Originally Posted by
Adrian Page
How about we encourage Mr. Jenson to pursue the design of the Starjet for his next Kickstarter campaign? The static model presented looks like a beautifully made thing. It might appeal to enough people to be worth trying. I think he has learned some valuable lessons from this first attempt. It might well succeed if he were to set up a more modest Kickstarter to raise funds to produce a small prop driven electric or a larger EDF short kit. Mr. Jenson appears to have a great deal of passion for the hobby. I think that's a good thing.
Adrian
I am actually going to do a Kickstarter campaign soon to get funding to build a FULL-SCALE mockup, or even a full-size flyable (without engines or the "expensive stuff") StarJet to display at airshows, to get investors and future customers lined up for the full scale kit. The only other full-size "personal fighter" style jet kit on the market is the ViperJet out of Pasco, Washington, and they have sold at least 21 kits at over $200,000 per kit (which does not include the jet engine, avionics, upholstery, paint job, etc.). John Travolta and Morgan Freeman were thinking about buying one, and they may have, I don't know. I may also do the Kickstarter campaign, as Adrian suggested, to do the EDF or turbine powered model, which might be produced in China, similar to other "foam" EDFs, or full fiberglass construction similar to Bob Violett jets. Also, I am about to launch a Kickstarter campaign (of course, I would have to hire people to help in all these endeavors, as it all can't be a "one-man show") to build an 87% T-28 "Trojan" using the Pratt & Whitney R-985 "Wasp Jr." radial engine producing 450 HP (same engine as in the Beaver and PT-17 Stearman). I have been toying around with the pledge for this, but I think that if a person chips in, say, $2,900, then I would fly them around the Pacific Northwest or West Coast for two days, anywhere they want to go when the airplane is done and deemed to be safe. The minimum funding amount would be $150,000. These, then, would be available as kits in the future. The R-985 is, apparently, readily available (in remanufactured form, at least), and goes for around $43,000.