"Darkwing" theducksmail"AT"yahoo.com wrote in message
...
http://www.aopa.org/aircraft/article....mc_sect=tt s

Eclipse Aviation failed to meet its payroll during the last two weeks, and
some angry employees have emptied their desks and left the very light jet
pioneer, a local TV station reported Nov. 13. Eclipse spokeswoman Alana
McCarraher didn't immediately return inquiries.

Eclipse has publicly stated that it needs up to $300 million in new
capital to continue production, and company officials said they hoped to
have the cash infusion before the end of the year. Other widely published
forecasts predicted Eclipse would be forced to seek bankruptcy court
protection in next year's first quarter.

Albuquerque TV station KOB is reporting that Eclipse employees were called
to a meeting today in which managers told them they would not be paid for
the last two weeks, and workers "expressed anger, frustration and
uncertainty before speeding out of the facility's parking lot."

Eclipse has produced more than 200 twin-engine Eclipse 500 jets and had
announced plans to certify and deliver V-tailed, single-engine Eclipse
400s. But the company's original business plan depended on being able to
produce large numbers of aircraft at drastically lower unit costs. Eclipse
never came close to meeting its ambitious production goals, however, and
the air taxi firms that were expected to become Eclipse's main customers
never fully materialized.

Eclipse ousted founder and CEO Vern Raburn in August.

The whole thing is kinda sad for GA. Just when the US was about on the
verge of reviving some of the things from the golden age of aviation like
air taxi, the economy tanks and kills it. I guess the bright side is that
Eclipse has their certification, so when the economy recovers I'm sure
someone will pick up the ball and run with it.