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:

The Stratos single-engine jet program, alongside similar projects like the Piper Altaire, aims for ambitious high-altitude and high-speed performance but faces significant FAA certification challenges related to single-engine safety at extreme altitudes and higher stall speeds.
Stratos's unique internal engine placement offers aerodynamic benefits but introduces design challenges such as noise, vibration, and air intake, compounded by critical startup funding needs.
Beyond specific aircraft, the article highlights the broader negative impacts of aircraft noise on hearing and public relations, advocating for industry-wide efforts to reduce noise through design, materials, and future electric propulsion for 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.