Eclipse 550 Wins European Certification

One Aviation received EASA certification for its Eclipse 550 on Wednesday, clearing the way for sales of the light twinjet in the European Union and its use for air-taxi service there. The company (Booth C113216) has deposits from half a dozen European customers awaiting delivery pending certification.

“Europe has a need for this kind of vehicle, with its range, low noise profile and cost of operation,” One Aviation CEO Alan Klapmeier told AIN. “If Europe didn’t exist, we’d have to create Europe so we’d have the perfect market for it.”

Deliveries will begin in January, according to Cary Winter, One Aviation’s executive vice president. The only changes required from U.S. production models are to “paint a couple of switches red and change the connector on the door switch,” he said.

Aeris Aviation in the UK and Jet Lounge in the Netherlands are the current European distributors for the jet.

Priced at $2.995 million, the six-place aircraft has a range of 1,125 nm, a 41,000-ft maximum altitude and a 375-knot max cruise speed burning an efficient 48 gph. It includes autothrottles and an anti-skid brake system, making this the first Part 23 aircraft with autothrottles approved by the safety agency.

Klapmeier spoke approvingly of EASA’s certification methods, and expects the award will help the company win wider approval for the jet. “Now the rest of the world will look and say this is a good template to follow, so it will be easier for us to get certification in other parts of the world.”

One Aviation is also developing the Kestrel single-engine turboprop.