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DayJet Says FAA Report On Planes Not An Issue

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By TED JACKOVICS

The Tampa Tribune

Published: September 19, 2008

CLEARWATER - DayJet officials say business hasn't been affected by a congressional subcommittee report Wednesday alleging the certification of Eclipse 500 very-light jets was rushed.

"So far, we have not heard from anyone, although it is a natural cycle after news media reports," Vicky Harris, Boca Raton-based DayJet's director of marketing, said Thursday.
DayJet flies three-passenger EA-500s into St. Petersburg-Clearwater International, Sarasota Bradenton International and Lakeland Linder Regional airports for on-demand service to and from destinations throughout the Southeast.
DayJet began operations in October and flies 28 of the EA-500s. The service is popular among business travelers, including those who need to get to airports not served by commercial airlines.

The Federal Aviation Administration on Sept. 12 said an internal review team headed by a former Boeing executive found "the airplane was certificated in accordance with safety regulations," but the FAA could improve processes and communications.

The review cited a lack of communication between the FAA and Albuquerque-based aircraft manufacturer Eclipse Aviation Corp. as a contributing factor to the perception that the aircraft might not have been properly certified.

The company has taken orders for more than 2,500 of the $2.5 million jets.

On Wednesday, the U.S. House Transportation and Infrastructure Subcommittee On Aviation said it found evidence in documentation that the FAA rushed certification of the aircraft.

Another issue raised was whether the aircraft should have been certified to be flown by a single pilot, which is allowed if the autopilot is operative.
DayJet flies with two pilots to ensure safety and reliability, said Don Osmundson, DayJet's vice president of flight operations, and a former pilot and chief of flight operations for Comair and Continental Airlines.

"We emphatically say the aircraft is safe," Osmundson said. "I have looked at all of the testimony and it was truthful. The issue appears to be about FAA processes. The FAA did its job, but there were communications issues."

The FAA review team also focused on cockpit displays, stall speeds, and airplane trim and flaps controls, the FAA's Sept. 12 release said.

"The team noted it is common for technical problems to be encountered during type certification of a new airplane, but that a lack of commonly used internal FAA documentation caused the perception that the aircraft might not have been properly certified," the FAA said.

Eclipse subjected the EA-500 to 5,000 test hours compared with an average of a little more than 1,000 hours by longstanding manufacturers.

"The safety record reflects relatively small incidents and no injuries or fatalities," an Eclipse release stated.

The FAA ordered inspections on 500 EA-500s in June after an emergency landing in Chicago after the plane's jet engines became stuck at full throttle. The two pilots and two passengers were not injured.

Reporter Ted Jackovics can be reached at (813) 259-7817 or tjackovics@tampatrib.com.

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