SONEX 362
In June 2003, without hardly any research into homebuilt aircraft and no experience in building an airplane, I started on Sonex 362. You may ask, why anyone in their right mind would do such a thing and it would be quite legitimate to ask. Well here's the story.
I've always been very interested in airplanes since my grandfather and I watched World War II flying movies when I was very young. He would tell me about the airplanes and what role they played in the war, So I grew up with a desire to learn more about airplanes. I received my first Cox plastic hand control when I was about six years old and I was really hooked.
In 1975 I had a friend who owned a Cessna 172, and one day while hanging around at the airport while my friend was flying others, I was approached by the "used airplane" salesman that just happened to have a 1946 Ercoupe that he wanted me to have. He took me for a ride in it and took me to the bank and co-signed the loan and before I knew it I was an airplane owner at the age of 19. And I should add before my wife knew it too, as she was home while all this was taking place. When I drove her to the airport an announced "see that red one, that's ours", she even tried to look happy. I guess that's why we've been together for 33 years now.
I then started taking instruction in the Ercoupe and soon realized that without rudder pedals and flaps, (which neither were included on my Ercoupe) I was limited in my training, so I went to the salesman and made him trade me 1963 Cessna 150 for the Ercoupe. I was happy now. I completed most of my training, passed my written, and only lacked one cross country to get ready for my check ride. Then for reasons I don't remember, but I think mostly financial, I sold the plane and stopped flying. I always regretted not getting my license.
In about 1979 I started getting interested in radio controlled planes and really got deep into them for several years, but by this time I was traveling around four days a week and running my recording studio the other three that i have no time for that either.
But after several years of not flying at all i learned that the latest craze in radio controlled airplanes was electric planes that could be flown in very small fields, and even indoors. This was just what I was looking for, because I could take them on the road and fly in free time.
Well this sparked my interest once again in flying, and before long I found myself back down at Ferguson airport, checking into flying lessons and finishing my training. Luckily I had kept my old log book, and there was about 25 years between the last entry and the current ones, but they still count for something.
Before I finished my training, I purchased a 1961 Cessna 150, very much like the one I owned in 1975. While in Georgia looking at this plane I asked the owner, "why was he selling?" and he told me he was gonna build an airplane. He told me of impressive performance numbers, with a VW engine. When I asked what do you call this airplane, he said "a Sonex". Having never heard of it or seen one, that was the last of the conversation.
A few months passed and I finished my check ride and was enjoying the little Cessna with manual flaps. This plane had caught the eye of a gentleman at my airport that wanted to convert it to a 150hp taildragger. The old fastback 150's sure look good that way. Well I started having stuck valves in my Continental 0-200 and he caught me in the right mood and bought my 150. Since he was gonna put in a newer 150hp engine, the sticking valves didn't enter into the deal.
Now I've got to find me another plane, I was really missing not having one I could just get into and fly when I wanted to. Renting was just too much schedule juggling for me.
SONEX TIME
As I was considering my options, I attended a fly-in in St. Elmo AL, looking to buy another 150. But then among the lines of homebuilt aircraft a little red plane caught my eye. It was a Sonex built by a preacher in LA. As I looked it over it really impressed me, at this point I had only seen the early photos of the factory Sonex's with no fiberglass tail tips and no paint or polish. I was'nt very attracted to these photos, but when I saw the Painted version with the tail tips, I was really impressed.
Then I remembered the conversation a year earlier about the Sonex with the fellow selling the 150. I looked up his number and asked how he was coming along with the Sonex. He told me that he had purched plans and started making a wing rib, then just got too busy with other things. I asked was he interested in selling the plans, and we worked the deal that saved me a little money as i wanted to plans build. After the fact I got to wondering how the factory was gonna support me, since I didn't buy my plans from them. This was the first in a long line of Pleasant surprises to do with the Sonex company. After signing the builders agreement and returning, I was treated like one of the family. These are such great folks to work with. I've never been disappointed at all in the service and support from Sonex.
I can't imagine a more economical way to start building an airplane than the options Sonex offers, As a plans builder, all I had to have to get started was plans and a sheet of .025 6061 T6 aluminum. There is so much you can do without spending any big money for quite a long period of time.
As others have done, I bought the welded parts, formed control surfaces, and also one of the .032 spar webs from Sonex, that saved so much time in laying out the spar webs. All the rest was made one piece at a time, by hand, and it it a good feeling to see it coming together into a real airplane. Especially one as nice as the Sonex.
My building hangar consisted of a 12X20 storage shed that I dedicated solely to the construction of the airplane. This was located in my back yard and made it so convenient to be able to walk away from the project at any point and lock the door, without having to clean up each time to make room for other things, like in a garage or hangar. All construction from step one up to paint were done here, but you do have to manage the construction process carefully after fuselage is put together to keep room to work.