No other certified aircraft in recent memory experienced a gestation as difficult as that of the original very light jet. More than 10 years have passed since now-defunct Eclipse Aviation delivered the first Eclipse 500s without flight into known icing (FIKI) certification or even basic GPS navigation functionality, and few expected the type would ever outlast that company’s 2008 bankruptcy.

Today, close to 300 Eclipse jets are operating throughout the world. All but approximately 35 of those aircraft were produced by the original company, but many sport significant upgrades made by Eclipse Aerospace, which took over the EA500 type certificate in 2009.

In addition to finally meeting the capabilities promised a decade ago, new-build Eclipse 550s and refurbished “Total Eclipse" and Eclipse SE aircraft offer such features as synthetic vision, integrated terrain and traffic warning systems and autothrottles. The last feature is still unique to the Eclipse among today’s smallest jets.

As the aircraft has evolved, so too has the company responsible for it. In 2015, Eclipse Aerospace merged with Kestrel Aircraft Company to form One Aviation, and that company has continued to manufacture the six-seat Eclipse 550 while upgrading earlier Eclipse 500s and providing maintenance for the combined fleet.

One Aviation also started developing a larger version of the Eclipse, dubbed "Project Canada” upon its introduction in July 2016 and now known as the Eclipse 700. Though heavily based on the existing design, the new aircraft will feature a 14-inch fuselage stretch, a larger wing with increased fuel capacity, and—in a notable shift from its predecessors—Garmin G3000 avionics and Williams FJ33-5A-12 turbofans.

With these changes, One Aviation chairman Alan Klapmeier expects the Eclipse 700 to handily outperform its nearest competitors. “Most jets will give you their best performance only on a cold day,” he told AIN. “The Eclipse 700 will get to its limit on any day, hot or cold, with less fuel consumption to boot.”

Betting on a Bigger Eclipse

On September 1, the first EA700 prototype, an Eclipse 500 fitted with an aerodynamically conforming version of the new design’s larger wing, took to the skies over Albuquerque, N. M. Since that inaugural flight, the prototype has flown “a little faster, and a little slower,” Klapmeier said, with chief company test pilot Jerry Chambers reportedly “very, very pleased” with its performance.

Flying the new wing on an existing airframe was "the lowest-risk approach, at the lowest cost and the best schedule" to start gathering data, Klapmeier said, with additional savings coming through use of an original Eclipse 500 certification aircraft already fitted with testing equipment.

The company plans at least two additional developmental prototypes, for avionics and engines, before rolling out the first complete Eclipse 700 prototype. Further development hinges on additional investment in the company; in July, Klapmeier said One Aviation needed "less than $50 million" to finish the EA700, and $100 million to restructure the company overall.

Demand for light jets has also waned, with production ending on the Eclipse’s nearest twinjet competitor, Textron Aviation’s Cessna Citation Mustang, in May. Nevertheless, Klapmeier maintains the EA700’s extensive upgrades—at a target price less than $4 million, undercutting every other new twinjet on the market— position the aircraft to fill an important gap in the marketplace.

“I've been in this business for a long time," he said, "and, interestingly, whenever you attempt to bring a new product to market, there will always be those asserting there's no demand for it. They never understand why there's a market for anything until it's proven…and once it is proven, they seem to forget their earlier doubts.

"The Eclipse 700 is about value, the simple balance between what you get and what you pay," Klapmeier continued. "What you get with the EA700 is high altitude, high speed, long range and relatively simple operation, all with lower operating costs and lower acquisition price than any other aircraft offering similar performance. That is a new balance for this segment, and that is why I believe we'll be successful."

While the company devotes most of its resources to bringing the EA700 to market, One Aviation also delivered four Eclipse 550s in the first half of 2017, and is working on further upgrades to existing Eclipse jets. (Despite reports to the contrary, Klapmeier emphasized development also continues on the K350 turboprop single brought over from Kestrel.)

Ahead of NBAA 2017, the company announced an ADS-B Out solution and a pitot/AOA probe auxiliary heating upgrade for Eclipse 550s, and top-spec refurbished Eclipse 500s, fitted with the latest version of the Eclipse jet’s integrated flight management system (iFMS) avionics. ADS-B Out equipage runs $24,900 and the auxiliary probe heat upgrade is $9,995, although One Aviation will extend a $3,000 discount if both upgrades are performed at once. The company plans to make the upgrades available to Eclipse jets fitted with lower-spec avionics down the line.