The Eclipse 500 sits at the entry point of the Los Angeles jet market, a twinjet built around low operating cost rather than cabin space. For two or three passengers on a short Southern California leg it is the most economical jet we can arrange with a Part 135 operator.
Eclipse Aviation designed the 500 as a very light twin with two Pratt and Whitney PW610F engines. It seats four or five, cruises at 369 knots and carries 1,125 nautical miles of range, the shortest legs in this category. The cabin is genuinely small and the baggage allowance goes with it. Every Eclipse 500 we arrange flies with an operator certificated under FAR Part 135, the FAA rules for on-demand, for-hire charter.
Performance and Cabin
- Category: Entry-Level Jet
- Manufacturer: Eclipse Aviation / Eclipse Aerospace
- Year introduced: 2006-2008
- Seating: 4 to 5
- Crew: 1 to 2
- Range: 1,125 nautical miles
- Cruise speed: 369 knots
- Service ceiling: 41,000 feet
- Length: 33.1 feet
- Wingspan: 37.9 feet
- Height: 11 feet
- Baggage volume: 16 cubic feet
Why the Eclipse 500 Fits Los Angeles
Charter availability is the honest constraint here rather than the aircraft. The Part 135 fleet of Eclipse 500s is thin compared with the Citation and Phenom lines, so on a Los Angeles departure at short notice we will often come back with a Mustang or a Phenom 100 at a similar number simply because one is on the ramp and the other is not.
Where it does work is the regional pattern: Van Nuys or Burbank out to Las Vegas, NV, Palm Springs, Santa Barbara or Napa, CA. At 1,125 nautical miles the Eclipse has the least margin in this group, so a headwind day on a longer western leg can turn into a fuel stop.
Hollywood Burbank Airport, legally Bob Hope Airport, is the alternative to Van Nuys for clients on the studio side of the hill. Its voluntary night curfew between 10pm and 7am does not bind charter, but the neighbors are real and operators plan around it.
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Vetting Behind Every Trip
Every operator, aircraft, and crew goes through our internal due diligence before we present any options. Our internal standards meet or exceed what the FAA requires:
- FAR Part 135 charter operators for traditional private aircraft, or FAR Part 121 for airliner-size and group trips (or the foreign equivalent on international legs)
- Operator subscription to Wyvern and ARGUS reviewed where the operator participates; reports may be provided on request.
- Pilot experience and operator incident history reviewed before we recommend an aircraft.
- Fewer than 60 brokers worldwide hold Premium Wyvern Broker Member status, and Air Charter Advisors is one of them.
Charter Pricing Reference
Industry hourly rates for the Eclipse 500 run $2,500 to $3,500 per hour as of 7/2026. Actual quotes vary by operator, routing, positioning, and date.
The Eclipse 500 usually quotes below every other jet on this site, and on a two-passenger Los Angeles to Palm Springs run it is worth pricing against a turboprop before assuming the jet is the better buy.
Other Entry-Level Jets Available
- Cessna Citation CJ1
- Cessna Citation M2
- Cessna Citation Mustang CE-510
- Cirrus Vision Jet SF50
- Embraer Phenom 100
- Honda HA-420 HondaJet
The full entry-level jets category page lists every entry-level jet we arrange for Los Angeles departures.
Contact
For a quote on a Eclipse 500 charter in or out of Los Angeles, call +1 (888) 987-5387 or head to our contact page. For the vetting work behind every trip, see our safety page. To browse cross-category options for the same trip, visit the aircraft directory.
The hourly rates provided are estimates based on 2026 market data and are for informational purposes only. These figures are subject to change and do not constitute a final offer. Final pricing is dynamic and depends on real-time factors including, but not limited to, specific itinerary requirements, aircraft positioning (“ferry” fees), fuel price volatility, and current market availability. These estimates exclude all applicable taxes, de-icing, landing and handling fees, special event fees, international surcharges, overnight crew expenses, and premium catering. Please contact Air Charter Advisors directly for a firm, all-inclusive quote tailored to your specific travel needs.