Posted by Abbi Hiller on Mon, Jul 31, 2006
LEXINGTON Ma, July 31, 2006– Linear Air, a premier jet-taxi operator that is transforming the private air travel industry, is celebrating FAA certification of the Eclipse 500 very light jet (VLJ) aircraft. Announced last Thursday at EAA’s AirVenture in Oshkosh, WI, certification of the very first very light jet signifies the impending arrival of a sea of change in the aviation industry.
Since inception in August of 2004, Linear Air has been preparing for certification of the Eclipse 500 with plans of becoming the first jet-taxi VLJ operator in the Northeast region. “Our goal from the start has been to create a business that would allow us to bridge the gap between current regional business airline travel and private air travel. The Eclipse 500 allows us to do exactly that by offering private jet performance at a price that fits most corporate travel budgets,” claimed William Herp, President and CEO of Linear Air.
The Eclipse 500, manufactured by the Eclipse Aviation Corporation based in Albuquerque, NM, is an efficient aircraft that utilizes the latest engine technology and on-board avionics, while matching or exceeding current small jet aircraft performance. This advance in aircraft technology allows for mass production, which in turn keeps ownership and operating costs down. These reductions in cost to owners and operators such as Linear Air are passed along to the customer, putting private air travel within reach of millions more travelers than today.
Each Eclipse 500 jet costs approximately $1.6 million, which is just one-third the cost of the current smallest jet on the market. Each jet seats 4 passengers and is similar to the experience of a flying limousine. Linear Air will fly the aircraft at speeds averaging 345 miles per hour and to a maximum range of 1,000 miles, with the average trip measuring between 300 and 500 miles.
Linear Air has ordered 30 of the Eclipse 500 jets over the next two years and will begin taking delivery at the close of this year. The jets are the basis for Linear Air’s air-taxi operation, which is already underway with a fleet of Cessna Grand Caravan prop jets. “As a company we have always believed in the importance of creating our customer base before the arrival of the aircraft. It is what sets us apart from our competitors and will allow us to easily transition into the jet-taxi market based on experiences and lessons learned,” said Mr. Herp.
While Linear Air celebrates FAA certification of the Eclipse 500, the company is busily preparing for the revolutionary jet’s arrival. “We are actively raising our third round of capital and continuing to build a base of loyal customers by providing an exceptional service level. We are thrilled about certification of the Eclipse 500 and are aggressively preparing for the addition to our fleet,” said Mr. Herp.
About Linear Air
Linear Air, based in Lexington, Mass., is a premier air-taxi service that is transforming the private air travel industry. Linear Air provides short-hop private air travel to executives and families with personalized customer service, flexibility and convenience at attractive fares.
The company operates the largest fleet of luxury Cessna Grand Caravan prop jets in the U.S., with aircraft based at Hanscom Field outside Boston, Mass. and Westchester County Airport in White Plains, New York outside New York City near Greenwich, Conn. The company provides on-demand charter service to more than 500 cities in the Northeast, Mid-Atlantic, Canada and, seasonally, in the Caribbean. On summer weekends, the company offers per-seat scheduled charter service to Nantucket from Hanscom Field outside Boston, and to Martha’s Vineyard and Nantucket from Teterboro Airport outside New York City. The revolutionary new Eclipse 500 very light jet will allow Linear Air to expand its existing prop jet service to smaller markets within point- to-point 500-mile regional networks around major metropolitan areas.
Linear Air is a privately funded company. For more information about Linear Air or to book a flight, please visit www.linearair.com or call 781-860-9696 or 1-877-2-LINEAR.
See also: Business Wire
