First Customer Built SubSonex Personal Jet Takes Flight

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First Customer Built SubSonex Personal Jet Takes Flight

October 16, 2015 - Redge Greenberg of Durango, Colorado, made his first flight in his Sonex Aircraft the SubSonex (serial number JSX0003) yesterday in the company's first customer-built jet aircraft.

"I flew the SubSonex this morning, for about 35 minutes… all went well" said Redge. "My regards to Dwight Tolfer who was a big help for me during the construction project that was done almost entirely in my garage."

Redge received the first SubSonex kit delivery in February, 2015, an Ultra-Quick-Build kit with optional Triton Trailer. The SubSonex is sold as a Quick Build Kit only, leaving very little work for the customer, and providing almost everything needed to fly with the exception of avionics and paint!

Two Quick Build Kit versions are offered; an EAB-compliant kit for the traditional builder including pre-built wings, fuselage and canopy and an Experimental Exhibition category Ultra- Quick Build Kit with no “51 percent rule” restrictions.

The Ultra-Quick Build customer will install the easily-removable outboard wing panels, engine and fuel system, bolt-in the retractable landing gear, install avionics, electrical systems and controls, install the supplied BRS, fiberglass components and upholstery, and add paint. "I hold commercial glider, helicopter & single engine land licenses, accumulating 4500+ hours in numerous aircraft, but I never got the chance to fly a jet" said Greenberg.

"I first saw the prototype of the SubSonex at Oshkosh, and followed the development for over a year. When Sonex offered the jet as a kit, I was first in line. Like my RV8, the SubSonex is aerobatic, but the Sonex company also included a ballistic parachute for extra safety."

With two SubSonex JSX-2 factory prototype aircraft now flying, Redge's SubSonex makes number 3 in the worldwide fleet, with 6 more customer kits currently under construction. 2nd Factory Prototype SubSonex JSX-2 achieved First Flight on October 7th. The skies over Oshkosh were once again filled with tiny jet noise on that afternoon. The JSX-2 worldwide fleet doubled with first flight of SubSonex N241SJ! John Monnett took the sister ship of #1 JSX-2 prototype N141SJ for a short flight, which was uneventful and successful.

#2 JSX-2 N241SJ was constructed at the same time as N141SJ, but flying the aircraft took a back seat to flying and refining it's "Sonex yellow" sibling, leading to it's use advertising the design as the airshow bird of Bob Carlton's Vertigo Airshows. The gray, shark-mouthed JSX-2 #2 will serve as Sonex's Oshkosh-based SubSonex factory demonstrator, and incorporates all the latest refinements to the SubSonex design.