Guys,
I just took a look at the site, training requirements and gossipy blog.
What is the big deal here? Why all the doom and gloom?
Any new company/product is going to have teething problems - its a fact of life. Also it is expected that the first few aircraft will be making regular trips to the engineering department for mandatory mods as the fleet matures.
As for the avionics issues - I can't see a problem with changing supplier.
The training requirements seem entirely reasonable to me.
Sounds like 25 hrs minimum with a mentor pilot unless you are a current jet pilot with 2 type ratings and 5000hrs total time.
Quite honestly I would feel extremely nervous being signed off any earlier and even if I could be would take a jet captain friend along to keep an eye on me (and the aircraft).
IO, I agree about the aircraft not being within the grasp of many owner pilots (both financially and also in terms of piloting skills) but I do feel that there is still a market in the UK - a good friend of mine has a deposit down already.
If you buy the first in a new line of aircraft then these problems are expected.
As for the TBM 850, it is a beautiful aircraft with a well shaken down airframe BUT has half the svc ceiling and costs twice as much. You will still be flying through a lot of the Wx that the Eclipse will be going over the top of.
When the Eclipse shakes off its teething problems I will probably be placing an order - it still looks like the best VFM around by far - no question. (I agree that the D-Jet and ciurrus do not even come close).
In fact it looks so good that those with a vested interest in keeping older more expensive metal running must be getting more nervous by the minute.
SB