Flying Staff

Eclipse mixed two slices of good news in with a heaping portion of bad news earlier this month. The company announced it was increasing the price of its Eclipse 500 twinjet by $550,000 to $2.15 million-a jump of 35 percent-effective immediately, and based on June 2008 economics. The good news came in the form of […]

The National Air Transportation Association (NATA) announced it is releasing the first of a series of web-based air crew briefing sites designed to familiarize visiting pilots with airports’ unique features. The inaugural airport for Safety 1st is one of the busiest general aviation airports in the country, Teterboro Airport (TEB) in New Jersey. The result […]

Current position-holders for the Eclipse 500s will be allowed to step to the front of the line to place deposits on the $1.35 million model 400 single. They will also be afforded a discount of $125,000 off the price. The Eclipse 400 is the four-seat, production version of the V-tail Eclipse Concept Jet that first […]

When each “unit” you’re selling is priced at $80 million, and there is a pent up worldwide demand, you can rack up impressive numbers in a hurry. Aerion, which is committed to developing and producing a supersonic business jet, left last month’s EBACE show in Switzerland having sold the equivalent of a dozen-plus aircraft-a tally […]

Eclipse Vice President of Marketing and Sales Mike McConnell clarified some details on this month’s price increase on the Eclipse 500 twinjet. Previously priced at $1.595 million in June 2006 dollars (adjusted to $1.7 million in 2008 dollars) the Eclipse 500 is now priced at $2.15 million-a price increase of $450,000 when adjusted for inflation, […]

Piper Aircraft announced it will stay in Vero Beach, Florida, following a two-year site selection process that included two other possible headquarter/factory sites. Piper accepted a $32 million incentive package from Florida and Indian River County to stay. An economic impact study revealed that Piper contributes an estimated $518 million per year to the local […]

Cirrus president Alan Klapmeier teased EBACE press conference attendees by promising that ‘the jet’ would eventually receive a more substantial name, but he didn’t provide clues as to what it might be. More important, the company released photos of the prototype under construction and hinted that it might be flying in time to arrive at […]

L-3 Communications has announced it received FAA Technical Service Order (TSO) authorization for its SmartDeck glass panel avionics suite. At the same time, the company announced Supplemental Type Certification (STC) approval for the Cirrus SR22 G2. That gives Cirrus owners the option of having the SmartDeck installed as a retrofit. No price was announced for […]

Upgraded Williams FJ44-3AP turbofans and elliptical winglets give the Hawker Beechcraft Premier II jet improved performance, longer range and upgraded payload capability. With a 23 percent increase in thrust over their predecessors, the new engines provide 3,000 pounds of thrust each, increasing climb capability (14 minutes to FL 370) and extending the Premier II’s service […]

One of the first questions many are asking is, “How will Avidyne survive, now that Cirrus has embraced Garmin?” The ultimate answer will come with time; but Avidyne has reminded the market that it is still the sole producer of avionics for the Cirrus SR20, and remains the standard suite for the SR22, for those […]