SubSonex jet • Moruya based • ABC News story

[Garfly]

 

 

Retired dentist's bird's-eye view of Australia from his homemade jet aircraft - ABC News

WWW.ABC.NET.AU

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It started with model aeroplanes as a teenager. Then he piloted gliders. Now, retired dentist Andre Viljoen has built his own jet aircraft to see Australia's best sights.

 

[Thruster88]

Good article. I have been lucky enough to see this amazing aircraft flying while visiting Moruya.  

[facthunter]

Flying way up is pretty boring though. You don't feel the sensation of speed. . I'd prefer a WACO..  Nev

[Blueadventures]

31 minutes ago, Garfly said:

 

 

Retired dentist's bird's-eye view of Australia from his homemade jet aircraft - ABC News

WWW.ABC.NET.AU

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It started with model aeroplanes as a teenager. Then he piloted gliders. Now, retired dentist Andre Viljoen has built his own jet aircraft to see Australia's best sights.

 

Wonder if he cooked a sausage fir himself on its first engine ground run?

[facthunter]

There'd be no cabin service  either.  I still recall my first flight deck  supernumerary on a B 727. It WAS a bit like going to the moon. I guess we eventually get a bit Blaise with the wonder of flight..  Nev

[Garfly]

 

I'm impressed by his relaxed attitude to long-haul (RV10?) flight planning  (as he tells it to our reporter, anyway ;- )  

 

 

"Sometimes I would say to my wife 'I'm going to go put my feet in the Indian Ocean this weekend. If you want to come along, you're welcome.'"

"We would fly from here to Alice Springs and spend the night there. The next day we'd be in Broome riding a camel along the beach.

"I would literally just dial in the unique airport code, climb to altitude, hit autopilot, and read a book. It's that simple."

 

 

 

Edited July 20, 2023 by Garfly

[Area-51]

Read a book?? I need to get one of those autopilot thingymajigs 😃

[BrendAn]

56 minutes ago, facthunter said:

Flying way up is pretty boring though. You don't feel the sensation of speed. . I'd prefer a WACO..  Nev

it wouldn't kill you to say what a nice plane that is. 

[BrendAn]

6 minutes ago, BrendAn said:

it wouldn't kill you to say what a nice plane that is. 

Maybe this one will put a smile on your dial. Listen to that radial

[Garfly]

These are the specs of the SubSonex from Wikipedia (I think this is the model in the story).

 

Alice to Broome in one hit looks quite possible in the RV10 but you'd probably want a shorter book in the JSX-2.

Maybe 2 books since you'd need to stop half way and find fuel.  But what a blast!

 

Specifications (JSX-2)[edit]

Data from Sonex Aircraft^[21] and AINonline^[16]

General characteristics

• Crew: 1
• Length: 16 ft 6 in (5.03 m)
• Wingspan: 18 ft (5.5 m)
• Wing area: 60 sq ft (5.6 m²)
• Airfoil: 64-415
• Empty weight: 500 lb (227 kg) average
• Gross weight: 1,000 lb (454 kg) utility configuration
• Fuel capacity: 40 U.S. gallons (150 L; 33 imp gal)
• Powerplant: 1 × PBS TJ100 turbojet, 290 lbf (1.3 kN) thrust

Performance

• Cruise speed: 210 kn (240 mph, 390 km/h) TAS
• Stall speed: 50 kn (58 mph, 93 km/h) landing configuration
• Never exceed speed: 249 kn (287 mph, 462 km/h)
• Range: 420 nmi (480 mi, 770 km) with 30 minute reserve
• g limits: +4.4/-2.2 in utility configuration, +6/-3 in aerobatic configuration
• Rate of climb: 1,600 ft/min (8.1 m/s) initial at sea level
• Fuel consumption: 18 US gallons (68 L) per hour

Avionics

• MGL Avionics Flight II instrument and the MGL V10 Com transceiver

Edited July 20, 2023 by Garfly

[FlyBoy1960]

It can only fly for 2 hours and its empty ?  Rand is only 420 NM ?

[Area-51]

It's electric right? Everyone will ask if its electric because there is no propeller; like the big planes... 🤦🏻‍♂️🤷🏼‍♂️

[onetrack]

A fair bit of BS in his storytelling to the reporter - talking about quick flights to the Indian Ocean and Broome. With a 420NM range, he'd be spending more time on the ground refuelling, than he'd spend flying?

And how do you cross the arid and virtually uninhabited areas N and W of the Gibson Desert on your way to Broome from the East Coast? Call into a few remote Aboriginal communities to refuel?

Methinks he was stringing the reporter along, particularly all the bits about flying an aircraft is like driving a magic carpet in the cartoons.

