KITPLANES® Editor-in-Chief Paul Dye one step closer to flying the SubSonex

KITPLANES Editor-in-Chief Paul Dye did his special rating ride in the two-seat Bonusjet TsT-14 experimental sailplane today. The airplane, built and operated by airshow pilot Bob Carlton, is used to train pilots who will be flying the Sonex Aircraft LLC SubSonex JSX-2 jet-powered Sport Plane. The training, conducted in Moriarty, NM, includes ground school and flight instruction in operation of the PBS TJ-100 turbojet engine, which is used in both the motor glider and the personal jet. After several hours of instruction, the student takes a check ride with an FAA DPE and is granted a special authorization for the type — essentially a Type Rating — enabling the pilot to obtain a letter of authorization to fly the single-seat sport plane. Watch for an upcoming review of the training program and the Bonusjet in an upcoming issue of KITPLANES® Magazine!