Aircraft

Eclipse Aviation has admitted its Eclipse 500 very light jet will be further delayed by supplier problems, with certification now slated for the second quarter of next year.

The Albuquerque, New Mexico-based company had expected the Eclipse 500 to receive its US Federal Aviation Administration approval in late-March, after suffering earlier slips. Some previous delays had been attributed to the supply chain and the company says this latest slip can be blamed on one major supplier.

“We have always been honest and forthcoming about our challenges, and today we are sharing an issue that will affect the timing of the Eclipse 500 certification programme,” says Vern Raburn, Eclipse president and chief executive.  “An in-depth assessment of the new schedules has made it clear that [supplier] slips will force a delay in our overall certification effort,” he adds.