Infrastructure and finance for development is fast being put in place as VLJ fleets become a reality. Embraer and CAE have formalised and signed a joint venture agreement to provide pilot and ground crew training to owners of the Phenom 100 and Phenom 300. The new company has been named Embraer CAE Training Services, LLC.

It will provide initial and recurrent training for pilots and maintenance technicians. Embraer says: "The initial training program is on schedule to begin at CAE SimuFlite in Dallas, Texas, in the third quarter of 2008, and at CAE's Burgess Hill training centre in the U.K. in the first quarter of 2009."

Meanwhile, Eclipse Aviation is expanding its partnership with the European Technology and Investment Research Center (ETIRC) Aviation. The agreement between the two companies includes an equity investment by ETIRC in Eclipse that is "substantially in excess of $100 million."

Upon completion of the equity investment, ETIRC will be the single largest shareholder of Eclipse Aviation. ETIRC ceo Roel Pieper has been elected non-executive chairman of Eclipse Aviation.