Eclipse Aviation, JAA To Start Certification Process

A scheduled meeting on October 24 between Eclipse Aviation and the JAA will mark the first step of the European certification process for the Eclipse 500 superlight jet. “This meeting will be an informal one,” a source at the French civil aviation authorities told AIN. The first official action will be Eclipse’s application for JAA certification. This would trigger the JAA’s “type validation procedures,” a call for European authorities to set up a dedicated team that would work with the FAA to resolve any differences between FAR Part 23 and JAR 23. FAA certification of the $837,500 twinjet is pegged for late next year. Eclipse Aviation said European orders account for 162 of a total order book for 2,072 Eclipse 500s.