CR4 Tours Eclipse Aviation (Part 1)

"Anybody can fly in with a jet anytime," explains Scott Pockrandt of Eclipse Aviation's Service Center in Albany, New York. A self-described "sheet metal guy", this modest mechanic who once worked on Air Force One now services the world's first very light jet (VLJ) – the Eclipse 500. With a price tag of $2.1 million (USD), the Eclipse 500 has no shortage of customers. At the company's newest service center, Eclipse mechanics are busy making modifications to just some of the 2,500 aircraft which have been ordered.

Yesterday, engineers from GlobalSpec (including some bloggers for CR4) were given a tour of the Eclipse Service Center in Albany. Our tour guide, Scott Pockrandt, let us view the Eclipse 500 inside and out, and shared stories from his lengthy career with the U.S. Air Force, Northrop Grumman, and Reliance Aerotech Services. We appreciate the time that Scott took from his busy schedule in a maintenance facility that never closes. Like his co-workers, Scott works 12 hours a day, 4 days a week with plenty of overtime. Thanks again, Scott!

Eclipse Aviation and the Eclipse 500

Headquartered in Albuquerque, New Mexico, Eclipse Aviation is a 10-year old aircraft manufacturer founded by Vern Raburn, a former Microsoft employee. As Eclipse boasts in its marketing materials, the company uses lean manufacturing methods to control costs and promote efficiency. Eclipse is also proud of its environmental record, explaining how friction stir-welding, a manufacturing method which does not produce fumes, is used to produce subassemblies.

Eclipse Aviation's very light jet (VLJ), the Eclipse 500, combines elegance with power. With a maximum cruising speed of 370 kt (865 km/hr), the aircraft has a maximum range of 1125 nm (2084 km) and a useful load of 2400 lb (1089 km). When skies turn stormy, pilots can approach a service ceiling of 41,000 ft (12,497 m) at a two-engine rate of climb of 3424 ft/min (1044 m/min). The plane's exterior dimensions measure 33.5 ft (10.2 m) in length and 11.0 ft (3.4 m) in height, with a wingspan of 37.9 ft (11.6 m)

Eclipse at Albany

Eclipse Aviation's Albany facility is the service center for the northeastern United States and Canada. Visitors are greeted by a friendly receptionist and posh sitting area. Then – if they're lucky – then allowed into the service area. Spotless and brightly lit, this large maintenance bay can house a fleet of small aircraft. Most Eclipse mechanics are FAA certified and operate under strict guidelines from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). With avionics work, however, experience is the most important consideration. And as Scott Pockrandt explained, there's plenty of avionics work to go around.

Editor's Note: Click here for Part 2 of this three-part story. Click here for Part 3.