At Oshkosh 2018. We stopped by to check out the Stratos Jet. First let me say that this is one gorgeous piece of machine to behold. For those of you who are not already familiar with this aircraft, the Stratos Jet is a very light jet (VLJ) that is powered by a single jet engine. The jet boasts high performance in climb rate and speeds up to and north of 400 miles per hour.
Here is the downer though. Stratos jet has been stuck in certification phase for quite some time now. And for good reasons. Certifying a newly designed aircraft in the United States is no walk in the park. It takes time and a lot of money. So Stratos have been fund raising over the years in hopes to make this beautiful jet a reality.
Now comes the newly designed 716x . Because a certified production model seems like forever away, Stratos is introducing the 716x as a kit build experimental aircraft. Meaning you get to put together the airplane yourself. Going this route will help the company raise the necessary funds needed for certification. Also it will very well be a good proof of concept. We have no idea on the cost of the kit though or what the finished airplane will look like in terms of cost. But something tells me it will be in the ballpark of $3 million.
We are all rooting for Stratos and hope to one day see this flying machine at the hands of customers.
GIPHY App Key not set. Please check settings