger.com78tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25900799.post-82099127280390843092007-06-02T15:26:00.000-05:002008-12-10T00:48:44.764-06:00

More than you probably wanna read from black tulipJune 1, 2007ALBUQUERQUE, NM (EAC) -- Eclipse Aviation announced today a new aircraft, the second in its family of Very Light Jets (VLJs). The company’s first offering, the Eclipse 500, has been renamed the Partial Eclipse. Vern Raeburn, President and CEO, commented, “I want all of our depositors and shareholders to know that this was a carefully

Stan Blankenshiphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01524397154793186699noreply@blogger.com241tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25900799.post-60564055763401976872007-06-01T17:05:00.000-05:002008-12-10T00:48:45.037-06:00

Where’s the Beef?As one examines the details of the Eclipse program, it becomes increasingly apparent that there is little remaining that differentiates the acft from any other light jet except for the price point and physical size, and many believe that the price is not sustainable. Lets take a look: 1. Engine: Pratt & Whitney – any competitor can purchase substantially the same engine. 2. Avio

Stan Blankenshiphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01524397154793186699noreply@blogger.com70tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25900799.post-43646719697131145192007-05-29T06:16:00.000-05:002008-12-10T00:48:45.197-06:00

Panel Mods and FSWOn May 10, Eclipse provided an update on the Avio NG development. One milestone they identified stated that "All engineering for interior and mechanical aspects of the program are complete. This includes minor adjustments to display mounting on the instrument panel and the fitting and mounting of radios, transponders, and the digital audio panel located behind the PFDs and MFD.

Stan Blankenshiphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01524397154793186699noreply@blogger.com195tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25900799.post-22379193232513454892007-05-24T09:23:00.000-05:002007-05-24T09:24:46.630-05:00

From EBACE todayEclipse reveals plans for new aircraftEclipse Aviation plans to build another aircraft beyond its archetypal very light jet, the Eclipse 500. But its product will have to be as much of a marketplace revolution as the -500, or it would not fit the Eclipse model, explains the company's vice-president marketing and sales Michael McConnell.He says candidly: "All I can tell you is that

Stan Blankenshiphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01524397154793186699noreply@blogger.com226tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25900799.post-5339790269319061682007-05-22T17:16:00.000-05:002007-05-22T17:26:12.153-05:00

Die-Hards? Perhaps Not!Comments Posted Today on the Eclipse Owners Forum"I could understand their continual delays with the FAA, but I am amazed to read that they can't even get their act together to train pilots.If it is true that they can't train us to fly the plane when it is delivered, or at least provide enough trained mentor pilots, then we will be buying $1,500,000 of metal that can't be

Stan Blankenshiphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01524397154793186699noreply@blogger.com119tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25900799.post-41225671470233284872007-05-22T16:16:00.000-05:002007-05-22T16:21:38.333-05:00

Die-HardsThe following is included for historical reference. Written less than 24 hours ago by airtaximan, it describes the mind-set of the faithful who have been steadfast in their support of the Eclipse program. But even the Die-Hards have their limits as we are learning from today's Eclipse Owners Board...the subject for the next post.Die-hard (definition):A pet name devised by Vern Raburn and

Stan Blankenshiphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01524397154793186699noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25900799.post-7924690561092911912007-05-21T11:58:00.000-05:002008-12-10T00:48:48.131-06:00

Paper Airplane or Fait Accompli?To the faithful, it is fait accompli, the program is coming into fruition. After all, Eclipse has a Type Certificate, a Production Certificate, airplanes are trickling off the production line, awarded Certificates of Airworthiness, and titles transferred to the very patient owners in waiting. Even a handful of flights are showing up on http://www.flightaware.com/.

Stan Blankenshiphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01524397154793186699noreply@blogger.com107tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25900799.post-22464850066723517192007-05-18T09:37:00.001-05:002007-05-18T10:15:04.761-05:00

A Tale of Two DinosaursThree decades ago, I was a young marketing product manager for EMI Medical, the U.K based company that invented the CAT scanner medical imaging system. This company had been formed just a few years prior to my joining to commercialize the CAT scanner technology conceived in the EMI Central Research Laboratory in London. EMI had no existing business presence in the medical

Stan Blankenshiphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01524397154793186699noreply@blogger.com196tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25900799.post-68377672612629049852007-05-16T08:28:00.001-05:002007-05-16T09:07:21.103-05:00

The CEOFrom Black TulipIn retrospect many of the problems at Eclipse Aviation are related to management style. Some of the catch phrases used by successful CEOs include:“Praise in public, criticize in private.”“You can accomplish a great deal as long as you don’t care who gets the credit.”“Loyalty downward begets loyalty upward.”With these in mind….A CEO should be careful about blaming his

Stan Blankenshiphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01524397154793186699noreply@blogger.com103tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25900799.post-32721585707644944012007-05-15T09:25:00.000-05:002007-05-15T10:02:03.609-05:00

Back into FocusIn the previous post, Boenning & Scattergood scaled back their expectations for Eclipse and IS&S. Whytech furthers the B & S position with two pointed questions and his answers:Here are the big picture issues:1. Can Eclipse continue to raise the capital necessary to buy the time necessary to get the airplane right, ramp production, and get the service centers stocked and staffed to

Stan Blankenshiphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01524397154793186699noreply@blogger.com88tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25900799.post-73740618237520297292007-05-13T21:41:00.000-05:002007-05-13T21:57:34.862-05:00

