Engineering:Sonex Aircraft SubSonex

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Short description: American jet-powered homebuilt airplane

SubSonex
SubSonex JSX-1
General information
TypeHomebuilt aircraft
National originUnited States
ManufacturerSonex Aircraft
Designer
John Monnett
Number built17 (January 2022)
History
ManufacturedFall 2014-present
Introduction date2015
First flight10 August 2011

The SubSonex is an experimental, single-seat, amateur-built jet aircraft from Sonex Aircraft's "Hornet's Nest" development division.

Design and development

SubSonex JSX-1 demonstration flight
JSX-1 prototype

The JSX-1 is a single place, single engine jet aircraft similar in design to an Onex, with a Waiex style Y tail, fixed main landing gear and a retractable nosewheel. Introduced at AirVenture 2009, it is powered by a Czech-built PBS TJ100 turbojet engine mounted above the aft fuselage, with the exhaust exiting between the Y-tail. It achieved first engine test runs in December 2009. The engine produces 1100 N (240 lb) of thrust. Originally developed with only a central mono pod wheel, tail wheel and small wing tip outriggers, the prototype exhibited directional controllability problems during taxi tests. It was flight tested by jet-sailplane performer Bob Carlton in August 2011.[1][2]

The production model of the SubSonex is the JSX-2. The landing gear was changed to a fully retractable, pneumatically-operated tricycle configuration.[3][4][5][6]

At AirVenture 2013 the company began taking US$10,000 deposits on production kits. The kit's projected price was US$125,000 in 2013 and US$135,000 in 2014.[2][7]

The first JSX-2 kit was shipped to a customer in February 2015,[8][9] and completed and flown in October 2015.[10]

Operational history

By January 2022, 17 examples had been registered in the United States with the Federal Aviation Administration.[11][12]

In August 2024, two JSX-2s were used by the Michigan Air National Guard as "cruise missile threat replication aircraft" and drones during Exercise Northern Strike. The JSX-2s are supplied by KestrelX.[13][14][15][16][17]

Variants

JSX-1
Prototype version.
SubSonex JSX-2
SubSonex JSX-2
JSX-2
Second version with a BRS parachute, wider fuselage, more streamlined nose, and fully retractable undercarriage.[18] Bob Carlton performed the first test flight with the prototype JSX-2 on 10 July 2014 from Wittman Field.[19] Entered production as an amateur-built kit in the fall of 2014.[20][21]
JSX-2T
Two-seats in side-by-side configuration version announced in July 2019. It will use the same PBS TJ-100 turbojet engine with the PBS TJ-150 as an option. The design is projected to offer a cruise speed of over 174 kn (322 km/h) and an estimated useful load of 970 lb (440 kg).[22] The aircraft was expected to be first publicly displayed at EAA AirVenture Oshkosh in July 2020, but the event was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[23][24]
NASC Tracer
Twin-jet unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) model for military and civil applications, designed by Sonex and the Navmar Applied Sciences Corporation (NASC)[25]
NASC Tracer

Specifications (JSX-2)

Data from Sonex Aircraft[26] and AINonline[21]

General characteristics

  • Crew: 1
  • Length: 16 ft 6 in (5.03 m)
  • Wingspan: 18 ft (5.5 m)
  • Wing area: 60 sq ft (5.6 m2)
  • Airfoil: 64-415
  • Empty weight: 500 lb (227 kg) average
  • Gross weight: 1,000 lb (454 kg) utility configuration
  • Fuel capacity: 40 U.S. gallons (150 L; 33 imp gal)
  • Powerplant: 1 × PBS TJ100 turbojet, 290 lbf (1.3 kN) thrust

Performance

  • Cruise speed: 210 kn (240 mph, 390 km/h) TAS
  • Stall speed: 50 kn (58 mph, 93 km/h) landing configuration
  • Never exceed speed: 249 kn (287 mph, 462 km/h)
  • Range: 420 nmi (480 mi, 770 km) with 30 minute reserve
  • g limits: +4.4/-2.2 in utility configuration, +6/-3 in aerobatic configuration
  • Rate of climb: 1,600 ft/min (8.1 m/s) initial at sea level
  • Fuel consumption: 18 US gallons (68 L) per hour

