Written on September 8, 2008 – 9:42 am | by Bogdan Alex |
Speaking of hybrid vehicles that can be transformed into planes, here’s how I’d like the plane part to look like. A compact private jet, not a Hercules, of course. It’s known as the Eclipse 400 and was designed by Eclipse Aviation as a business/sport plane.

Red Ferret informs that the Eclipse 400 only integrates a single engine which sits on its back, right in front of the tail. That is why the plane has a V-tail instead of a normal one. The private jet is designed to carry no more than 3 people plus the driver or around a combined payload of 840kg consisting of people and fuel.

Since it’s so compact, the jet plane is said to be the most economical aircraft in the world when it comes to burning fuel. The jet tops at 580km/h and at this speed it consumes less than 1 pound of fuel for every 1.7 km flown. If you plan to fly all by yourself, filling the entire tank of the plane will allow you travel about 2100km.

The interior of the aircraft is similar to that of a sports car. The dashboard is full of spiffy lights, screens and controls and the seats look like they’ve taken from a Bugatti Veyron. It might seem a bit tight for four persons, though.

I knew you’d ask about the price tag. If you really want to know, an Eclipse 400 is going to sell for $1.35 million but you won’t be getting one until 2011, so there’s enough time to heap up some savings. Before buying this thing, you might want see it in action. Here’s a demo clip with the Eclipse 400 soaring over the Californian landscape: