Story ID: 045
Stratos 716X Personal Jet Makes First Flight
By: Mark Huber
Caption: The Stratos 716X single-engine, 4-6 seat personal jet made its first flight July 2 from the company’s plant in Redmond, Oregon .
Word Count: 308
The Stratos 716X single-engine, four-six seat personal jet made its first flight July 2 from the company’s factory in Redmond, Oregon. The aircraft is designed to cruise at 400 knots and have a maximum range of 1,500 nm. The 22-minute first flight utilized a full-power takeoff and climbed to an altitude of 13,500 feet.
The carbon-fiber 716X is powered by a 3,000 pounds of thrust Pratt & Whitney JT15D-5 turbofan with electronic engine control (EEC) and features Garmin avionics components including dual G3X screens, GTN 750 MFD, and integrated Garmin autopilot. It is also equipped with dual standby Mid-Continent attitude indicators, custom switch panels, fully automated pressurization system, and air conditioning.
Stratos announced the aircraft in 2018 as a follow-on to the proof-of-concept Model 714. Compared to that aircraft, the 716X has a fuselage that is 31 inches longer and two inches wider. Initially, the company plans to offer the aircraft as a kit but will eventually produce a fully-certified model badged simply the “716.” The initial run rate for the kit aircraft will be three units per year. The company said it will offer a comprehensive build assist program and kit build time is estimated at 2,500 hours. 
“When we introduced the Proof of Concept 714 aircraft three years ago, the marketplace interest was tremendous,” said Stratos CTO Carsten Sundin. “It was clear that the market is looking for the performance and comfort we were offering, but in a true six-place aircraft. We have achieved this with the 716X. With a cabin width of 4.9 feet and height of 4.8 feet, there is plenty of room for passengers to relax on long flights.” Stratos said each seat row features more than 30 inches of legroom. Available seating configurations include a three-place, side-facing divan, all-forward-facing seats, and an executive club with forward lavatory area.