Eclipse, FAA and JAA meet

Eclipse Aviation, FAA and JAA (Joint Aviation Authorities) representatives met for the first time in Rome on October 24. Two Eclipse employees, including vice president of engineering Oliver Masefield, four FAA people and six JAA representatives attended this first “informal” meeting. The subject at hand was European certification of the Eclipse 500 very light jet.

A source at the JAA told AIN that the Eclipse team had “a good knowledge of the differences between JAA and FAA certification requirements” even before the three-hour meeting. According to the source, Eclipse plans to apply officially for European certification early next year. By working on both certification programs simultaneously, Eclipse hopes to get JAA certification in early 2004, a few months after receiving its expected FAA approval late next year.