Hi From Connecticut

[reodds]

Hi Everyone, Just joined the forum after bit of "lurking". I've been flying since 1977 (Comm, Inst SEL), yes, I am that old!

I have built a Happy Miles Special (Adventure Air Amphib, long story, maybe some other time,) and am now looking closely at the Sonex/Waiex.

My major concern is that over the years my waist line is not too "svelte" anymore, and fitting into the cockpit with my life long copilot may be difficult, especially on any cross country flights. I have seen the mods that one particular person named Jan has for the Sonex, but am certain that they are not exactly approved by the factory!

Does anyone know if the Monnetts are even considering making the Sonex wider for us "full figured" pilots?

Thanks!

Roger

[Bryan Cotton]

Hi Roger!
I was born and raised in Monroe, CT. After college my parents couldn't get rid of me so they sold me the house. I lived there for 39 years! I learned at MMK, flew/towed gliders at 11N, and rented at OXC too. Welcome to the forum!

I don't think the Monetts are planning a bigger sonex. Their niche is squarely under the RV clan. But, you never know!

[reodds]

Hi Bryan,

Actually, I was born in NYC and lived for the past 30 years or so on long Island. My initial flight training was while I was in the Air Force at SAT. I owned a Mooney M20C that I flew out of FRG on Long Island, and moved up to Connecticut right after hurricane Sandy (we had to!). We live about a mile from 11N in Sherman CT.

Would really like to build a Sonex, but really do need a bit more elbow room.

Roger

[Sonex1517]

Roger

Some choose to build a center stick Sonex and arrange it to sit center while flying solo. Something to consider if you don't plan to take a lot of passengers.


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

[JT1974]

Roger,
I visited the Sonex factory earlier this week to "test fit" their cockpit with the lowered seat mod. I'm 6'3" tall and currently weigh 260lbs with a 42 inch waist. I've been working on my "office physique" for the past 15 years and the shirt I have on in the picture is a XXL Tall size. I had Brian from Sonex snap a few pictures of me sitting in the cockpit so that I could go home and make a clear headed decision after the excitement wore off. I'm convinced that my kids would have plenty of room sitting next to me. My wife said that she never wants to fly EVER, but if she changes her mind (doubtful) there will be plenty of room for her. The other limiting factor is Max Gross Weight for the airplane and I figured I would have about 150 lbs left over with full fuel on board (with the Jabiru 3300) and by my estimation I think just about any 150 lb. person would have room to sit next to me in the Sonex.

Here is a picture of me sitting in the Sonex that should give you an idea of how much room there is left for a passenger with someone my size. You may have to scroll down on the picture to see the bottom of the seat.

Hope this helps........

[Bryan Cotton]

Roger,
What do you like about the Sonex? What is your mission? Two place x-c it sounds like. VFR?
I really liked that area of CT. McClinch bought the airport and then kicked us (Nutmeg Soaring) out. It was sad!

[kmacht]

Roger,

I have my sonex over on the other side of the state in Connecticut at Windham airport. Once I get it dug back out of the snow you are welcome to come sit in it and see how you fit.

Keith
#554

[reodds]

Thank you all for the great answers! My main mission is VFR cross country flying (2-300 miles) with a passenger (hopefully my wife!) next to me. I am encouraged by JT's experience and picture, although my proportions are a bit different (5'7", ~200 lbs).

I would also like to make it a very basic (minimum allowed) IFR legal platform, in case I need it to get out of trouble or fly a basic instrument approach - better to be safe than sorry.

Does anyone have someone's ear at the factory? Seems that there are quite a few who are uncertain about the Sonex/Waiex simply because of the cockpit width, and would jump onboard if stretched a bit...

[MichaelFarley56]

Hi Roger,

Given your size, I don't think you'll have any problem fitting comfortably in the cabin of a Sonex. I'd say that even two guys your size, while a little snug, would stil be comfortable. Personally I'm 6'3", 230 lbs and I've flown with another 6'2", 210 lb passenger for short hops; it was snug but we fit just fine.

I'm sure there are those who have dicussed possible design changes with the factory and you're welcome to do so. My gut tells me that the factory still researches pilot and flight information and finds that the vast majority of Sonex flights are flown solo, which means the fuselage as currently designed is more than adequate. Unless you're talking about the possibility of two large people flying together often, the Sonex has plenty of room!

