Non RV: Spent the ENTIRE day at Sonex!!

cjensen · Post by **cjensen** » Tue Aug 29, 2006 8:54 pm

Hey guys! I spent the whole day at the Sonex factory in Ohskosh today, and hung out with John Monnett and his wife Betty. John and Betty cooked lunch for us! It was a neat day looking at old pictures and letting John remember things he hadn't thought about for years. A friend of mine is writing a book about the Monnett's and their creations, and we were there for a research day. I'll post some pics tomorrow, but it was a really neat day!

svanarts · Post by **svanarts** » Tue Aug 29, 2006 11:29 pm

The Sonex is a really interesting airplane. On my recent trip to Tennessee the only aviation related thing I got to do was to go out to the local airport and see what was going on. I ran into an off-duty police officer who had a Sonex he had built on the field. I got to go take a look at it and it was a nice little plane. Also a friend of mine who works for American Airlines is building a Sonex. He researched all the kit planes and really liked what he saw with Sonex.

A Sonex has plenty of rivets to bang too!

Sounds like a fun day!

Post by **Spike** » Wed Aug 30, 2006 8:26 am

We just had one complete its first flight with a Jabiru at the home field. Its a fast and quiet little guy. And its built with blind rivets, what a deal!!

captain_john · Post by **captain_john** » Wed Aug 30, 2006 4:00 pm

I looked very closely at the Sonex too!

You really need to be a builder to make one of those! WAY too much skill required for this kid!

We have a guy around here who did one from PLANS and installed a JAB engine.

LOTSA WORK!

CJ

cjensen · Post by **cjensen** » Wed Aug 30, 2006 5:49 pm

Okay, here are some pics from yesterdays trip to Sonex...BTW, this is a flight tale...we took an Arrow. Sorry I missed ya Will!

Here's the ONE AND ONLY Monex. You could put your index finger on the spinner, push down, and raise the tail!!

Here's a couple of me wearing the thing! Yes, It's very hard to get in and out of! And, yes you do lay down in it...

And finally, the very generous John and Betty Monnett, getting ready to cook us some lunch!

This is inside their main office/hanger! Sweet!!

captain_john · Post by **captain_john** » Wed Aug 30, 2006 6:02 pm

That is a really cool place! I like the main office!!!

I can't wait til my plane is done so I can check out all these cool places!!!

CJ

Womack2005 · Post by **Womack2005** » Fri Sep 01, 2006 1:03 pm

I've seen those things in the pattern there many times. They always outrun the archer (of course that isn't really saying much

)

Sorry I couldn't break away from work or I would have come down there Chad. I havn't been to the facility yet.

I just got back last night from a trip to Michigan. I actually had to drive!!! Yuk - that really sucked.

N200PF · Post by **N200PF** » Fri Sep 01, 2006 7:56 pm

VERY COOL CHAD!!!

Hey is the Vne really 245 on that thing?!?

- Peter

cjensen · Post by **cjensen** » Fri Sep 01, 2006 8:22 pm

Uh...yep! Unbelievable! They were crazy to fly that thing!!

JohnR · Post by **JohnR** » Fri Sep 01, 2006 9:54 pm

Nice report Chad. I have a friend in Cedar Rapids that has a Sonex with a Jab in it. I have flown it a little with him and it is a nice plane, very light on the controls, quite a bit lighter than the RV's I've flown. Also a bit of a tight fit for me.

The funny part is that everytime he introduces me to someone he says "This is John, I took him flying in my Sonex and he was so impressed that he is building an RV."

It always gets a good laugh. The Sonex is a nice plane, just small for us over 6 footers.