Raburn Steps Down as Eclipse CEO

[KennyFlys]

I predicted it would happen. There was no way the company could keep going status quo, begging for more and more money from contracted buyers and after a long list of changes and setbacks during design.

He had to give up control. This was inevitable.

Raburn Steps Down as Eclipse CEO

The enigmatic founder and long-time CEO of Eclipse Aviation, Vern Raburn, has stepped down and will be replaced Roel Pieper, the chairman of the board of directors and president of ETIRC, a European company that poured more than $100 million into struggling Eclipse earlier this year.

 

[Ghery]

I wonder how long it will be before Eclipse is sold. Roel Pieper has a history of being brought on board companies for that purpose. He took over Tandem Computers shortly before I left the company in 1995 to join Intel and the word was that he was hired for that purpose. Indeed, a little while later the company was sold to Compaq.

 

[Pjsmith]

I think you're right on Ghery....though it begs the question who would be looking at buying Eclipse. Cessna?

 

[Ghery]

I think you're right on Ghery....though it begs the question who would be looking at buying Eclipse. Cessna?

That remains to be seen. If I could predict the future, I wouldn't have to work for a living.

 

[Everskyward]

Cessna?

I'm guessing it won't be Cessna since they have their own (seemingly better) version of a VLJ.

 

[gprellwitz]

I'm guessing it won't be Cessna since they have their own (seemingly better) version of a VLJ.

And Piper has both theirs and the Honda Jet that they're marketing. Is Raytheon Hawker Beechcraft's Premier considered a VLJ or just an LJ? I don't see Mooney having the financial wherewithal to be a player there.

Of course, how about Ron Popeil, which is what I though Ghery said when I first read his post!

 

[Ken Ibold]

I was lucky enough to sit down with Vern for a half hour right after the announcement. Never saw the man like that in the 12 years he's been on the scene. He gave me some very interesting insight into the dynamics of the company.

Eclipse will soon be a Russian company, I believe. Though I have no inside information in that regard.

 

[KennyFlys]

I was lucky enough to sit down with Vern for a half hour right after the announcement. Never saw the man like that in the 12 years he's been on the scene. He gave me some very interesting insight into the dynamics of the company.

Eclipse will soon be a Russian company, I believe. Though I have no inside information in that regard.

I imagine he's a bit more than depressed having to get his company bailed out; by foreign money, no less. A big part of his dream was developing something he's not able to finish on his own. I'm sure that's pretty saddening.