Founded in 1998 by Vern Raburn, Eclipse Aviation Corporation was a manufacturer of the Eclipse 500 very light jet and proposed developing the Eclipse 400 single-engined jet. The company played a significant role in creating a new category of VLJs with the delivery of the Eclipse 500 in late 2006. Eclipse operated service centers at Albuquerque International Sunport, Gainesville Regional Airport in Florida, and Albany International Airport in New York.
However, the production of the Eclipse 500 came to a halt in October 2008 due to lack of funding. The company filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in November 2008, which was eventually converted into a Chapter 7 bankruptcy liquidation procedure in February 2009. In August 2009, Eclipse Aerospace, a new company formed to acquire the assets, emerged as the sole bidder to win the final Chapter 7 procedure.
Eclipse Aviation was headquartered in Albuquerque, New Mexico, United States, and employed around 850 employees as of February 2009. The company was known for its contributions to the aerospace industry and its innovative designs.