AVweb’s Geoff Rapoport speaks with Fred Hadlich of Stratos Aircraft about their Stratos 714 proof of concept. Following years of incremental progress and cabin mock-ups, Stratos arrived at Oshkosh 2017 with a real airplane. After first flight in November 2016, the proof of concept aircraft is still early in envelope expansion testing. At 70 flight hours, company test pilots have taken the Stratos 714 to 330 knots true airspeed, 250 knots indicated and 18,000 feet. Kevin Jordan, chief sales officer, says the production airplane will carry four 200-pound passengers, with bags, for a 1,500 nautical mile trip at 400 knots true and FL410.
