The Eclipse 550 pops up in Harrods
There are already strong links between Harrods and private aviation, with Harrods Aviation running FBOs at both London Luton and London Stansted airports. Plus the Air Harrods fleet of helicopters, available for private charter.
Now the famous department store itself, in London’s Knightsbridge, has opened a pop-up shop selling private jets instore – specifically the new small jet, the Eclipse 550 – in partnership with Bruce Dickinson.
The Iron Maiden frontman is, of course, a well-known pilot and aviation entrepreneur, and in addition to flying the Eclipse 550, he is non-executive chairman of Aeris Aviation, the European distributor for the aircraft.
The Eclipse 550 is a new entrant to the VLJ (Very Light Jet) category, boasting excellent fuel-efficiency. And at a purchase price of £2.2 million, it is the lowest-priced private jet on the market. See more: Ask the pilots: Comparing the VLJs.
Like Bruce Dickinson, PrivateFly’s Arthur Montibert is also an Eclipse pilot. He says “As a pilot the Eclipse is great to handle. It’s the perfect jet for two passengers and has been designed specifically for this purpose. For me, this is the VLJ of the future, and I’m looking forward to this being available for charter in Europe very soon.”
The pop-up shop in Harrods, open during August, will offer clients unique Harrods branding on the aircraft, plus a $50,000 Harrods store card.
Regardless of actual sales, it’s great to see such innovation in marketing this new aircraft. The small jet market will be seeing a real shake-up in the next few years, with the Eclipse 550 and the HondaJet both coming into the charter market. They will be looking to gain share from the existing lead contenders, primarily the Citation Mustang and the Embraer Phenom 100.
For advice on which small jet is best for your flight, contact our 24-hour Flight Team on +44 1747 642 777.