Eclipse Aviation, manufacturer of the world's first very light jet (VLJ), delivered its first customer aircraft today at its headquarters in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Ramping up to fulfill the backlog of more than 2,500 aircraft, the company already has 37 additional aircraft on its production line in various stages of assembly. Seven of these aircraft have completed final assembly and are being prepared for delivery. In the coming days, Eclipse will hold a delivery ceremony at the company headquarters.

"For many years, the promise of this day has fueled the passion and perseverance of everyone associated with Eclipse," said Vern Raburn,

president and CEO of Eclipse Aviation. "Today, as we deliver the first Eclipse 500, our dream of opening up the world of private jet travel to a new realm of customers has become a reality."

The first customer Eclipse 500 was delivered to co-owners David Crowe, a private owner, and Jet-Alliance, a shared jet ownership company in Westlake Village, California. While Crowe plans use his time with the jet primarily for recreation, Jet-Alliance will be using it to serve the needs of their growing list of co-ownership clients.

"Although the vision of an affordable jet may have seemed like a risky investment to some back in 2000, I never doubted this day would come," said Crowe. "With my Eclipse 500, I'll not only have convenient access to my favorite places and hobbies, I'll have a lot more time to enjoy them."

To maximize his investment and Eclipse 500 usage, Crowe entered a partnership to co-own his Eclipse 500 with Jet Alliance. Their

arrangement is a fitting example of the Eclipse 500's appeal to both private owners and a whole new generation of entrepreneurs.

"We are thrilled to be a part of this major event in aviation history by accepting co-ownership with David Crowe of the very first Eclipse

500," said Randall Sanada, president and CEO of Jet-Alliance. "The Eclipse 500 creates wonderful new alternatives for traveling and owning a jet aircraft, and our clients have been awaiting this day just as eagerly as we have."

With new facilities and team members in place, Eclipse is poised to begin ramping production rates. The company is leveraging advanced

manufacturing methods not traditionally used in aviation to dramatically increase manufacturing efficiency. These include proven automotive manufacturing techniques such as moving assembly lines and robotics. The company's current facilities are designed to support the production of approximately 1,000 aircraft a year, or four aircraft per day.