The Eclipse 550 type rating has the same type rating as the Eclipse 500. Why is the Eclipse 550 type rating exactly the same as the Eclipse 500 type rating? The reason for this is that the Eclipse 550 is actually just an improved version of the Eclipse 500 jet. The Eclipse 550 jet is built under the original Eclipse 500 type certificate and has many of the same components / features of the original jet. The Eclipse 550 has a few additional features that some older Eclipse 500s do not have, however almost all of the features available for the Eclipse 550 are available as an upgrade for older Eclipse 500s. You can read more about this here. You can also read about the Eclipse 500's type rating here. You will find that almost all of the information contained on that page is very similar the info located here.
The Eclipse 550 has two different type ratings designated by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) as the EA-500 or EA-500S type ratings. EA-500 is the "official" model name for the Eclipse 550. The two ratings designate whether you can fly the very light jet as the only pilot on-board. The EA-500S type rating allows you to fly the jet as the only pilot, with no copilot (a single pilot). In order to earn the Eclipse EA-500S rating for the Eclipse 550, you must complete the practical test / check-ride as the only pilot with no copilot. Once you earn the EA-500S type rating you can now fly the jet as the only pilot, however certain equipment must be operational for you to fly the jet. Flying the Eclipse 550 with a single pilot requires the headset microphone, autopilot and transponder ident button located on the left sidestick to be operational. Also the quick reference handbook (QRH) must be in the flight deck and ready to view when needed.
The EA-500 type rating is the opposite of the EA-500S rating. This rating allows you to fly the Eclipse 550 jet with a second in command (copilot). The EA-500 rating is earned when you complete the checkride / practical test with a second in command. The limitation "Second in Command Required" will be displayed on the airman's certificate when earning this rating. After obtaining this type rating certificate you must fly the Eclipse 550 with a copilot that has an EA-500 or EA-500S rating.
Get the Eclipse 550 Type Rating and become Airline Transport Pilot (ATP) Eligible
By earning a type rating you are usually eligible for the Airline Transport Pilot (ATP) rating. This is due to the fact that the type rating course is required to follow ATP standards. In the FAA's flight standardization boards report on the Eclipse 550 type rating it states this "8.1.1 All EA-500 type rating certifications will be administered in accordance with the Airline Transport Pilot/Type Rating PTS current revision." So by earning the Eclipse 550 type rating you can also earn an Airline Transport Pilot rating at the same time.
When training for the Eclipse 550 type rating you should expect to cover all aspects of the aircraft, emergency procedures and more. You can view some what the FAA is looking for during training on the Eclipse 500 type rating page.
Providers of Eclipse 550 Type Ratings
The main and official provider of type rating training for the very light jet is SIMCOM, which has been selected by Eclipse Aerospace to provide the type rating for the aircraft. The training takes place at SIMCOM's Orlando, Florida facility. SIMCOM is also, currently, the only provider that has a full motion level D flight simulator. The simulator could lower your costs for the rating and allow you to practice certain situations more easily.
There are also other providers of the type rating for the jet. Some of these companies include Norton Aviation, Jet Aeronautical, Professional Flight Training, Inc and others. They all list that they provide type ratings for the Eclipse 500, however they do not talk about the Eclipse 550. The type ratings for the aircraft are the same as described earlier.
If you are a provider of Eclipse 550 type ratings you can get listed here with additional information on your company's offerings at no cost by contacting our aviation resources team.
Above Eclipse 550 type rating page photo of an cockpit of the jet (actually a Total Eclipse 500 with AVIO IFMS) modified by FlyRadius, originally by Jetrequest.com on Wikimedia Commons /Jetrequest.com. Photo (only) released under a Creative Commons License.
