CR4 Tours Eclipse Aviation (Part 3)

Environmentalists may like the Eclipse 500's Halon-free fire suppression system, but animal rights' activists probably won't line-up to lounge in the airplane's all-leather seats. With dual climate-control zones and an optional entertainment package with four independent XM satellite radio receivers, the Eclipse 500 seems better suited for those who enjoy their steaks served rare. But as a group from GlobalSpec learned during a recent tour of Eclipse Aviation's Albany Service Center, air travel need not be akin to confining a veal calf in its box stall. Even the tallest member of our group had plenty of headroom about the Eclipse 500.

Did I mention that this $2.1 million (USD) aircraft may include an optional lavatory and stainless steel beverage cart? Cocktails, anyone? After all, it's after 5 PM somewhere.

Cool Controls

Passengers aboard the Eclipse 500 LX aren't the only ones having fun. Pilots of these very light jets (VLJ) can feast their eyes on two large, primary flight displays (PFD) and one multi-function display (MFD). These attractive, high-resolution, flat panel displays (FPD) provide flight parameters, engine and system performance, pre-flight checklists, maintenance charts and even aircraft manuals. But don't spend your time looking for a steering wheel or control yoke. The Eclipse 500 is driven by a sidestick controller that looks like it belongs in an F-16 – or at least with your kids' Nintendo system.

Wings and Fuel System

The Eclipse 500's fuel system isn't as cool as its cabin or controls, but form follows function. Fuel tanks are mounted at the ends of each wing, with each tank holding up to 127 gallons of gas. Maybe our tour took place too close to lunch time, but several of us wondered how, say, 127 gallons of milk could fit into those tiny tanks. The answer to this question lies in the aircraft's wings, which store the rest of the plane's usable fuel. With avgas now selling for $5.60 a gallon, it's nice to know that a millionaire's fuel investment is so secure.

To enable its pilot to track fuel levels, the Eclipse 500 has 14 capacitance gauging probes and two optical sensors. These devices are located in the wings, which also have a de-icing feature to warm any pilot's heart. To prevent the buildup of ice, the aircraft has a rubber membrane on the leading edge of each wing. Heating this membrane causes the rubber to expand, thus breaking the ice. While a steady supply of ice is welcome aboard the Eclipse 500's optional beverage cart, ice on the wings is not.

Thanks again to Scott Pockrandt, our tour guide at Eclipse Aviation's Albany Service Center! And thanks to all of the Eclipse employees and contractors who made our visit so much fun.

Editor's Note: Click here for Part 1 of this three-part story. Click here for Part 2.