SonexBuilders.net

Excellent news! Congratulations!


Robbie Culver
Sonex 1517
Chicagoland
Tails and Wings complete - finishing fuselage.
N1517S reserved

Congratulations!!! The paint job looks awesome.

Congrats! Love the paint job, particularly in those shots from the rear.

Enjoy,
Rusty

Peter,
Not much original to say but congrats - and I think the paint is spectacular also!

Vegaj02 wrote:I am building onex 044 in Orlando, FL. I purchased the kit virtually untouched on June 14 2015. I have about 170 hours into her and things are coming along great. The fuselage and landing gear are mostly together. I have the horizontal almost complete except I have to purchase one of the elevator sides because I cut it too short. It was my first mistake. Lol Here is link to my kitlog where you can see some pics. http://www.mykitlog.com/vegaj02

N901JV (reserved)

I am just west of you and waiting for my prop to come in 8-10 weeks lead time , for a sensenich right here in florida , i picked up this aircraft and it was flying at one time but it was a mess i spent 1600 hrs rewireing replaceing radios and i had to do a top overhaul , I am a A&P but havent worked on small aircraft in 30 years only large Jets 727-200 , my Sonex is a trigear , are you getting to the end ? Guy

I finished the tail kit last fall and after returning home from three months in Steamboat Springs CO skiing and other winter sports, I bit the bullet and ordered the Fuselage sub kit, plans and Hardware.

The web store defeated me in the ordering process but a call or two to Grace in the order department got everything ordered and started the system moving toward shipping.

Getting the tail built was easy and I look forward to resuming pulling rivets and torquing bolts

Cheers

Running out of parts to put together on the Fuselage Kit so I ordered the Controls, Gear and Engine mount kit. Should be delivered around the first of Sept.

I'd love to have an online kit log but Kitlog doesn't make a version for the Mac.

Cheers

Got the tail cone zipped up, but for the belly skin this weekend. Except for the lower cross-tie and the spacers, everything went rather smoothly. Yeah, the puckers are there on the turtle deck, but I'll revisit bulkhead stations 2 & 3 when there's nothing better to do.

Working the forward section now. Is there a better way of radiusing the engine mount brackets to nest up properly than just doing it all by hand with a vixen file? I tried a sanding disc and scotch-brite band, but it just gets so hot so fast that the file seems faster than waiting for things to cool. Only got one corner fit last night, but I can feel carpal tunnel setting in... I've run into a couple parts fit issues in the forward section so far with the lower horizontal firewall angle not matching the skin and gusset. Also mis-matches on the seat attach angles and seat support angles (F08-14 & F08-02). Sonex is sending angle stock to remake...

What worked for me:

Do yourself a big help in reduction of labor and savings of time.
Get a 2 wheel bench top grinder. Replace 1 of the 2 grinding wheels with a scotch-bright wheel.
This made very short work of re-radius the 8 engine mount angles....and a bunch of other thick parts that require a fair amount of trimming.

Something to consider:

The pilot holes in the 8 angles may not align adequately until all 8 angles are trimmed to fit into each other also their respective structural angles. Trim a little and check. Don't take off to much.

Got the fuselage halves joined today. Couple questions too. I've now experienced the hardware fitment issues so many have discussed - why not just flip an offending bolt around and put the nut on the firewall side? Yeah, it'd need a different lock nut, but they would all be under the cowling, so not a visually offending install.

Also on the little center channel on the forward fuselage floor, my factory machined part (which matches the drawings) sits proud of the channel. Is there a purpose for this, or can I trim it flush before I rivet it in?

Ever forward...

Thanks!