first flight of the Subsonex

[Mike53]

http://www.sonexaircraft.com/press/rele ... dium=email
For those that aren't on the Sonex mailing list you can watch the video here of the first flight of the Subsonex.
Awesome sounding little jet.I would love to be the first one on my block to own one of these :mrgreen:

[BillO]

Good to see the first flight of the Subsonex now that Sonex has put the third wheel in the right place.

Messerschmitt had the same problem with the Me 262 during WWII. The first four Me 262s were conventional (tail dragger) aircraft and were nearly uncontrollable on takeoff (the pilot had to judiciously tap on the brakes during takeoff to make a successful takeoff). From the fifth Me 262 on, they were all nose-wheel aircraft and became one of the best aircraft of WWII (but too few, too late, fortunately).

Bill

[Andy Walker]

I'm glad they got it in the air, but I think it's really just a toy for John Monnett, who's always wanted to build a jet. Even if it goes into production, I bet they don't sell more than one or two kits a year. The engine costs $45K and the overall cost is over $60K, and that price point is way out of the typical Sonex "sport flying for the masses" wheelhouse. The airplane only flies a half hour (with VFR reserves), so it becomes a zoom off the runway, scream like a bat out of hell for a few minutes then land kind of airplane. And in that half hour you burn as much fuel as a Sonex/Waiex uses in 2.5 hours... It will appeal to some, but not many IMO.

[MichaelFarley56]

If anyone is interested, you can find a video on www.eaavideo.org that shows the second flight of the Subsonex. It sure looks like a fun toy!

[Sonex1517]

Well, it sure got great press - Wired did a good article on it.

[MichaelFarley56]

Wow...pretty neat! According to the article they're flying it a bunch!

Here's a link to the article:

http://www.wired.com/autopia/2011/08/di ... st-flight/

I still want one! :mrgreen: