Sonex Aircraft Is Developing the World's Most Afforadable Jet Trainer

July 11, 2019

William Kucinski

While small electric aircraft like Bye Aerospace eFlyer aircraft may guarantee operating costs under $50 per hour, Sonex Aircraft, LLC is carving out a niche in affordable jet aircraft training. The Oshkosh, Wisconsin-based kit aircraft manufacturer is developing a two-seat variant of its SubSonex JSX-2 personal jet. The SubSonex JSX-2T is designed to be the lowest cost jet trainer ever built and the company hopes that it will lead to further interest in its single-seat JSX-2.

Sonex flight team over EAA AirVenture Oshkosh in 2018 (Image courtesy: Sonex Aircraft, LLC)

The JSX-2T uses a side-by-side seating configuration for optimum flexibility and an ideal training environment for its crew. With a wingspan of 21.8 feet, the aircraft will have similar wing loading and handling to the single-seat JSX-2 and will utilize the same proven TJ-100 turbojet engine system produced by PBS Aerospace or an optional, more powerful PBS TJ-150.

Sonex Aircraft’s target for the SubSonex JSX-2T is a jet that can be built and flown for under $140,000.

Sonex is hosting an event ahead of EAA AirVenture Oshkosh 2019 on July 21 at its factory headquarters at Wittman Regional Airport

The SubSonex Personal Jet aircraft first began development in 2009 and is currently the worlds most popular affordable kit jet aircraft. The aircraft is a common sight at aerobatic airshows, delivering high top speeds – up to 232 miles per hour – while maintaining easy, low speed handling characteristics, with a stall speed of under 65 miles per hour.

William Kucinski is content editor at SAE International, Aerospace Products Group in Warrendale, Pa. Previously, he worked as a writer at the NASA Safety Center in Cleveland, Ohio and was responsible for writing the agency’s System Failure Case Studies. His interests include literally anything that has to do with space, past and present military aircraft, and propulsion technology.