Eclipse 500

[guido411]

Folks,

Our flight department is considering adding an airplane for short 300-400 nm missions. We have been tossing around TBM 700/850 and Pilatus PC-12. I know the data on these airplanes but there seems to be a lack of REAL numbers on performance and costs of the EA50.

I know the sales info but what do you real operators have to say? What are the issues? Any achillies heels? What don't you like? What do you like? Can we put 6 people in it and go anywhere? Are there CG issues if we do this? What is the REAL DOC?

Thanks

 

[pilot error]

Can we put 6 people in it and go anywhere? Are there CG issues if we do this? Thanks

it only has 4 seats, so, having no experience with one i would guess no and numerous.

 

[svcta]

I watched a DayJet crew trying to find room for one single passenger's roll-aboard suitcase. It didn't seem to want to go in the baggage comp. and looked like it would cramp up the interior. Those things are small.....and ugly. I would assume that a TBM or PC-12 would be far better options, and that they would also allow far better payloads and performance for flexibility in choice of airports. And I know that they will carry a bag or maybe even 2!

 

[ackattacker]

The TBM-700 and PC-12 are both great, versatile, easy to fly, safe airplanes with a proven track record and excellent support.

The Eclipse is.... extremely small, unproven, half-certified, "A" model, produced by a company that is probably going to implode in the next few years.

 

[AeroDMB]

Check your PM's.

 

[On Your Six]

Those Eclipses are incredibly small - it's shocking when you see one for the first time. If you have the cash, I'd get a PC12 or a TBM850 (get the updated G1000 version).

BTW, congrats on escaping FLOPS!

 

[ultrarunner]

What is the REAL DOC?

Thanks

Guido, you won't get ANY real-world operational cost data until such time as that airframe has been in the field for a while. As I recall those airframes have just been delivered, right?

So, any data out there is from the manufacture PR department.

Naturally it's all warranty work, so that will keeps costs low for the first few years....

The good thing is that DayJet will likely beat the crap out of them, so any stuff that is prone to break and wear out will be know fairly early on, as opposed to some operator that only takes it out a couple of days a week.

If you only need to go a few hundred miles like you say, and you want essentially a "known-quantity", you do NOT buy something that has just hit the market, but you DO by one of the other birds that was suggested or a nice King Air which will do exactly what you want with the number of people you want and the bags you want.

 

[400A]

Hard to beat a King Air for that mission. Just not a fan of single engine's myself. I have had 3 PT-6 Failure's so I can only imagine how much different my situation would have been in a TBM or PC-12.

If you are looking in a similar budget to the Eclipse you can get a nice Citation 501 for less money and have a known product with real support.

We bought a New Premier 1A for a 600-700 mile mission.

 

[Fblowjets]

When will it be Known-icing certified?

 

[guido411]

Hard to beat a King Air for that mission. Just not a fan of single engine's myself. I have had 3 PT-6 Failure's so I can only imagine how much different my situation would have been in a TBM or PC-12.

If you are looking in a similar budget to the Eclipse you can get a nice Citation 501 for less money and have a known product with real support.

We bought a New Premier 1A for a 600-700 mile mission.

Sure a BE20 would be great for the mission, or even a BE90. But the EA50 has been attractive because our people like new airplanes that are under warranty. Thus, a 501 isn't even an option and you can get a newish TBM or PC12 for a lot less than any KA.

To all, I'm really not looking to get into a hangar flying discussion, would really like to hear from people that have done more than read the propaganda and/or sit in the airplane on the ramp. Anybody actually operated it?

Thanks

And Six, thanks man, been blue skies and tail winds ever since.