The Eclipse 500 operating cost can be one of the lowest in the very light jet category and the operating cost can also be the lowest out of any available jet on the market. The main operating costs that can cause the overall cost to vary is the possibility of having to install upgrades for the jet and insurance costs. Some of the original eclipse 500 jets were not built to the original intended specifications. In order to get all the features of the Eclipse 500 jet you many need to spend money on upgrading the jet to "Total Eclipse status". This can cost several hundred thousand dollars to do, especially if you want to upgrade to the AVIO IFMS avionics and have an early version AVIO or Avidyne avionics installed on the jet. These costs can be capitalized into the purchase of the jet if your are buying a used Eclipse 500 or the Total Eclipse, which has all the upgrades already.

Also in August 2013 Eclipse Aerospace came out with the new Safety Enhancement Package (SEP). This package includes new features that the new Eclipse 550 has. These features include Auto Throttles, anti-skid brakes, an independent standby display, and improved EFIS (avionics) software that allows you to view a full size chart on the multifunction displays. This will add to operating expenses for the Eclipse 500 if you chose to upgrade to this.

Operating Cost - Fuel
One of the main cost areas to look at is the fuel cost / fuel burn of the airplane. The Eclipse 500 does very well in this area as it has the lowest fuel burn in its class ("Total Eclipse" jet / properly upgraded). The operating fuel burn for the Eclipse 500 is 48-59 gallons per hour, according to marketing information published by Eclipse Aerospace. Some Eclipse 500s can burn around 60-65 gallons per hour (GPH) on the high end depending on the upgrade condition and flying conditions. This still makes the Eclipse 500 the most fuel efficient in the very light jet class (not based on a payload to fuel burn ratio). Based on Jet A fuel costing $4.96 USD a gallon, the Eclipse 500 fuel operating cost is around $310 an hour (62.4 Gallons Per Hour). If you take Eclipse's fuel burn number on the high end (59 gallons per hour) it is $292.64 USD and on the low end (48 gallons per hour) it is $238.08 USD. The fuel cost is one of the largest expenses for the Eclipse 500's operating cost, if you fly frequently. Insurance rates for the aircraft are also likely to be lower as the aircraft now has a new Eclipse training program, the Eclipse 500 problems have mostly been fixed and the jet is supported by Eclipse Aerospace. Also maintenance costs will be predictable because Eclipse Aerospace is now providing full support and parts for the aircraft.

Other Costs:
Hanger / parking fees will also add directly to the Eclipse 500s total operating cost. Hanger fees can vary widely, depending on where you are going to park the jet.

Operating Cost – Eclipse 550
Eclipse Aerospace announced that they would restart production of the Eclipse 500 under a new aircraft name: The Eclipse 550. The Eclipse 550 operating costs will be similar or lower then the Eclipse 500 because they are essentially the same aircraft (built under the same EA500 type certificate).

Overall the Eclipse 500 jet continues to be one of the most affordable jets to own and operate because of it's low operating costs.

Also note that this operating cost topic may also be called the Eclipse EA500 operating cost or the Eclipse EA50 operating cost due to the other names for the very light jet.
As with all aircraft on the site, verify all operating information from the approved aircraft manuals or directly with the manufacturer.

Eclipse 500 Operating Costs Page Photo

Above image by Josh Beasley on Flickr. Photo (only) Released under a Creative Commons License.

Eclipse 500 Operating Cost page updated on 11/4/2013.

To find out more about the Eclipse 500 jet/Eclipse Jet visit the following page to find detailed information: