One of the most fascinating stories in all of aviation is that of the Eclipse 500 jet, which was the ultimate private pilot’s dream. With six seats, weighing just 6,000 pounds but capable of 41,000 feet and 370 knots, it seemed too good to be true. Its development and promotion, headed by Vern Raburn, took many years, cost a billion dollars and left hundreds of would-be owners out hundreds of thousands of dollars apiece. After all was said and done, Eclipse went bankrupt, but the airplane survived. The new company has earned a production certificate for the Eclipse jet. It now does everything Raburn always said it would.