Very Light Jet Mfg Makes Teeny Jet

Eclipse, whose Eclipse 500 very light jet pretty much launched the segment has unveils a single engine teeny weenie jet prototype.

I think that this is Eclipse hedging its bets. It has a lot of orders, but from air-taxi services, which are an unproven business model, so it could be left with egg on its face.

I think that this may be bet hedging. It's a bit small for air-taxi services, but as a personal jet it seems about the right size, with a 1+3 cabin, as opposed to the 500's 1+5 cabin.

Swift Engineering of San Clemente, California was contracted to assist with the design and build the ECJ in slightly over six months.

“Swift Engineering has been a tremendous partner, and was instrumental in taking this new aircraft from design to flight test so rapidly,” says Raburn.

Six months is very impressive. My guess would be that this is a product of their experience with friction stir welding, which among other things, allows dissimilar materials to be welded, which has largely been responsible for the low cost of the Eclipse 500.