Simple question....how much for Jet Guys to build my jet? The answer isn’t simple. So strap in and hang on....here ya go.
Speaking of go, it’s a jet. Do you know where to acquire an operating jet engine? Not one which has been sitting for years complete with dried out non obtainable replacement o rings. We do. This is really the only “fixed” cost to the build. You gotta have the engine, oil tank, alternator, starter and ignition box... so these are not at your discretion. The rest of the airplane YOU want will determine how much it’s going to cost.
Let me explain.
A Jet Eze build had fixed main gear, just the nose retracts. There were several reasons the owner went this way. One is fuel... in more ways than one. To suck up the gear saves you about half a gallon of fuel PER HOUR. Plus it costs you in being able to carry 17 gallons less fuel to put the gear up in the strakes. The gear leg fairings and wheel pants are pretty slick. Also the airframe is speed limited, the engine can push it faster than the airframe will tolerate. So from a speed advantage there is none. It does lose in the cool factor point system though. But let’s say you wanted lift up wheels anyway. What would it cost you?
Here is where big time costs come into play. Fortunately for you John’s Jet has the snarky lift up wheels, so the math is done so to speak... we’ve figured it all out. It only took a year and a half to make it Robert Harris reliable and strong enough. Mike Yancey killed a lot of brain cells getting all the hydraulic pumps to cooperate and Terry Sweat made up circuit boards to sequence everything. Yea, a year and a half of JUST LABOR. But, there already is a company with retract Canard aircraft out there. True, true... we used their gear legs... nothing more.
So let’s add this up... a year and a half of labor, hydraulic pumps, circuit boards, gear legs, mods to gear legs, fabrication of the strake with holes on one side for the gear to go into, addition of weight in stuff and it works... quite well. This build was mostly a stock gear build if you will but it looses cool factor points. But hey, it’s your airplane, we build what you want. Think the gear will be expensive? Oh yea. We know how now, so the time will not be nearly as long.
Canopies. This one tips up from the front. Man does this add complexity to the equation. Actuation systems, safety locks, main canopy locks, position indication systems... all of this custom made for EACH jet.
Now there is William’s Jet. His is a simple, Long Eze type flip over to the side canopy. It’s still bedded in carbon fiber and way oversized... and does not take a fraction of the time to build as John’s or Lance’s. Yep, John or Lance just push a button and up goes the canopy. A lot of time and money for it to go up and down. Where do you want to put your money? They both get cool points though for being able to taxi in with elbows up on the rails.
So just these 2 things alone can influence your build costs by 10’s of thousands of dollars. So to answer your question, how much... requires a LOT of questions in what exactly do you want.
You decide you have a big wallet and want to get started... how much? Yea, how much to get started... It’s going to require at least 20 grand to get started on the build, and many more 20s afterwards. Throughout the build we will require payments to keep the project moving forward. You don’t pay the full price up front... it’s not fair to you or us. You will be responsible for ordering parts when we need them. There won’t be surprises. You will know in advance when we need stuff and thru my experience in the building of the Jets, most of the big ticket items like radios are last. You may change your mind along the way so why order them in the beginning? Just wait.
Yes, you can stop by anytime to see the progress... and yes we will put you to work. We actually encourage you to stop by, announced or unannounced... bringing doughnuts helps. It’s good for you to see exactly what goes into the building of your jet.
So how much can you expect to spend? The Jet Eze would go for 300 grand, and John’s a fair bit more. As with many things being built, it’s mostly in the labor. So yes, they can be less than Lance’s, or a whole lot more.
What you want WILL determine the price. If you want a super smooth, see yourself in the finish costs more than a worker bee beat around bird. Finishing materials are a little more in the smoother animal... very little. It’s in the labor. The Jet Eze owner sanded on his for 2 and a half years by himself.
The Jet pictured is one with all three retract gear. Its a project well underway. It’s mostly ready for systems installation. Hence the time will be cut way down for whoever wants it. What I’m trying to say is the wait time for your airplane using this one will be much shorter. If you want the ground up build... naturally it take considerably more time... and money.
What I want most is for you to get the airplane you want, the way you want it. This is custom Jet building... it doesn’t happen overnight. Especially with the quality control and requirements I have over every step of the build. But it does happen here, every day.