If you usually fly with two, three or four people, this is the question I would ask before looking at a larger business jet.

Do you really need one?

The Eclipse 500 was built for a very specific owner. Someone who wants a real jet, wants to fly high and fast, but does not want to operate a much larger aircraft just because it has a bigger cabin.

That idea was ahead of its time.

The business behind the aircraft did not survive. The airplane did. And that is why the Eclipse 500 is still worth a serious look on the pre-owned market.

The Eclipse 500 was never meant to be a big airplane.

You notice it immediately when you see one.

It is compact. The cabin is compact too. There is no pretending otherwise. But climb into the cockpit and the proposition becomes clearer. You have a twin-engine jet certified for single-pilot operation, with a published maximum cruise speed of 375 knots and a maximum operating altitude of 41,000 feet. The published NBAA IFR range is 1,280 nautical miles with four occupants.

For short and medium regional business trips, that is a useful combination.

If your normal mission is two or three people, a couple of bags and a flight that needs to get done today, you may not need a larger aircraft.
That is the Eclipse argument.
Simple enough.

You get a small twin-engine jet with performance that is still useful for the mission it was designed around.

Published figures give the Eclipse 500 a 375-knot maximum cruise speed, 41,000-foot maximum altitude and 1,280 nm NBAA IFR range with four occupants.

The aircraft was also certified for single-pilot operation.
For an owner-pilot, that matters.

You are not buying a mini - Gulfstream. You are buying something closer to a very compact personal business jet.

And there is a certain logic to that.

If most of your trips do not require a large cabin, why carry one around?

Yet the Eclipse 500 didn't disappear. In 2009, Eclipse Aerospace acquired the assets for $40 million and resumed limited production as the Eclipse 550. The fleet kept flying. Today, AML Global Eclipse maintains the aircraft, and the 260 delivered units continue to serve owner-operators who value their efficiency and simplicity.

If you are looking at an Eclipse 500 for sale, I would also put these aircraft on the comparison list:

Embraer Phenom 100 / Range: about 1,178 nm / Passengers: up to 5, depending on configuration.

Cessna Citation M2 / Range: about 1,550 nm / Passengers: up to 7.

HondaJet / Range: about 1,223 nm / Passengers: up to 6, depending on configuration.

These aircraft are newer and offer a different level of cabin, avionics and support. But they are also different aircraft for different budgets and missions. The Eclipse makes the most sense when its small size is an advantage to you.

I would put the Eclipse on the shortlist for an owner who:

Flies mainly regional business routes.
Usually travels with a small number of passengers.
Wants jet performance without moving into a larger aircraft.
Is comfortable with an older aircraft.
And is prepared to examine the records properly before buying.
If that sounds like your operation, then the Eclipse 500 becomes interesting.
If you need a large cabin, lots of baggage and long-range capability, there are better answers.
No drama. Just the right aircraft for the right mission.

Looking for a Eclipse 500 for Sale?
Give us the mission first:

• How many passengers?
• Which routes?
• How much range do you need?
• What year or configuration do you prefer?
• What are your requirements for engines, maintenance and avionics?
• Where will the aircraft be registered and operated?

We will search the open market and our off-market network and come back with aircraft that fit the requirement.