Eclipse Aviation achieves EASA certification

Today Eclipse Aviation®, manufacturer of the world's first very light jet (VLJ), announced that the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) has certified the Eclipse 500 Jet®. EASA is the centerpiece of the European Union's (EU) strategy for aviation safety. The Eclipse 500® certification is valid for 37 European countries. EASA certification is the European equivalent of achieving Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) type certification in the United States and permits registration of the Eclipse 500 in any of the 37 countries.

Eclipse Aviation also announced today that the FAA certified Avio NG 1.5, an upgraded configuration of the Eclipse 500's state-of-the-art avionics suite. This FAA approval comes after a FAA Special Certification Review of the Eclipse 500 that confirmed the type certificate was correctly granted. Avio NG 1.5 and EASA approvals demonstrate that the Eclipse 500 continues to meet regulatory and safety requirements around the world.

"Obtaining EASA certification is one of Eclipse Aviation's greatest accomplishments," said Roel Pieper, Eclipse Aviation CEO. "With the additional FAA approval for Avio NG 1.5, EASA certification enhances Eclipse's capacity to spread the global reach and impact of the Eclipse 500, and we expect many new orders from all over Europe, Russia and Turkey to follow."

The EASA certification requires Eclipse 500 aircraft to be equipped with Avio NG 1.5, plus optional equipment specific to European operations, such as a third attitude indicator and dual Mode S diversity transponders.

Eclipse continues to work toward receiving EU-OPS 1 approval, which will allow for commercial operation of the Eclipse 500 in Europe. Eclipse expects to receive EU-OPS 1 in time to allow many air-taxi services using the Eclipse 500 to be operational in Europe in 2009.