![]() Production models (716) will feature a more powerful Pratt & Whitney 535E turbofan engine, retailing for $3.5 million. The kit model (716X) is expected to hit the market at $2.5 million, with a build time of 2,500 hours. Something truly unique about this craft is the fact that it’ll be manufactured as both production and kit models. The 716X improves upon the 714’s design with a longer cabin designed to accommodate six passengers in multiple configurations. That hasn’t stopped the company from iteration, however. Stratos’ first jet, the 714, lacked the funding to complete type certification and remains perpetually in development. The 716X is something of a second-generation jet designed specifically to compete with the Cirrus Vision Jet. ![]() Flight testing, which kicked off in July, has been hinted by the company to be successful so far - including the jet’s maiden flight in Redmond, OR, which lasted 22 minutes and saw a climb to 13,500ft. Stratos hasn’t been shy about touting the design and viability of its craft in this niche segment of the market, but it has been tight-lipped about the jet’s performance as it undergoes continued testing. Part of the appeal of the 716X jet is the mystique surrounding it. ![]() “We combine the range and speed of a high-performance, twin-engine jet with the short-field takeoff capabilities of a single-engine turboprop aircraft,” says Carsten Sundin, Stratos president and cofounder. Now, Stratos’ focus on this ultra-light category means it’s throwing a full array of resources behind the production of a suitable competitor. Most jets of this size are easier to produce as turboprops and, for so long, Cirrus’ technologies made it a market-beater with a substantial moat. Lack of competition in the single-pilot, single engine class is largely due to the virtual monopoly of the Cirrus Vision Jet. For the first time ever, they’re getting it in the ultra-light, single-engine class. It seems that while the Cirrus Vision Jet is a more-than-adequate craft, people appreciate having options. While the jet is still in its flight-testing phase, the company has already begun taking orders. Or, at least that was your only option until Oregon-based aviation firm Stratos launched its 716X jet. If you’re thinking about purchasing an ultra-light jet of the single-pilot, single-engine variety your options are exactly one: the Cirrus Vision Jet.
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