Editorial: Eclipse Jet Soars Again

March 19, 2014
Eclipse Aerospace -- the successor to the defunct Eclipse Aviation, which filed for bankruptcy in 2008 -- has delivered its new light jet to its first customer at the company's headquarters at the Albuquerque International Sunport.

March 19--Who says you can't arise from the ashes?

Like the famed phoenix, Eclipse Aerospace -- the successor to the defunct Eclipse Aviation, which filed for bankruptcy in 2008 -- has delivered its new light jet to its first customer at the company's headquarters at the Albuquerque International Sunport.

The twin-engine jet, the Eclipse 550, is a more technologically sophisticated version of Eclipse Aviation's original Eclipse 500 jet, which was first delivered to a buyer at the end of December 2006. The 550 remains priced under $3 million and is not much bigger than a large SUV.

The company expects to produce one-and-a-half to two planes a month for the rest of this year, although the plant has the capacity to produce about 10 planes a month. The plane is assembled in Albuquerque using parts from around the world.

Eclipse Aerospace is part of the general aviation sector, which has been hard hit by the recession and lagging recovery. However, the company has soldiered on and the delivery of its first Eclipse 550 is a success story for the company, Albuquerque and New Mexico.

It just goes to show that sometimes -- when you have a really good idea -- never giving up can pay off in the long run.

Congratulations, Eclipse Aerospace.

This editorial first appeared in the Albuquerque Journal. It was written by members of the editorial board and is unsigned as it represents the opinion of the newspaper rather than the writers.

Copyright 2014 - Albuquerque Journal, N.M.