John Monnett always thought of himself as a jet pilot, but as his 50s began drawing to a close he realized the only way that was going to happen was if he built one himself. Luckily for Monnett, his day job is founder and president of Oshkosh-based Sonex Aircraft, a kit builder already known for airplanes like the Sonex-B, the Xenos-B and the OneX.
Creating a Mini Personal Jet
Key Takeaways:
- Sonex Aircraft founder John Monnett developed the SubSonex, an affordable single-engine jet kit, fulfilling his personal dream of flying a jet and making it accessible to others.
- The SubSonex underwent significant design evolution, overcoming initial challenges with engine control and an unstable single-wheel tail-dragger landing gear to become the stable JSX-2 model.
- The resulting jet is easy to fly, cruises at 230-240 knots, and is estimated to cost around $130,000 (kit, engine, and avionics) to own.
- Five SubSonex aircraft are currently flying with more under construction, making personal jet ownership more attainable and leaving Monnett "spoiled" for other types of flying.
Key takeaways sponsored by Aviator Pro | Start Your Training ->
See a mistake? Contact us.
