The winning bid for an Eclipse 500, auctioned last month on eBay, topped $1.8 million.
The winner is Morten Wagner of Denmark, who placed his winning bid of $1,833,945 at 2 a.m. his time on Aug. 11. The 35-year-old Internet entrepreneur took delivery of his jet earlier this month at Eclipse Aviation’s headquarters in Albuquerque.
“I was just sitting there, holding my breath, watching the auction run out,” said Wagner. “When I saw I had won, I was delirious. I woke up the whole house and told everyone I just bought an aircraft.”
Wagner plans to use his Eclipse 500 for business travel throughout Europe, and to travel between his homes in London, Spain and Denmark. He started flying about a year and a half ago and has already logged 462 hours in his Cirrus SR22.
“I’ve wanted an Eclipse 500 for a long time,” he said. “To me, it’s top of the line, and the most beautiful aircraft around.”
Auctioning of the #38 VLJ began July 30 and concluded Aug. 10. More than 200 people were registered on eBay to bid on the aircraft. There were a total of 15 bids from six bidders.
The auction was open to both existing Eclipse Aviation Bidders’ Club members, as well as non-members who were interested in purchasing an early Eclipse 500. The Bidders’ Club was originally offered from May 2000 to May 2002.
“The fact that we can sell an early Eclipse 500 on an open market for more than $1.8 million demonstrates the enormous demand for very light jets, and particularly for the aircraft that started it all,” said Vern Raburn, president and CEO of Eclipse Aviation. “It’s exciting to see that the winner is going to put his Eclipse 500 to great use in both his business and personal life.”
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