And so it began. Onex PDF Order Form, The Bottom Line: What Will My Onex Cost? Now we can go on to built out a fixture to make sure we place the ribs and wing fold mechanisms are properly leveled horizontally and vertically. [6] The prototype was equipped with an AeroVee Volkswagen air-cooled engine. Several engine options were available. Build nights are resuming on a weekly basis. The Onex is easy to push or pull to move it around on the ground; all three trigear tires are the same size, 4.10/3.50×5 units on Asuza wheels. The indicated quantity can be verified by looking under the panel at the level in the translucent tank, once the fuel is down to the halfway point. It looked like it fit my mission, it was popular and had several hundred completions, and was very affordable. A further advantage of this configuration is that the fuel system will be gravity-fed and therefore not require a fuel pump, as it would if the tank were in the wings.

I got the answers I needed to move past the issues with the read spar inboard bracket. As the newest airplane in the fleet, the demo ship’s engine had only accumulated 22 hours in service and was still breaking in. 70 isn’t too old. The main purpose of this blog is to log the progress. The Onex likes to be kept high on the base leg, because it will come down on final with flaps out and power back, but it glides in nicely with 70 mph in hand, even when idling, giving plenty of energy in the flare. Sign up for our free email newsletter, packed with tips, tricks and news for pilots. The large canopy with low longerons give the pilot a spectacular view. We climbed the left-side wingwalk to board the Onex by the simple expedient of stepping on the seat cushion; the canopy hinges over to the right, restrained by a cable. Monett stated also that he had done some cursory testing of the flaps and found the 45° flap position to be very effective. The chief design change of the Onex compared to its siblings is the folding wing feature.

The foundation's intent is to make available to the Sonex community as much technical information as possible.

One of those was from Joe Norris, now the flight instructor at Sonex Aircraft, and in charge of their T-Flight transition training program. The recommended engine for the Onex is the 80 horsepower AeroVee 2180. The sub kit was very complete: I purchased tools and two sizes of clecos. Will need to order the proper screws this week and reassemble before next week’s build night. Measures the S32 and S34 screws and noted they are actually much longer/shorter, and don’t match the labels on the bags. It is a work of love.

It was a pivotal moment in the project.

I am certain many pilots have the skills to hop in a new airplane and safely fly it. All of the airplanes can descend at a generous rate with power off and flaps down; 1400 fpm for the heavier Sonex, 800 fpm for the Onex. A plain, yet sophisticated, VFR panel carried a slip indicator, compass and digital G-meter, with an MGL Stratomaster Xtreme electronic display providing pages for engine, flight instruments, or a combination of everything—the option we selected. Read More... (1) Conservative, low altitude calculation: 135 mph TAS @ 35.5 mpg. So much to drool over.

Onex (pronounced “One-X”) is a single-seat aircraft designed to offer an even-more economical way to build and fly your sport pilot aircraft! Sonex also offers quickbuild options. The folding-wing design can fit into a garage, or share a T hangar with your flying buddies, be trailered on local roads, and the wing panels are easily removed for trailering at highway speeds. I have built model airplane most of my life so the transition was not so traumatic plus people claim I have way too much self confidence. I live in Old Farm and fly out of Clow, would be up for a ride in your Sonex if you’re open to that, I’ll buy lunch! Join thousands of other pilots - sign up for our informative email newsletter. This chapter demonstrates the use of tools and techniques useful for successful building of the entire Sonex aircraft.

I made some notations on the shorters bolts needed, and the shorter machine screws. My initial conversations were with Joe Norris of EAA, who was a valuable resource of information and insight. Fantastic job on the article (really enjoyed reading it) and congratulations on building and completing your aircraft.

The AeroVee 2180 fired up at once, settling into its usual VW warm-up idle. A couple of years later I met a friend at Oshkosh who built an all-wood sailplane, the Woodstock. A couple of months after AirVenture 2012, we winged our way back to a vacant Oshkosh to meet with Sonex Aircraft and see why there was so much interest in a little single-place kit. There is no doubt that Sonex likes the color yellow—and their numerous models wear it well. Great article, at 73 years old I have just earned my Sport license and am currently building a Zenith CG 750 Cruzer. The airplanes are usually parked with the flaps down, to inhibit careless footsteps ignoring the no-step placard. This is a non-quickbuild version of the kit. Back to the runway for the challenge of landing, we again found the Onex’s runway manners predictable, considering the airplane’s small size and direct tailwheel steering. We estimated that a little less runway was used to get to the 60 mph liftoff speed and climb was markedly better with the broken-in engine, notching about 600 fpm by our timing. Sonex also offered several models of aircraft, and the Sonex could be built from plans, as sub kits, or as a complete kit. Haven't been in a great hurry due to work this past fall. The swing-over canopy provides easy access to the cockpit.

Monnett always three-points the airplane, to get the fight out of it, and that worked well for us, even when we rolled the tailwheel on first. This is the build log for Sonex Onex Serial #132, documenting my journey building a kitplane. Reader question: have you ever met a celebrity through aviation? The result was a well-built, VW-based engine with dual ignition and a lot of aftermarket parts. The Onex design is basically an 85-percent scaled-down version of the Sonex side-by-side two-seater, yet it uses the same basic engine options to make it perform with a certain élan. The wing fold & unfold/lock process takes only about 30 seconds per wing! I guess I will have to stick to our flying club’s C150 to cratch my aviation itch. This is a non-quickbuild version of the kit. Once the engine was warmed up (there’s no choke), we turned up 2000 rpm to verify the independent functioning of each ignition system, set the pitch trim knob to “nose down” for takeoff, verified altimeter setting on the MGL system and stirred the control stick.

It may also be of interest to other builders. The 27" wide Onex cockpit is enlarged to accommodate more pilots than ever before with greater width and seat geometry to handle a longer torso & legs.