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§ Private Profile · Albuquerque, NM, USA
Aircraft manufacturer of the Eclipse 500 very light jet (VLJ), pioneering the VLJ category for accessible air travel.
Based in Albuquerque, New Mexico, Eclipse Aviation Corporation manufactured the Eclipse 500 very light jet to provide efficient, accessible aircraft for personal and on-demand air travel. At its operational peak, the aerospace manufacturer employed approximately 1,000 workers and generated an estimated $186 million in sales during 2004. The enterprise secured significant financial backing from prominent private stakeholders, including Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates, alongside a $15 million investment from the State of New Mexico. The company achieved a major regulatory milestone when the Federal Aviation Administration granted type certification for the Eclipse 500 in 2006, which allowed initial customer deliveries to begin later that year. Following this success, the firm unveiled the Eclipse Concept Jet prototype at an aviation exhibition in 2007. Eclipse Aviation Corporation was founded in 1998 by Vern Raburn, a former Symantec chief executive officer.
Eclipse Aviation Corporation has raised $60.0M across 1 funding round.
Eclipse Aviation Corporation has raised $60.0M in total across 1 funding round.
Eclipse Aviation Corporation has raised $60.0M in total across 1 funding round.
Eclipse Aviation Corporation has raised $60.0M across 1 funding round. Most recently, it raised $60.0M Series A in November 1999.
| Date | Round | Lead Investors | Other Investors | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nov 1, 1999 | $60M Series A | — | — | Announced |
The premise of your query contains an inaccuracy: Eclipse Aviation Corporation is not a technology company—it is an aircraft manufacturer specializing in very light jets (VLJs).
Eclipse Aviation Corporation was an Albuquerque, New Mexico–based manufacturer of the Eclipse 500 very light jet (VLJ)[2]. Founded in 1998 by Vern Raburn, a former Microsoft employee and Symantec CEO, the company aimed to democratize business aviation by producing efficient, cost-effective twin-engine jets[2]. The Eclipse 500, first delivered in late 2006, helped establish an entirely new aircraft category[2]. The company positioned itself to serve small businesses, entrepreneurs, and individuals who needed reliable air travel without the operational costs of larger business jets.
However, Eclipse Aviation faced severe financial challenges. Production halted in October 2008 due to lack of funding, and the company entered bankruptcy proceedings[2]. The original Eclipse Aviation ceased operations, but its assets were acquired by a new entity, Eclipse Aerospace, which emerged as the sole bidder in the Chapter 7 liquidation completed on August 20, 2009[2].
Vern Raburn founded Eclipse Aviation in 1998 in Scottsdale, Arizona[2]. Raburn's background as an early Microsoft employee and former Symantec CEO gave the venture credibility and connections—notably, Bill Gates became a major stakeholder in the Eclipse project due to Raburn's Microsoft relationship[2]. The company relocated to Albuquerque in 2000, attracted by state investment incentives and city concessions[2].
The Eclipse 500 represented a pivotal moment in aviation history. During 2007 alone, Eclipse produced 104 aircraft and claimed a record for building its "first 100 airplanes faster than any GA jet aircraft manufacturer in history"[2]. This early traction demonstrated strong market demand for affordable, efficient twin-engine jets.
Eclipse Aviation emerged during a period of growing demand for very light jets as an alternative to commercial aviation and larger business jets. The company rode a trend toward democratizing business aviation—making jet travel accessible to mid-market companies and entrepreneurs rather than only Fortune 500 corporations. The timing was significant: the mid-2000s represented peak optimism in general aviation before the 2008 financial crisis devastated the sector.
The company's influence extended beyond its own aircraft; it helped establish the VLJ category as a legitimate market segment and proved that efficient, affordable twin-engine jets could be manufactured at scale.
Eclipse Aviation's original trajectory was cut short by the 2008 financial crisis, which eliminated both funding and customer demand simultaneously. However, the company's intellectual property and production capabilities survived through Eclipse Aerospace's acquisition in 2009[2]. Eclipse Aerospace later merged to become One Aviation, which subsequently went bankrupt in 2018[2], suggesting that the challenges facing the very light jet market proved more structural than cyclical.
The broader lesson: even with strong product-market fit, advanced technology, and visionary leadership, aircraft manufacturers face extraordinary capital requirements and are highly vulnerable to macroeconomic shocks. Eclipse Aviation's story illustrates both the promise and peril of building hardware-intensive businesses in aviation.