Eclipse Aerospace, Inc., manufacturer of the Eclipse 550 very light jet, has received Production Certificate #550 from the FAA, paving the way for production of the new Eclipse 550 twin-engine jet.
Representatives from the FAA presented the production certificate to Cary Winter, Senior Vice President of Eclipse Aerospace, earlier today at a ceremony held at Eclipse’s Albuquerque headquarters.
A production certificate allows a company to manufacture aircraft and parts in conformance with FAA-approved type design, and is only granted when the FAA has determined that the organization’s manufacturing processes and quality systems comply with all federal regulations, Eclipse officials note.
“Armed now with a fully certified aircraft, a certified production process, and an established supply chain, Eclipse is well positioned to re-introduce the Eclipse Jet to new production. Earning our FAA production certificate means we have successfully built a reliable, high-quality manufacturing process, and are well positioned to expedite aircraft deliveries,” said Winter.
The rigorous FAA production certificate approval process includes the evaluation of an organization’s manufacturing processes, quality control, and production inspection system. A team of FAA inspectors performs multiple audits on the organization and examines approved design data for compliance.
The new model Eclipse 550 twin-engine jet is built upon the Eclipse 500 platform, but will deliver with the next evolution of aircraft systems for general aviation jets. Systems upgrades include auto-throttles, synthetic vision, enhanced vision, and a redundant flight management system. First deliveries are expected in mid 2013.
For more information: ECLIPSE.aero
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