From Flight International…
Having courted success in various transport-based ventures including airlines, space tourism and balloon travel, Virgin Group chairman and entrepreneur Sir Richard Branson is turning his attention to business jets. Branson is mulling a Virgin-branded air-taxi service, and is eyeing the Eclipse 500 very-light jet. “The Eclipse 500 will transform air travel,” he says, adding: “An air-taxi service concept has been pitched to us and our team are looking at it.” Eclipse says Branson expressed “an interest” in the aircraft during a visit to the AirVenture show in Oshkosh last July. “Branson sat in the aircraft and later had dinner with [Eclipse president and chief executive] Vern Raburn.” Eclipse has around 2,200 orders for the $1.3 million Eclipse 500.
I think this could be interesting…what do you think?
By: Mark L - 15th February 2006 at 21:48
Hmm interesting, a lot of those orders are from large fleets of new start Fractionals, all of whom cant survive on their own let alone amongst competition within the very large fleets currently floating around with CitationJets and Beechjets forming a significant proportion. The firm orderbook is more like 1700, with “non refundable deposits” paid on these. I wonder how large that deposit actualy is.
Nevertheless $1.5m is incredibly cheap for a jet which certainly explains the figures we’re looking at. Whether the new start up company has the ability and the infrastructure to deliver remains to be seen, but as I see Bill Gates is a major investor that shouldnt be a problem!
By: jethro15 - 15th February 2006 at 21:43
Eclipse 500
Anyone remember the 320 Hansa Jet? (Visual similarities?)
By: hopefully1 - 15th February 2006 at 21:25
I went down this route before under the thread title of “air taxi is it feasable?” It started from the jet pod idea but I proposed autogyros but it eventually ended up as a no go.It will be intresting to see how Richard gets on with it.
By: aero51 - 15th February 2006 at 21:14
Eclipse 500 Order Book Tops 2,350 Jets
http://www.eclipseaviation.com/index.php?option=com_newsroom&task=viewpr&id=924&Itemid=348
By: mmemovements - 15th February 2006 at 20:43
Try 220 surely ?
Scott
By: Mark L - 15th February 2006 at 20:38
2200 orders? I’m slightly scepticle about that figure. There are only about 900 Citationjets currently in existance, and 500 Beechjets. I’m not sure about future orders, but 2200 sounds like rather a lot to me
By: Newforest - 15th February 2006 at 20:26
Eclipse has around 2,200 orders for the $1.3 million Eclipse 500.
If Richard is at the rear of the queue for this plane which is not yet in service, there is not going to be much happening in the near future. There are plenty of options in the VLJ market including the Jetpod (still on the drawing board I know).
By: MANAIRPORTMAD - 15th February 2006 at 17:43
I think Branson could do well out of this. Virgin is such a well known company, they seem to be a success on everything they do, and always seem to create publicity.
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February 15, 2006 at 5:15 pm