Someone at Eclipse Aviation must have gone "oh, oh" a few weeks back when Cirrus Design unveiled its new single-engine jet. Because the Eclipse Concept Jet, built and flown in secret and revealed at this week's Oshkosh show, looks similar the Cirrus's "the-jet", which so far exists only in mockup form.
Both have their single turbofan engine mounted above the fuselage, exhausting between a V tail. Great minds think alike? Or are there just a lot of Global Hawk groupies out there?
Eclipse flies, Cirrus poses
Comments (4)
I wonder how much these guys owe to the WWII era Volksjager:
http://www.aero-web.org/museums/ca/tampf/120077.htm
Posted by jake | July 24, 2007 5:54 PM
Posted on July 24, 2007 17:54
My thoughts exactly, as you will see if you read my blog on the Cirrus and the Salamander.
http://www.flightglobal.com/blogs/graham-warwick/2007/06/cirrus-or-salamander---the-peoples-jet.html"
Posted by The Woracle | July 25, 2007 2:18 PM
Posted on July 25, 2007 14:18
I'm thinking it's probably got more heritage with the V-Jet II, designed by Williams, built by Scaled, bought by Eclipse and donated to EAA.
From http://www.airventuremuseum.org/collection/aircraft/Williams%20V-Jet.asp
"The V-Jet II was acquired by Eclipse Aviation and donated to the EAA Museum in 2001. The Eclipse 500 jet was the first aircraft to use Williams' EJ22 engine, the production version of the FJX-2."
Posted by sean | July 25, 2007 4:07 PM
Posted on July 25, 2007 16:07
You could be right. Dr Sam Williams asked Burt Rutan to build the V-Jet II as a showcase for his FJX-2 small turbofan. The FJX-2 became the EJ22 powering the Eclipse, and Williams was initially contracted to design the Eclipse. The two companies parted company, but I think they shared a vision for very light jets.
Posted by The Woracle | July 29, 2007 9:25 PM
Posted on July 29, 2007 21:25