Page 11 - Volume 16 Number 12

chock full of anticipation for a new aviation world order. I think that the “we must be different” mindset espoused by Eclipse in every nook of the aircraft would ultimately cause its undoing. New and unproven engines, avionics, assembly techniques, training techniques, even circuit breakers, all provided an opportunity to stumble. And stumble is what Eclipse did. A great concept, doomed to fail from excess bravado.I don’t vilify Vern Raburn. He, perhaps single-handedly, persuaded a large cross section of propeller heads that they could fly a jet. Because I believed him, I today fly a jet aircraft for work and pleasure. Vern, for me and the many that I know who are flying jets today because of your vision, we thank you. I would certainly describe my feelings about the great sum of money I lost on Eclipse with less gratitude, but let’s leave that for a future talk.My Eclipse aircraft was #272, and you could see me standing next to the aircraft in various stages of completion. I went through the Eclipse training program. I was trained in upset recovery, what to do in trim runaway, how to right the aircraft gently, how to fly the initially-rudimentary Eclipse avionics to air transport standard perfection. It was a thrill to make the cut into the training program, load up the L-39 until my vision scrolled to black, fly the two-hour type rating profile in the simulator under the critical eye of the examiner,and ultimately feel elation at the examiner’s nodding acceptance. I sent my wife a short text message, “Ruly.... Jet Pilot.” I can’t recall a more fulfilling moment of triumph in my life.So Near, And Yet So FarMy excitement for the upcoming Eclipse would soon cool. Number 272 never came closer than 12th away from delivery. Close to the gleaming delivery room, but not quite there. Eclipse had spent my 60-percent deposit building someone else’s aircraft. That money was gone. My dream of flying my Eclipse had met an untimely death. I was in mourning. First, I was in denial. Eclipse had been in crisis before. For goodness sake, if they could overcome replacing the original Williams engine they can overcome this. The second step of mourning is bargaining. I thought, someone would buy the factory, honor my deposit, and deliver my aircraft. My lawyers told me not to hold my breath. Next to the mourning step is emotion. I chose anger. I was stinking mad that my money was gone, but I was even more upset that my jet dream appeared lost forever.I organized the 26 folks with partially built aircraft and took up legal arms to fight. We called ourselves the Production Line Group, or PLG, and wreaked havoc on the tidy plan Roel Pieper had for stealing our aircraft.DECEMBER 2012TWIN & TURBINE • 9