Sonex SubSonex
Sonex Aircraft · United States · first flew 2011 · light aircraft
The SubSonex is an experimental single-seat jet aircraft sold in kit form for amateur construction. It came from Sonex Aircraft's "Hornet's Nest" development division.
Recognition (WEFT)
| W — Wings | Low-mounted, straight |
|---|---|
| E — Engines | 1 × turbojet, fuselage-mounted |
| F — Fuselage | PBS TJ100 turbojet mounted above the rear fuselage, with the exhaust between the tail surfaces |
| T — Tail | V-tail |
WEFT is AircraftIQ's four-point recognition method — how it works.
Spot it by:
- Single-seat jet with a low wing and a V-shaped (Y) tail
- PBS TJ100 turbojet mounted above the rear fuselage, with the exhaust between the tail surfaces
- Retractable tricycle landing gear on the production JSX-2
Look for a very small single-seat jet with a Y-tail and a turbojet mounted above the aft fuselage, with the exhaust exiting between the tail surfaces.
Specifications
- The Sonex SubSonex has a length of 5.03 m (17 ft).
- It has a wingspan of 5.49 m (18 ft).
- Its maximum speed is 462 km/h (287 mph).
- Typical crew: 1.
Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.
History
The JSX-1 was similar in design to the Onex and had a Y-tail like the Waiex. It was introduced at AirVenture 2009, ran its engine in December 2009 and was flown by Bob Carlton in August 2011. The production JSX-2 flew in July 2014 and the first customer kit shipped in February 2015.
Variants
The JSX-1 was the prototype, and the JSX-2 added a BRS parachute, a wider fuselage, a more streamlined nose and fully retractable undercarriage. A side-by-side two-seat JSX-2T was announced in 2019, and a twin-jet drone, the NASC Tracer, was also designed.
Where you'll see it
Seventeen were registered in the United States by January 2022. In August 2024 the Michigan Air National Guard used two JSX-2s as cruise-missile threat replication aircraft during Exercise Northern Strike.
Related aircraft
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