Boenning & Scattergood Equity Research on IS&SINVESTMENT CONCLUSION — Based on recent research we have reason to believe that our F2008 revenue assumptions may be too aggressive. However, despite these findings, the recent orders from Eclipse and American Airlines have provided IS&S’s flat panel cockpit display with significant market recognition and the expected 757/767 commercial orders should

Stan Blankenshiphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01524397154793186699noreply@blogger.com176tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25900799.post-77315439173421370212007-05-09T20:48:00.000-05:002008-12-10T00:48:48.376-06:00

A Tangled WebEarlier this month, FlightCenter suggested we "consider whether Eclipse’s support model is sustainable."He further surmised "that the Eclipse 500 is an airplane that will have significantly higher down time and support costs than Eclipse and /or Eclipse 500 owners have budgeted for. The fact is that there are many highly inter-related systems on this airplane which are provided by

Stan Blankenshiphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01524397154793186699noreply@blogger.com189tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25900799.post-41003404404073938092007-05-05T18:00:00.000-05:002007-05-05T17:56:33.792-05:00

The Mustang vs. the Eclipse 500Cessna put out a slick comparison between the Mustang and the Eclipse.A copy of the piece can be viewed over at:www.eclipsecritic.netThere is a big difference in the airplanes...a big difference in the prices.But another measure is the difference in what a buyer pays for the airplane minus what he can get out of it when it is time to sell.Cessna airplanes hold their

Stan Blankenshiphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01524397154793186699noreply@blogger.com308tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25900799.post-40114850038935553712007-05-01T14:12:00.000-05:002008-12-10T00:48:48.586-06:00

Time for Some Sunlight on the Order BookA reader of this blog was surfing with google and discovered some interesting material - minutes of an August 25, 2005 meeting of the New Mexico State Investment Council.At 9:55 am Gov. Richardson showed up late for the meeting but in time for the discussion on New Mexico's $20 million investment in the Eclipse program. From the transcript:"Mr. Denker (

Stan Blankenshiphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01524397154793186699noreply@blogger.com286tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25900799.post-72751865100474063652007-04-30T19:20:00.000-05:002007-05-01T08:48:28.154-05:00

Four EventsThe FAA's regulatory oversight of the Eclipse program has culminated into four significant events:Provisional TC, the July 2006 Oshkosh Event - Most would agree this was largely a ceremonial event of little significance other than to give the Administrator some high visibility in the General Aviation arena and perhaps Eclipse a milestone to trigger additional funding. A previous post

Stan Blankenshiphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01524397154793186699noreply@blogger.com90tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25900799.post-67506633998416906542007-04-25T20:24:00.000-05:002007-04-26T02:08:16.385-05:00

FIGHTING BACKA grievance was filed 10/20/06 by an FAA engineering group against FAA management alleging award of the Eclipse Type Certificate "without allowing the aircraft certification engineers and flight test pilots to properly complete their assigned certification/safety responsibilities." A copy of the document is available on the following website:www.eclipsecritic.netKeep in mind, this

Stan Blankenshiphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01524397154793186699noreply@blogger.com331tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25900799.post-82526733191231614612007-04-24T19:16:00.000-05:002008-12-10T00:48:48.824-06:00

GIT- R-DONENo it's not the voice of Larry The Cable Guy trolling for laughs, it's the voice of higher ups with offices at 800 Independence Ave, S.W., Washington, D.C., and it's not so funny. In fact it is quite serious. Remember the Provisional Type Certificate Marion Blakey presented Vern at Oshkosh, the one where she proclaimed, "What I have in my hand is probably the most significant piece of

Stan Blankenshiphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01524397154793186699noreply@blogger.com54tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25900799.post-85460368543790616202007-04-20T19:46:00.000-05:002007-04-20T19:51:23.411-05:00

Eclipse Delivers 3 moreDate: Apr 20, 2007 7:27 PMFYI...Today, I spoke with an owner who took delivery this week of his Eclipse. Boy was he excited! I could barely get my questions in. But I did manage to find out these things from him that shed a lot of light on the status of the Eclipse program:1. For his acceptance flight, they went up to FL410--no special arrangements needed because, according

Stan Blankenshiphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01524397154793186699noreply@blogger.com88tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25900799.post-83564960098806801532007-04-18T15:52:00.000-05:002007-04-18T16:00:32.833-05:00

From WhyTechEAC Bloggers,Just recently happened across the EAC blog, and because I know some of the senior folks at E-clips, elected to read through all of the posts. I have been a GA pilot and aircraft owner for 40 years, and a private equity investor for the last 20 years. Despite my connections at E-clips, I cannot offer compelling arguments against the bulk of the criticism posted here. In

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Thoughtful Analysis from Two Readers.First from flightcenter:1) Honeywell has an excellent track record for predicting the size of new aircraft markets. They have very sophisticated models and access to lots of "insider" information, but most importantly, they have been consistently right in their predictions time and again, year after year. Ask around the industry if you want to validate this

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The IPOAfter the Provisional TC last summer, Eclipse reported:"The company is poised to move from aircraft development to production with $225 million in pre-IPO convertible debt funding arranged through UBS Investment Bank."Nine months later, this company can hardly be considered to be in a production mode. Rather than financing production, UBS's $225m is more likely funding airplane

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