Eclipse Production Restart Up in Air

A restart of production of the Eclipse 500 very light jet is no sure thing, according to a memo by new owner Eclipse Aerospace.

"At the present time, Eclipse Aerospace has not determined when or if it will restart manufacturing operations in Albuquerque," says the memo sent Tuesday to more than 750 former Eclipse Aviation employees who have expressed interest in jobs at the recently resurrected company.

A decision isn't expected for at least 6 to 8 months. Restarting production will depend on an economic analysis as well as lining up "a wide array of suppliers and partners that need to be enlisted to participate in the process with us," the memo says.

Since acquiring the assets of now-defunct Eclipse Aviation in U.S. Bankruptcy Court in Delaware in early September, Eclipse Aerospace has focused its effort on launching a maintenance and equipment upgrade program for the existing fleet of 259 Eclipse 500 jets.

Through a wholly owned subsidiary called Eclipse Services Network, the company has committed to service centers at Albuquerque International Sunport and Chicago Executive Airport, formerly known as Palwaukee Airport.

The Albuquerque service center is not up and running yet, according to the memo. The company is combing through its résumés to find job candidates with specific skills needed for its maintenance and equipment upgrade program. Reaffirming past statements, Eclipse's memo says, "We are committed to the ABQ community and the city of ABQ."

The recession has devastated the business-jet sector of general aviation, with layoffs into the thousands at such industry mainstays as Kansasbased Cessna Aircraft Co. and Hawker Beechcraft Corp.

The FAA has cleared the Eclipse 500 for a lifetime of 10,000 hours of f lying, or roughly 10 years of typical usage. Once those hours have been flown, the jet's airworthiness becomes questionable. The fleet of 259 jets were all delivered in 2007 and 2008.

Eclipse Aerospace was cofounded by Mason Holland and Mike Press for the express purpose of acquiring the former Eclipse Aviation's assets. Holland is now the company's chairman and president while Press is executive vice president. Ken Ross, formerly with North American Jet Maintenance, is president of Eclipse Services Division.