Eclipse jets on the mend in Albuquerque

ALBUQUERQUE (KRQE) - Six months ago the bankrupted and shuttered Eclipse Aviation factory was reopened by new owners, and while managers said the recovery will take years, they're optimistic.

At present date the new company, Eclipse Aerospace, has almost 100 employees.

The parking lot is nowhere near as full as it was when the old Eclipse had 2,000 employees, but out back lots of Eclipse jets are coming and going again.

The 65 Albuquerque and 35 Chicago workers aren't building new jets. Instead they're servicing and refurbishing many of the 260 jets produced by the original factory.

"Our upgrades consist of allowing the planes to fly into known ice and other types of performance type things that will make the plane fly better, faster, more reliable and efficient," Eclipse Aerospace CEO Mason Holland said.

Once billed as a dream aircraft that would sell for less than $1 million, the jet cost investors more than $1 billion before it all ended in bankruptcy.

When the new owners bought the leftovers and opened the doors again, they figured to start off slow with service work, resuming production down the line.

Holland said he's right on plan.

"There's not many planes being sold out in the marketplace today. There's no question we want to make more Eclipses. It's a fantastic airplane. It's the most efficient jet in the world today. We don't have a date yet, and we don't have a volume number yet," he said.

Other manufacturers have laid off thousands and some are delaying new aircraft until 2013 or later.

Holland said he expects to beat that and be producing new jets in 2013.

While that would mean more jobs, he cautions it won't be like the old days.

"It's great to be here. It's a great atmosphere, the new ownership is friendly and easy to get along with...and its not that there's not pressure today, but it's just approached differently," Holland said.
After upgrades, Eclipse Aerospace provides pilot training.

"The customers have been ecstatic over the modified aircraft. They love them. They perform like they should have in the first place," Holland said.