Doing a little surfing here tonight and ran across this.....

http://www.controller.com/listingsdetai ... 166000.htm


I guess we shouldn't be surprised.

So what are the thoughts of the collective. Is the acquisition price low enough to offset possible support issues?

No.

I wouldn't give them $50K.

It's money gone.

I am surprised to see a huge mount and 496 in that thing. You would think that panel would already have those capabilities. At a glance I would think that you would be able to find mechanics if needed to keep this thing going all day long. I would also think that lance air, columbia, or other composite experimental fabricators could keep the body in good shape. I would look at it as a nice looking little jet that has no warranty. There was a huge facility in Gainesville, Fl and mechanics that worked there could probably work on this on the side. I also visited the Albuquerque NM site when I was out there recently and was impressed that they had so much stuff or activity going on.

I would offer $500K and I believe you would have a great little jet.

There is a mechanic's shop on the field at Hammond, LA, (KHDC) which seems to always have two to eight Eclipse jets in it at any one time. People bring their planes to him from all over. So, you can get them worked on.

Also, if I heard it right, he can do a FIKI conversion on them.

I'm kinda thinkin along the same lines Douglas. My perusings of Controller, led me to believe that a person can find one of these with twin garmin 400's installed and coupled to the autopilot, Avio NG, FIKI and even skid pads......

Here's an example....

General Information
* FIKI & 1.5 being installed - April delivery * Eclipse 500 with ETT/Aero and Avio NG. Fresh 300 hr/24 month inspection

Detailed Description
FIKI (Flight Into Known Icing) and Avio NG V1.5 (enhanced avionics functionality, V2 autopilot with navigation coupling enroute, terminal & approach also less susceptible to disconnect in turbulence) are being installed along with the 300 hour/24 month inspection, April delivery to new owner.

This aircraft has had the ETT/Aero mod (brings it up to the same airframe version as last planes produced, increased top speed to 370 knots, larger tip tanks) and Avidyne Avio to IS & S Avio NG mod. It was also selected by the FAA to be the aircraft for which they watched every aspect of the assembly as part of the original production certificate for the Eclispe 500. Probably the most closely built to tolerance Eclipse 500 built. It has been squawk free since original purchase.

LX Edition with:
- Blue-backlit Instrument Panel
- Part 135 package (40 cu ft oxygen bottle, 2nd microphone, copilot quick-don oxygen mask w/microphone, passenger briefing cards)
- Copilot package
- Skywatch HP for traffic alerts
- Class B TAWS (Americas database) for terrain alerts
- Weather Radar displayed on PFDs
- Taxi/Recognition Lights
- Lower Fuselage Skid Pads to minimize damage in the event of a gear-up landing.

Airframe:
No damage history, always hangared. RVSM group certified.Engine Specs:
Twin Pratt & Whitney Canada PW610F-A turbofans rated 900 Lbs. thrust each, 3500 hour TBO, 1,750 HSI.
The engines are being run every 3 weeks when the aircraft is not in use.Avionics/Radios:
Avio NG includes 3 axis Autopilot, Dual VHF Comms, Dual VHF Navs, Dual Localizer/Glideslope, Dual Mode S Transponders, Dual AHRS, Skywatch HP, Class B TAWS, Weather RadarAdditional Equipment:
Flight Into Known Icing and Avio NG V1.5 upgrades installed. Full GPS navigation with autopilot coupling, V2 autopilot servos.

These jets suck. There's a reason the company went under.

Every sat in one? I have. It's about half the size of my Bo.

I think it's a waste of money at any price.

If Cirrus or any of the other guys get their jets online this thing will definitely go by the wayside.

On top of that they remain hard to insure - the group that bought them has a monopoly of parts and major repairs, therefore they can set the price wherever they want. This results in some very high repair costs for an aircraft that the market is barely paying $600K for - insurers don't like that.

I always liked the look of the design

I say the "number one reason" jets exist is "sex appeal".

Unless you get into the big jets, they don't make sense at all. Unless you want your lady to say "oooh, you have jet?"

Don't know man, I rode in an XLS+ last year - straight climb to 43,000, 3 hours later we landed at Oshkosh, just 8 dudes.... unbelievable.

You're getting into the "bigger jet" category at that point. I think.

Got it, by Big Jet you mean bigger than VLJ.

I agree.

Username Protected wrote:

We would all have loved the eclipse jet when it would have been delivered at $990.000 like they promised.

That was kinda my point in posting this. Ironically it took the company going BK to get the planes priced right.

Now that they're not making em any more you can get one for under that magic $1,000,000 mark

For those of you thinking $650K is a bit too much, how about this bit of craziness:
http://www.controller.com/listingsdetail/aircraft-for-sale/ECLIPSE-500/2008-ECLIPSE-500/1137039.htm
$1.8 mil? Whatever they're smokin' ain't legal.

You must be very large. I'm 6 feet tall, and weighed 250 when I was flying it (215 now). My "mentor" for the first few hours was a bit taller and equally heavy. It was very comfortable, although there was a trick to getting in and out.

Many of my landings and takeoffs were at Las Vegas North, 2,200 feet above sea level, and hot, with full loads. The airplane did not "suck" for me, it's actually rather sporty. One flight, from Cabo San Lucas to Nogales was at FL340, 340 TAS, burning sixty GPH. Cruising along, smooth as could be, making gentle deviations around the CBs, radar sweeping, I loved that little airplane, though it did have it's faults. Many of those have been fixed now.What's the value? Up to the individual, I think. $650,000? Maybe not, but who knows. The big concern was getting it worked on, and they seem to doing OK.

I don't miss flying the Gulfstream, but I do kinda miss the little Eclipse.

Best...
John Deakin