SonexBuilders.net

My name is Dennis Wells from Ellijay Georgia. I am a private pilot rated fixed wing and rotary wing. I have always flown certified fixed wing aircraft which were tri-gear with a yoke. I have flown certified and experimental helicopters which are not much difference except if you are flying with turbine engine vs piston engine. I bought the Onex Sonex tri-gear from the builder Gary Anders a couple of months back and have been painting/adding my own cosmetic touches to it. I will begin system check outs in this month. The older I get the more cautious I am, so I think I need to have a couple of hours in a two seat Sonex tri-gear to transition me to confidently feel good about flying the aircraft. So does anyone know someone that could provide this service for a fee of course which is fairly close to my location? Note: As a helicopter pilot, I have visions of me making the mistake of yanking the stick back on the Onex as if I were landing a helicopter in a flare for landing (LOL).... Sincerely, Dennis

I am in NY, so no help to you, but biggest change for most folks transitioning from flying the more normal range of certified aircraft is how much faster everything happens in a Sonex or Onex, both the effects of outside forces and of control response. Once you are used to that, you should be in good shape. Suspect your time in eggbeaters may actually be beneficial in that regard. Should be able to find a local Sonex for some stick time, as long as you do not need to log it as PIC to obtain insurance.

David A.

Hi Dennis,
I would be glad to give you some time in my Sonex, I may be a little too far for you though. My plane is hanger'd at Pikeville, Ky KPBX. Give me a call if you are interested. 606 226 0742

Hy Dennis. Welcome to the family. I'm up in Central Illinois and not much help either. I'm sure you'll hear from a Sonex builder in your area. I'm not sure you need more than one flight for transition experience. I went from 20 plus years in a C-150 to the Onex with one ride in a Sonex. The takeoff and approach speeds are the same as certified but the stick is more sensitive. The hardest thing for me was going from a left hand yoke to a right hand stick. It's a two finger stick, lightly loaded, no yanking, and small, slow movements. Fast movements result in fast responses. When I went back to the Cessna it was like flying the B-17, which I did for 15 min. Think Cessna with power steering. You're going to love it. My friend Stan and I built ours together via email and Skype. He's in Kingston, Tenn. about 130 miles North of you. Check the builders list on the Sonex web site. If you have questions, free advice is not always useful, but always available here.

Thanks all for responding and your advise to date. I look forward to talking more with you guys and getting my first transition hour into a two seat Sonex in the goal of my first flight in my Onex.
Dennis Wells

I also recommend the EAA Flight Advisor program. I've helped with a lot of first flights and its really valuable.