A word of caution on IFR capability on the Sonex: Please remember these airplanes are designed as fun to fly, inexpensive, VFR sport planes. In order to make it "sporty" the control forces are kept light and responsive; pretty much the exact opposite of what you want when thinking about an IFR platform. If you're considering an EFIS with an artificial horizon so you can keep the wings level for a few seconds if you get into a cloud, then go for it (I did for just that reason); but if you're thinking about all the equipment needed to actually certify the airplane as IFR capable, you're asking a lot out of an airframe that isn't designed for it. Not to mention added weight, cost, complexity, etc.

Regardless, it sounds like the Sonex design overall is a good option for you in your intended mission of a VFR sport plane with cross country ability. Best of luck and let us know what you decide!

[Pickleman]

There is one other option.....When I started building the Sonex, I weighed 250. I was Six feet, long torsoed, and it was a snug fit. This was before the lowered seat mod. I bit anyway, thinking I would lose a few lbs. Well, sixteen years later, I'm wrapping up the Sonex! This is a looooooooong slow scratch build. Everything is done but the engine fit, cowl, and wingtips.

September though, I went to the doc. I had " blossomed" during the build to a well rounded 297 lbs! My blood pressure was 188/103! I have kidney disease, IGA nephritis, and it took its toll with the blood pressure. The funny thing about our diet was that It was pretty much doctor reccomended--low sodium, low protien, whole grain breads, etc. my wife was 5' 1/2" and weighed 145.

Long story short, or better phrased "fat story thin," we have done the impossible and dumped some serious lbs. My bride of 23 years is wearing clothes marketed to middle school kids. She weighs 112, about what she weighed as a high school sophomore athlete. I have lost 75 lbs so far, and am looking to drop 25 more. The real story is my blood pressure. on meds, it had dropped to 90/60! The doctor reduced one med dosage by 75% and dropped another one. That was two weeks ago. I have another appointment with my doctor because I felt I couldnt even continue at that dose, being light headed all the time. I quit taking the reduced dose, and my blood pressure is now 110 over 70.

We walked a bit before it got cold and rainy, but we didn't do much exercising. We don't spend $ on diet plans, see a clinic, or had surgury. When asked how we did it, we joke, "No salt, fat, sugar, or flavor!" By going from low sodium to NO added sodium (plenty of foods have naturally occuring sodium in them) we got rid of one of the prime triggers for overeating. That was the biggest and most uncomfortable adjustment. No salt. No commercial foods with salt in them. After the salt, we miss bread the most. Sandwiches, pancakes tortillas.....nope! We gave up eating out. No soda. Nothing but coffee, tea, and water to drink. Then I quit coffee too. NO HEADACHES when I quit, either. It does require a lot of food prep to avoid all of the salt and sugar in things. And we eat TONS more veggies than we used too. 10% of our calories come from animal products, the rest from veggies. And it is hard to eat too many veggies! We don't count calories, do portion control or play food games. We eat when hungry, cheat on holidays and birthdays, and are enjoying moving again. Even my kids have lost 25 lbs each! We plan on going backpacking again!

Dr Joel Fuhrman has a book (or Six) out on the diet called "Eat To Live" and a website designed to seperate you from cash. Screw that. I found a book at the library, and used the web to find recipes compatable with his philosophy. Heck, it WORKS! IN the early days, I lost five or more lbs a week. Now I'm losing about a lb a week. But anyway you slice it, 75 lbs in five months is pretty good. And the Sonex fits the wife and I pretty well now!

Baring that, the mission you outline for the Sonex is really not what the airplane was designed for. It was built to strafe the occasional ground squirrel in afternoon flights. It was built for an overnight bag. The excellent performance and economics of the plane have led people to make some fantastic cross country flights and push the envelope with things like two axis autopilots. And that's ok. The airplane does fine flying to the Bahamas or going from California to Oshkosh. But it wasn't built for that. It was built to drill holes in the sky and destroy boredom--99% of the kind of flying most people do for fun.

The zenith, if you can stand the speed difference, is much wider and offers similar costs. A partially completed RV and used engine and steam gauges, set up with a two axis autopilot would give you similar start costs, but not operating costs. My suggestion is this--go rent a cessna 152 and squeeze the wife and yourself into for three hundred miles. If you fit in that, you will do fine in the Sonex, and be much happier with the performance of the Sonex.