Judging the Eclipse 500 is like trying to change a flat on a moving car-just as you get the lugs lined up, the wheel spins out of place. Consider some of the comments we heard from Eclipse owners we contacted:

“This thing flies like a dream.”

“Eclipse bends over backwards to support the airplane.”

“I was prepared not be impressed, but I was.”

But also these:

“Eclipse really blew it on the avionics.”

“The brakes and tires need work.”

“You just cant find out anything from Eclipse about promised upgrades.”

“A lot of people just don’t appreciate how mammoth this undertaking was. In hindsight, that [complexity] was a mistake.”

Further straining any attempt to nail down an evaluation of the Eclipse is the companys rubbery delivery promises. It has slipped schedules so many times, made volume predictions that havent materialized and, in our view, delivered an airplane short enough of its original promise that its tempting to focus solely on these shortcomings rather than the airplane itself.

Eclipse has been masterful in promoting itself but, in our opinion, reluctant to let the aviation press see what the airplane will really do. Curiously, some owners are nearly as secretive. With Eclipse refusing press demos, we asked several owners for test rides. Only one agreed, because he loves the airplane and wanted to show that it could strut its stuff.

Other owners agreed to speak to us but only if we promised not to use their names. Why such worries? One owner said he was worried that Eclipse wouldnt deliver on promised upgrades if he beefed about the airplane in public; another said he just didnt want the hassle, but would answer all of our questions. One fleet operator did speak to us on the record.

Ignore the Hype

Setting aside the hyberbole and the ire with Eclipses delays, how does the airplane measure up against its original promise? Frankly, quite we’ll and certainly not badly enough to sequester the airplane from public demos, in our opinion. In the vast river of promotional words Eclipse has disgorged is this original mission statement:

“The goal of Eclipse is to bring the word personal into aviation, making it possible for commercial air passengers to move directly between cities on a quick, affordable and convenient basis. It will also allow pilot owners to enter the world of jet-powered aviation.”