Going Direct: Coffin Corner for Single-Engine Jets

Isabel Goyer

Tuesday, January 04, 2011 at 07:12 AM ET

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Stratos Aircraft

Key Takeaways:

Stratos Aircraft is developing an ambitious single-engine jet with an internally housed engine, facing significant certification hurdles related to its high-altitude performance goals (41,000 ft ceiling), proposed higher stall speeds, and critical funding requirements.
While some pilots romanticize "jet noise," the aviation industry increasingly acknowledges noise as a detrimental factor impacting pilot hearing, neighbor relations, and business viability.
Mitigating aircraft noise is a complex challenge due to its numerous sources, but potential solutions include aerodynamic design improvements, sound-dampening materials, and the development of quieter propulsion systems, such as electric engines, which could offer a significant competitive advantage.

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While at the 2010 NBAA convention, I stopped by the booth of Stratos Aircraft to check up on the progress the company was making with its eponymous single-engine jet. What I discovered was pretty much exactly what I expected to discover. The company was exceedingly optimistic about the prospects for its jet while admitting there were challenges ahead.

In case you haven’t heard about it, and chances are you haven’t, the Stratos is a single-engine turbofan design – there doesn’t yet exist an actual airplane, but the program appears to be in full swing.