Forget buying a new “kit car” or working on your next do it yourself home project. Now you can build your very own DIY jet.
Wisconsin-based airplane company Sonex is selling a single-seat jet toolkit that cruises at 180mph but can hit speeds over 200 miles per hour. The jet is also capable of carrying up to 900 pounds with a wingspan of 18 feet.
In comparison, a commercial jet has a wingspan of nearly 200 feet.
If you aren’t a rocket scientist, that’s okay. The company provides most of the critical parts as pre-assembled pieces of the puzzle. However, you will still have to assemble the engine, fuel system, and landing gear. Under Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) guidelines, 51% of commercially sold aircraft must be homebuilt.
The DIY Jet is known as the SubSonex JSX-2, and it will be available by the middle of 2014.
The “homemade” Jet is not cheap at $125,000, and that price is only available for the first 10 people who take advantage of the company’s introductory pricing.
It’s not clear at this time if the jet will be classified under the FAA’s experimental category, but that is likely to be the case. With the experimental classification, there are strict restrictions placed on location parameters and times the jet can fly.
I personally would much rather prefer purchasing a jet that is fully assembled for me by working professionals in the aircraft field.
Here’s a video of the planes JSX-1 version in flight:
If you had the cash, would you be willing to invest $125,000 to purchase an experimental jet that requires a home-based build?
