The Stratos 714 is being shown for the first time at the EAA AirVenture 2017 in Oshkosh, Wisconsin. The freshly painted and upholstered prototype has been on display all week. It was also scheduled for an in-flight demonstration during the show.
Since the first flight, on Nov. 2, 2016, the aircraft has flown 37 times. The Stratos 714 is a multi-role very light jet (VLJ). It is designed to support personal, business, and air taxi use. Seating six people, it can travel 1,200nm at 400kts. With a lighter cabin load, it can extend cross country legs up to 1,600nm.
“We have been very pleased with the results of the initial flight test program,” said Stratos CEO Michael Lemaire. “We were able refine the flight controls, improving the feel, and the pilots who have flown the aircraft have given us great feedback.”
The Stratos 714 has a high thrust-to-weight ratio and this results in excellent take-off performance. Factory test pilot Sean Van Hatten said: “The takeoff is really an event in this airplane. When you reach rotation speed, the airplane simply levitates off the ground.”
Carsten Sundin, the CTO and chief designer said: “It has been a long road, with extensive designs and tests. The time invested has resulted in a true business jet performance that is within reach of an owner-operator for the first time. We have taken a methodical approach in the design and we anticipate only minor design changes will occur in the certification process. Parallel to the design effort, we have built a solid foundation to support certification and production. This includes production-quality tooling, parts traceability, costing systems, and facilities infrastructure.
Stratos is not taking deposits until closer to certification. However, it is recording expressions of interest on its website.