Scott's Sonex 1629 - N629SX

[ScottM-Sonex1629]

Another productive week, and beginning of the weekend. Although I did spend some time replacing parts and redoing the firewall support structure assembly. I'll post that in the "plans" section for SNX-F11 as a "lessons learned" so hopefully future builders will learn from my mistakes.

After my re-do session last night, new upper cross brace and angled firewall vertical side angles were re drilled, and everything is square and the motor mount fits nicely.







The plans dimensions of 32" has been achieved for the upper firewall.


All parts cleco'd together and the harmony in my garage has been restored.



And now riveted together, including the forward zee tunnel piece for the spar tunnel.

[Bryan Cotton]

Looks good Scott! Looking forward to hearing about the redo. I am currently making my fourth WIX-F22-06 angle.

[ScottM-Sonex1629]

Keep at it Bryan, the parts get easier to make with each successive try!

On Friday I ordered a few critical items for my panel from Sonex.
MGL Xtreme (mini) EFIS
MGL V6 Com

Already received the the vent system from Vans and our family has acquired two iPads this year (an iPad 2 and mini). Switched over to Forefilght this winter and love it, so I knew I had to somehow incorpate the iPad into the cockpit.

Just playing around with a configuration and ideas for hard mounting the iPad mini.







What do you think?

[Bryan Cotton]

Scott,
Looks good. I plan to mount my iPad mini to my leg. I like foreflight as well.

[n982sx]

It will work nice there.

When I first used ForeFlight on a regular iPad I put it on my knee. It works ok but I wanted to replace my Lowrance 2000c with it but it was too big. When the mini came out I got it right away and did replace my Lowrance unit. I did need a longer arm for the RAM mount.

I would have loved to layout my panel with an iPad in mind, but the retro fit has worked well. Much better than on the knee.

This photo makes the mini look big but it is really only the same size as the Enigma.

[ScottM-Sonex1629]

Hey Bob,

Thanks for the feedback...if you are still reading this, I'd like to ask you some questions off-line. Tried to PM or email you last night but you don't have that function enabled on this forum.

If you want, send me a contact email to: scott7594 (at) gmail (dot) com

Thanks!

[SonexN76ET]

Great progress. You will be flying before you know it.

[ScottM-Sonex1629]

Well I've made it through the parts called out on SNX-F10...and for those building a Sonex and doing the lowered seat mod, and dual controls - Please turn to sheet SNX-C06 and C07! You have to remake several seat support parts and skip some from sheet F10. And then Sheet F9 is skipped completely, using sheet SNX-C07 for the lower floor/seat support assembly.

All of the parts are made, some already riveted together (like the idler control to seat support cross brace). Everything is just cleco'd in place with the match holes right now. Time to updrill, deburr and rivet the structure together and move back into place.





For those heading to Oshkosh this weekend and next -- enjoy! I will be "stuck in a Ohio" thinking about making the trip hopefully next year!

[ScottM-Sonex1629]

Time for my weekly progress update. Not a lot of time spent on the project last weekend, but some real progress was made. Completed the fitting of the aft lower cabin support structure, and took the advice of others and riveted the structure together outside of the airframe.



Then we flipped the fuselage back upright and onto my workbench...hopefully for the last time.





What to do next? Hmmm...flap detent angle and the fwd and aft supports! And the standard trim lever.

[ScottM-Sonex1629]

This week I trimmed the glare shield and the related support brackets are bent and cleco'd together. I had to test fit the instrument panel...and then test fit myself in the cockpit.

I gave a call (well actually an iMessage text) to my son to come out to the garage, and see what his crazy dad was up. He proceeded to pick up our cat, and take a picture of us one the cockpit. No airplane noises were made but I did hear a distinctive purring sound coming from the foreword part of the cockpit!



Who's crazy now!

I'm beginning to think about the end look of the airplane. I started to polish some of the skins during assembly, and really don't like the process, or how it's turning out. I may have mentioned this before, but I have painted three cars (all recently in the last four years). One was my Factory Five cobra kit car, two were daily drivers that I did a refresh (and color change) on.

This is one of my ideas...white, with metallic blue, and silver accent stripe.


Loosely based on the HondaJet (I work at Honda R&D so it's a popular aircraft with me).


Here are some past examples of my paint jobs.