Check 6.
“Where are you getting this negative information regarding the Eclipse 500? I have seen nothing but positive info in the last year in many trade magazines.”
I agree the trade magazines do (in the main) seem to be rather positive and I do not wish to appear to be negative. An article I read quite recently in a US Trade magazine is quite critical about the crisis of subcontractors and parts supply.
Like I said “rumour is” (in my opening reply to the posed question), but specifically talking to a few knowledgeable people at Oshkosh it seemed to be the general consensus.
Also talking to a few medium size jet manufacturers (potential competitors) the ‘nervousness’ that they were displaying two years ago about the advent of the Eclipse have all but disappeared
And before you point it out “rumour”, is of course just that. It is however apparent that the promissory noises of a few years ago are all drifting – in the wrong direction. Take the price alone, the big spin 2002-2004 was the price, $900,000 the first jet below 1m etc etc etc, dont hear much of that now with the price climbing to $1.5 in avery short space of time. expect that to increase substantially.
The avionics suite is indeed impressive, but not a lot more than others already out there now. It will not look so impressive in at minimum three years time.
There are two potential biggies looming for single pilot VLJs. One will be insurance and the other will be regulation. If you think for one minute that BA,AA, Lufthansa, Continental and the rest - will want a tired businessman at the controls at FL whatever upsetting the paying public with the notion! As we know to our cost in GA the big boys call the shots with government.
Apologies in advance if a little too negative, just trying to introduce a little realism, although I dop like to dream a little myself.