Avionics

  • MGL Avionics Flight II instrument and the MGL V10 Com transceiver

See also

Aircraft of comparable role, configuration and era

Related lists

References

  1. ↑ Whitfield, Bethany (16 August 2011). "SubSonex Jet Completes Maiden Flight". Flying. http://www.flyingmag.com/aircraft/jets/subsonex-jet-completes-maiden-flight. 
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 Tacke, Willi; Marino Boric; et al: World Directory of Light Aviation 2015-16, page 126. Flying Pages Europe SARL, 2015. ISSN 1368-485X
  3. ↑ Grady, Mary (30 December 2009). "First Flight Expected Soon For Jet-Powered Sonex". AVweb. https://www.avweb.com/news/first-flight-expected-soon-for-jet-powered-sonex/. Retrieved 31 December 2009. 
  4. ↑ Grady, Mary (7 June 2010). "Jet-Powered Glider Completes Test Flights". AVweb. https://www.avweb.com/news/jet-powered-glider-completes-test-flights/. Retrieved 10 June 2010. 
  5. ↑ "SubSonex Jet Prototype Ready to Resume Testing" (Press release). Oshkosh, WI: Sonex Aircraft. July 22, 2010. Retrieved June 21, 2012.
  6. ↑ Sonex Aircraft (2014). "SubSonex Update: FAA NKET Checklist Posted, SubSonex Gets New Gear and New Test Flight Video Footage is Available!". campaign-archive.com. https://us1.campaign-archive.com/?u=749bba5932a5bd5cc95950a5c&id=5b94932a25&e=97883e4567. 
  7. ↑ Pew, Glenn. "Sonex Accepts Deposits For Personal Jet - AVweb flash Article". Avweb.com. http://www.avweb.com/avwebflash/news/Sonex-Accepts-Deposit-Personal-Jet220285-1.html. Retrieved 31 July 2013. 
  8. ↑ Kauh, Elaine (18 February 2015). "Sonex Begins Microjet Kit Deliveries". AVweb. http://www.avweb.com/avwebflash/news/Sonex-Begins-Microjet-Kit-Deliveries-223582-1.html. Retrieved 20 February 2015. 
  9. ↑ "Sonex Aircraft Delivers First Subsonex Kit". Sport Aviation: 14. August 2015. 
  10. ↑ Pope, Stephen. "First Customer-Built SubSonex Jet Flies". Flying. http://www.flyingmag.com/aircraft/experimental-aircraft-homebuilts/first-customer-built-subsonex-jet-flies. Retrieved 7 May 2016. 
  11. ↑ Federal Aviation Administration (8 January 2022). "JSX-2 Make / Model Inquiry Results". https://registry.faa.gov/aircraftinquiry/Search/MakeModelInquiry. Retrieved 8 January 2022. 
  12. ↑ Federal Aviation Administration (8 January 2022). "Subsonex Make / Model Inquiry Results". https://registry.faa.gov/aircraftinquiry/Search/MakeModelInquiry. Retrieved 8 January 2022. 
  13. ↑ "KestrelX UAV and Cruise Missile Threat Replication Aircraft | SBIR.gov". legacy.www.sbir.gov. https://legacy.www.sbir.gov/node/2217697. 
  14. ↑ Stover, Andrew (11 August 2024). "U.S. Air Force Uses Contracted JSX-2 SubSonex Microjets to Simulate Cruise Missiles in Exercise Northern Strike 24". The Aviationist. https://theaviationist.com/2024/08/11/usaf-microjets-simulate-cruise-missiles/. 
  15. ↑ Leone, Dario. "Contracted Subsonex JSX-2 microjets used by USAF to simulate cruise missiles in Exercise Northern Strike 24". The Aviation Geek Club. https://theaviationgeekclub.com/contracted-subsonex-jsx-2-microjets-used-by-usaf-to-simulate-cruise-missiles-in-exercise-northern-strike-24/. 
  16. ↑ Trevithick, Joseph (14 August 2024). "F-16s Team With JSX-2 Microjets To Replicate Complex Cruise Missile And Drone Attacks". The War Zone. https://www.twz.com/air/f-16s-team-with-jsx-2-microjets-to-replicate-complex-cruise-missile-and-drone-attacks. 
  17. ↑ Trevithick, Joseph (9 August 2024). "Tiny Jets Masquerading As Cruise Missiles Featured In Michigan Airpower Exercise". The War Zone. https://www.twz.com/air/tiny-jets-masquerading-as-cruise-missiles-featured-in-michigan-airpower-exercise. 
  18. ↑ "SubSonex Progress Update: October 7, 2011". http://www.sonexaircraft.com/research/updates/subsonex/subsonex_update_100711.html. Retrieved 21 June 2012. 
  19. ↑ Grady, Mary (14 July 2014). "Sonex Flies Single-Seat Jet". AVweb. http://www.avweb.com/avwebflash/news/Sonex-Flies-Single-Seat-Jet-222346-1.html. 
  20. ↑ Sport Aviation: 14. April 2014. 
  21. ↑ 21.0 21.1 Thurber, Matt (1 September 2014). "AirVenture Report: 2014". AINonline. http://www.ainonline.com/aviation-news/2014-09-01/airventure-report-2014. Retrieved 4 September 2014. 
  22. ↑ O'Connor, Kate (11 July 2019). "Sonex To Offer Two-Place Jet Kit". AVweb. Archived from the original on 12 July 2019. https://web.archive.org/web/20190712133542/https://www.avweb.com/recent-updates/experimentals/sonex-to-offer-2-place-jet-kit/. 
  23. ↑ Cook, Marc (15 January 2020). "Two-Seat SubSonex Set to Debut at AirVenture 202". AVweb. https://www.avweb.com/recent-updates/experimentals/two-seat-subsonex-set-to-debut-at-airventure-2020/. 
  24. ↑ Prinsen, Jake. "EAA AirVenture Oshkosh 2020 canceled due to coronavirus pandemic" (in en). https://www.thenorthwestern.com/story/news/local/oshkosh/airventure/2020/05/01/eaa-airventure-oshkosh-2020-canceled-due-coronavirus-pandemic/3063605001/. 
  25. ↑ Phelps, Mark (26 April 2022). "SubSonex-Based Unmanned Twin-Jet Revealed As Low-Cost Military UAV". AVweb. https://www.avweb.com/aviation-news/subsonex-based-unmanned-twin-jet-revealed-as-low-cost-military-uav/. 
  26. ↑ "SubSonex Brochure". Sonex Aircraft. http://www.sonexaircraft.com/subsonex/SubSonex_Brochure_032816-web-optimized.pdf. Retrieved 28 July 2016. 

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