The skies look much brighter for Eclipse 500 very light jet owners more than four months after international fuel supplier AML Global purchased the assets of that program out of bankruptcy. Once again operating under the name Eclipse Aerospace (EAI), top priorities for the company include stabilizing parts, maintenance, and AOG support for owners and shoring up vendor relationships, interim CEO Mike Press told AIN.

"Most, if not all, vendors have an interest in returning, especially after hearing about our plans to refurbish/upgrade the fleet aircraft and possible future plans for production of the [Eclipse] 550," Press said. AML Global's backing allows EAI to pay vendors in advance, he added.

EAI is also working to upgrade as many as 30 aircraft to the latest Eclipse 550 specification for unnamed European fleet owners. “New European operators expand our footprint and customer base," Press said. "We are not completely dependent on the North American customer market."

The Albuquerque, New Mexico-based company is operating with “more than 50 employees and looking for more,” Press said. All are former Eclipse workers.

Press co-founded the first iteration of EAI in 2009 following the Chapter 7 bankruptcy of the original Eclipse Aviation. That company merged with Kestrel Aircraft in 2015 to form One Aviation, which entered Chapter 11 protection in October 2018 and was subsequently liquidated earlier this year.