Eclipse works to bring skies to all

Vern Raburn's goals are as lofty as the skies in which his product flies.

Raburn's company, Albuquerque-based Eclipse Aviation, is taking on the aircraft industry to produce jets that are more affordable to more people — and safer and more fuel-efficient, to boot.

Raburn, a computer-industry pioneer who has worked for Microsoft and the Paul Allen Group, knows the odds: of 400 aircraft makers founded since World War II, four are still in business.

But Raburn rejects the notion, which he has termed "WCSYC," or "We couldn't, so you can't," that he will fail simply because others have before him.

At Eclipse, Raburn wants to stamp out "WCSYC thinking" among Eclipse's more than 1,100 employees. The company is doing that with ground-breaking innovations like friction stir welding, which replaces traditional riveting and bonding with a process that is stronger, lighter and takes fewer hours to do.

The company also has developed the first new engine-fire suppression systems in 50 years, including an environmentally safe substitute for Halon, a common fire-extinguisher ingredient that is thought to contain ozone-depleting agents. Eclipse extensively uses long-life parts, including brushless motors, electronic circuit breakers and LED lighting.

Eclipse's efforts has inspired new options in air travel to the flying public.