The Foxjet ST600 was a small business jet under development in the United States in the late 1970s. Problems with development, particularly in finding a suitable powerplant, caused the project to be abandoned before any substantial work on the prototype had been done, but the concept proved to be ahead of its time, foreshadowing the
very light jet
A very light jet (VLJ), entry-level jet or personal jet, previously known as a microjet, is a category of small business jets that seat four to eight people. VLJs are considered the lightest business jets and are approved for single-pilot opera ...
s of thirty years later.
Design and development
The ST600 was of familiar business jet configuration, with a low wing, cruciform tail, swept flying surfaces, and engines mounted on pods on the sides of the rear fuselage. The intentions of the project were to create a practical business jet small enough and light enough to take advantage of smaller airfields at a cost of around half of what full-size business jets of the day were selling for. Fuel costs were touted as being as low as nine cents a mile in 1977, compared to fifty cents a mile or higher for contemporary aircraft.
73 orders for the aircraft were taken with
Bill Lear
William Powell Lear (June 26, 1902 – May 14, 1978) was an American inventor and businessman. He is best known for founding Learjet, a manufacturer of business jets. He also invented the battery eliminator for the B battery, and developed th ...
ordering the first example.
Three mockups were constructed and were widely displayed at aviation shows around the United States in the late 1970s by Tony Fox with slipping first flight schedules. The project got as far as Foxjet contracting
Aeronca
Aeronca, contracted from Aeronautical Corporation of America, located in Middletown, Ohio, is a US manufacturer of engine components and airframe structures for commercial aviation and the defense industry, and a former aircraft manufacturer. ...
to construct the prototype. The engines, however, proved a major stumbling block. The tiny
Williams Research type
WR44 turbofan that had made the project possible received certification for use in a passenger-carrying aircraft, but due to its selection as the powerplant for
cruise missiles
A cruise missile is an unmanned self-propelled guided missile that sustains flight through aerodynamic lift for most of its flight path. Cruise missiles are designed to deliver a large payload over long distances with high precision. Modern cru ...
, the United States government blocked non-military use of the engine. Without a suitable alternative available, the project could not proceed.
In 2006, a Foxjet mockup was exhibited at the
AOPA
The Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA) is a Frederick, Maryland-based American non-profit political organization that advocates for general aviation. AOPA's membership consists mainly of general aviation pilots in the United States ...
expo at
Palm Springs, Florida
Palm Springs is a village in Palm Beach County, Florida, United States, situated approximately north of Miami. The village's name was likely derived from the resort city of Palm Springs, California. Located in the east-central part of the county ...
by
Millennium Aerospace, which had purchased rights to the design in May. The company announced plans to resurrect the design and market it with
Pratt & Whitney Canada PW615 engines.
The original prototype was eventually purchased by Lyle Anderson, of Princeton, Minnesota from a used motorcycle dealership in
Minneapolis
Minneapolis is a city in Hennepin County, Minnesota, United States, and its county seat. With a population of 429,954 as of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, it is the state's List of cities in Minnesota, most populous city. Locat ...
and prior to that, it stood in front of a car dealership. In 2010 it was put in Anderson's front yard, and was a participant in the Rum River Festival parade prior to relocation to Princeton Airport.
Specifications (as designed)
See also
References
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* {{cite book , last= Taylor , first= Michael J. H. , title=Jane's Encyclopedia of Aviation , year=1989 , publisher=Studio Editions , location=London , page=411 , isbn= 0-7106-0710-5
External links
Luc Van Bavel Design website Foxjet history pageEAA Foxjet newsMinijets website Foxjet ST-600 page
1970s United States business aircraft