 

That 68 litres/hr fuel consumption takes the gloss off the whole story. You could run a twin Comanche at 165kts cruise, and only use 60 litres/hr - and take along a few friends as well!

 

Edited July 20, 2023 by onetrack

[Garfly]

He would have been talking about his RV10 in that story (he'd asked his wife to come along). 

I'd say that'd be doable, one long day from Moruya to Alice with one refuelling stop.

And then, the next day Alice to Broome in one hit.

[kasper]

A little jet is not a practical nor cost efficient way of getting around ... but that's NOT what you build a little jet for it is?

 

Were I have the spare $$ and time I might be tempted to do something like in retirement just for the heck of it.

 

Mind you I'd still have a flying flea or two, the electric sapphire and a single seat thruster and a couple of mid spec trikes to play with ... they all do other things that separately put a smile on my face.

 

... but I could imagine a different smile from hooting around at 300+kph at 1,000ft AGL  ... I would not go high to get the 'efficient' flight of the jet because that would not be my reason for having it.

 

Fair play to him and its a nice looking little speed machine.

 

 

[facthunter]

The turbulence is a lot different at high speeds. Being on your own I think I'd get tired of it quickly.   Nev

[Bosi72]

12 hours ago, onetrack said:

And how do you cross the arid and virtually uninhabited areas N and W of the Gibson Desert on your way to Broome from the East Coast? Call into a few remote Aboriginal communities to refuel?

 

YBAS-YTNK-YHLC-YBRM

Not a straight line, but doable with each leg under 400nm.

Also jet fuel is generally more available than avagas, and "cheaper" at $2 per lit. Refuelling of 150lit doesn't take any longer than avgas.

 

But.. I guess 100-hourly and repairs could cost arm&leg. 

 

[Garfly]

 

45 minutes ago, facthunter said:

The turbulence is a lot different at high speeds. Being on your own I think I'd get tired of it quickly.   Nev

 

Yes, two seats would be nice and with the JSX-2T (T for two) that will soon be available (for a cool quarter mil plus, AUD).

 

And as for range (of the current model) 2 hours seems a comfortable leg length and if you can cover over 400NM in that time I'd call it a pretty nice cross-country get-about. 

 

And, Andre, our jet-set dentist reckons anyone who can build a letter box can build a Sonex jet.  (Which, unfortunately, rules me out, right there  ;- )

 

 

 

SubSonex JSX-2T Update: Successful AirVenture Debut and a Design Tweak – Reserve Your Two-Place Jet Kit Today! – Sonex Aircraft

WWW.SONEXAIRCRAFT.COM

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  The long-anticipated Two-Seat SubSonex JSX-2T was unveiled at a record-breaking EAA AirVenture Oshkosh 2022, providing the first opportunity for the public to see the new jet prototype. JSX-…

 

Edited July 21, 2023 by Garfly

[rodgerc]

I reckon Andre is having an absolute hoot in his Subsonex….Good luck to him 👍

[pmccarthy]

The article says he is using the Subsonex for locals and the RV for the long trips.

[facthunter]

It wouldn't have a lot of endurance. That's a problem with very small Jets . Is it pressurised? and it would need heating if it goes very high.. It's 2 degrees C for every 1000 feet lapse rate. I think bang for the Buck unless someone else is paying. Jet engines have No personality/character and many Pistons you are sitting there grinding away wondering when it will pack up. Fly for fun and don't do it to impress others. Do what you really want and can afford. This chap is quite entitled to pursue HIS dream.' Building it is also part of the fun and achievement...  nev

[RFguy]

I wonder how much the compressor has in hand  with altitude ?

I guess alot of performance is left on the table without a heated flight suit and oxygen ! 
IAS at sea level  150 kts, TAS at 12k 180kts  TAS at 17500 200kts.....
I've realised easiest way to go fast and economically is go high...

 

[facthunter]

IF only it was that simple. Efficiency is to do with wing AoA that's the airframe factor. Best L/D ratio. The engine thrust is another limiting factor, that ultimately determines how high you can go. Service ceiling and absolute ceiling. Ambient air pressure and temperature will affect that. Big and longwings go higher because the plane has too much lift available at lower altitudes. That kind of aircraft will fly more efficiently at higher cruise levels. One that struggles to get there won't, put simply.  Nev

[RFguy]

I wonder , can you get your (poor)  fuel economy (IE thrust/kg fuel input)  back going high ish, say 18k?. have not done the sums. 

[Garfly]

I think this chap flies his jet for the sheer fun of it. 

Zipping up and down the NSW south coast at low level at those speeds would be great.

 

You'd score heaps more beaches per minute than we of the rag and tube.

 

And if personality/character is what you're after that little jet has it in spades.  

And we know what the endurance is.  It's about 2 hours (@sea level?).  About perfect for any retiree's bladder.