Yep.
Lord of Procrastination's Dirty Trick #1 ; and it got the White Screen Of Death due to the G-Zero reorg. Ugh.
The major discovery since then, is PAO once to be the new form, then PAO the second time to make it permanent.
And being an Elan, or any other (aberation) -type, just needs the one PAO.
Definitely need the 2 metamorphic transfer Feats to get to the Eyestalks,
but I'm a little shaky on all the details. Have to put out the central eye.
Flight ?
Who needs flight ?!
When you're that good, just roll. { ... insert rotfL smiley face ... }
EDIT: as the above posters noted.
**
How early?
Getting the MT feat requires: Wis 13 easy, ML of 5 not so easy.
Psiotheurgist feat from Dragon #349 can do it in one school/discipline link.
Could get an Assume Supernatural Ability feat from Savage Species.
Elan Cleric 1 / Ardent 1 / Erudite or PsyWar 1
Use 3rd level feat, and PsyWar bonus feat for MTs.
Stuff CL boosters, and ML boosters on the Cleric 1 and Ardent 1 part, and flaws.
Entry into Beholder Mage, take 2 levels.
Then Cerebremancer / Mystic Theurge / Ur-Priest / whatever.
I think it was Think0028 who posted on the old TO-board, the triple 9s build.
Didn't require early entry into Beholder Mage
Details , hmm ...