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Eclipse issues statement on FAA Special Certification Review

Aug. 20, 2008, Albuquerque, NM - Eclipse Aviation said it will cooperate fully with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) special certification review.


August 20, 2008  By Carey Fredericks

Aug. 20, 2008, Albuquerque, NM – Eclipse Aviation said it will cooperate fully
with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) special certification
review.  Eclipse is confident the review will find that the Eclipse
500(r) was in full compliance with all federal regulations at the time
of its certification, and that all FAA testing was completed with the
highest degree of thoroughness, accuracy and integrity.

"Without a doubt, this special review will uncover what we already know
– that the Eclipse 500 marks the safest new airplane introduction into
service in 20 years," said Roel Pieper, Eclipse Aviation's CEO.
"Customer safety has always been a priority at Eclipse, and we look
forward to this investigation dispelling any inaccuracies about the
certification of this airplane for once and for all."

With more than 5,000 test hours on six test aircraft, the Eclipse 500 is
the most-tested Federal Aviation Regulation (FAR) Part 23 (general
aviation) aircraft in decades.  The average number of test hours for a
general aviation aircraft is 1,100 hours.

Beginning in 1999, Eclipse worked with the FAA to ensure the Eclipse 500
complied with every FAA regulation from initial design to certification.
Many steps were taken, including:

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*    Eclipse worked with specialists from 10 different FAA Aircraft
Certification Offices (ACOs) and cross-functional FAA departments.

*    The company was among the first to follow the FAA Certification
Process Improvement (CPI) program.  Detailed FAA involvement in a
certification process is a hallmark of the CPI program.

*    The CPI program allows the FAA to focus on safety-critical or
unique design features as they are being created.  Eclipse shared these
and the preliminary design concepts of the Eclipse 500 with the FAA.

*    The Eclipse 500 exceeded FAA requirements during static testing.
The aircraft's static tests included finding limit loads – the highest
loads the aircraft would ever expect to experience – as well as ultimate
loads (1.5 times limit loads).  The airframe met all test points on the
first test; a testament to the structural integrity of the Eclipse 500.

Since certification, Eclipse has delivered 245 aircraft, accumulated
more than 32,000 total fleet hours and completed 20 months of customer
shipments.  When compared both to general aviation averages and the
experiences of Eclipse Aviation's direct competitors, Eclipse's safety
track record is unprecedented for a new FAR Part 23 aircraft.

The Eclipse 500 was built to deliver exceptional safety performance.
The jet's standard safety features rival those of aircraft costing
millions more and include:  autothrottle, color weather radar, a
dual-redundant flight management system with sophisticated aircraft
performance computer; "smart" electronic checklists, and an intelligent
crew alert system.  The state-of-the-art Eclipse 500 cockpit is designed
for safety through the redundancy of vital systems and its sheer ability
to reduce a pilot's workload.  To ensure availability of critical flight
data, the Eclipse 500 is equipped with redundant, high reliability
solid state electronic sensors and displays.

For added safety and reliability, Eclipse designed Avio NG exclusively
for the Eclipse 500 Jet(r).  Avio NG provides Total Aircraft
Integration(tm) through integral, redundant computer systems and
advanced data and power distribution systems.  More than just an
integrated avionics and instrument suite, Avio NG expands integration
technology beyond the cockpit and applies it to the entire aircraft.
Aircraft systems – including avionics, engine operation, fuel system,
flaps, landing gear, cabin pressure and temperature, and many more – are
centrally controlled by Avio NG.  Avio NG significantly reduces pilo
workload by simplifying tasks, generating useful information, managing
systems and assisting in troubleshooting.  

For more information on the Eclipse 500 certification process and safety
performance, please visit www.eclipsefacts.com .

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