A group of Eclipse 500 owners and Hawker Beechcraft announced the signing of a letter of intent, April 8, under which the Hawker Beechcraft service network would provide maintenance and upgrades for Eclipse Owners Group members.
The two parties are still negotiating a “definitive binding agreement,” according to an Eclipse Owners Group statement, which said that the group will “negotiate with HBC to provide the needed maintenance and support services to keep Eclipse 500s flying in the event the EOG purchases the assets of Eclipse Aviation.”
EOG may not end up with the Eclipse assets, as it is one of several organizations bidding for Eclipse. For example, Eclipse Jet, founded by Eclipse 500 owner Mike Press and deposit-holder Mason Holland, and including former-Eclipse CEO Roel Pieper, appears to be a serious bidder.
Eclipse Jet also made a service network announcement concerning Eclipse 500s on April 8. Its agreement is with Eclipse Service Network, founded by Ken Ross who also is president of Eclipse 500 operator North American Jet, based in Chicago. The new network’s first “platinum-level” service center is Brigadoon Aircraft Maintenance, part of a new FBO complex planned by Ross at Chicago Executive Airport.
