Eclipse Aviation, manufacturer of the world’s first VLJ, opened its first customer training center last month at Double Eagle II Airport (KAEG) near Albuquerque.
Eclipse 500 customers will receive all of their classroom and simulator training at the new center, including the type rating course and recurrent training.
The 41,500-square-foot, two-story facility, which is adjacent to the company headquarters, will accommodate four simulators, four classrooms and eight briefing rooms.
The first Flight Training Device (FTD) has already been installed. An additional full motion simulator will be certified and operational in the coming months, with four full motion simulators operational by the end of 2008, according to company officials. At that time, Eclipse 500 pilot training will transition from the current in-aircraft training to full motion simulator training, they said.
Eclipse plans to employ approximately 100 people at the training center when it is in full operation, according to the company’s announcement.