SonexBuilders.net

Having recently received the tail kit, i realize the Sonex drawings are very detailed. However, is there an assembly manual that accompanies the drawings or should you be able to successfully construct everything from the drawings?

I had no doubts until recently speaking with an RV builder who mentioned a builders manual and was surprised that none was included with the Sonex tail kit. I've never seen RV plans so perhaps they are not as complete as Sonex plans.

Darick

There isn't one. Its frustrating at first, but after you build the first few components, you will feel a manual isn't necessary. There are a few instruction sheets on the Sonex website for some of the complicated assemblies like the cowl and canopy.
Just remember, you start at the highest drawing number and work backwards, i.e. T25 before T24.

Thanks for the reply. Hope your phase 1 went smoothly.
Darick

You've hit one of the more interesting aspects of building a Sonex Darick. From what I've gathered, there used to be a simple build manual but those are no longer being offered.

Believe it or not, your build manual and procedures is your drawing tree, plans page # SNX-B03 (or close, I'm sure you know which I'm talking about). That is your outline for building and if you take a look at it, you'll see there's a method to the madness. Sonex give you the option of where you start; fuselage, wings, tail, etc. Most start at the tail so if you look at the drawing tree, look at the pages that SNX-T##, highest numbers first which are at the bottom of the page. Think of it literally like a tree and start as the "highest" branches. There will be a sub-assembly page to start, then a main assembly page, etc. It follows an order. SNX-F## is fuselage, SNX-T## is tail, SNX-W## are wings, etc.

Make sense?

Thanks!

Darick wrote:Thanks for the reply. Hope your phase 1 went smoothly.
Darick

Your welcome. Don't be disappointed by the lack of a build manual. You will find it truly is unnecessary.
Phase 1 was a very useful experience. At first I thought 40 hours was grossly excessive. After completing it, its absolutely necessary. I was tweeking things all the way through and still am. I had a dead stick landing at 25 hours due to a throttle cable that came loose. But at about 30 hours, things settled down and the plane became a lot 'safer'. I had learned to dance with my lady.

MichaelFarley56 wrote:You've hit one of the more interesting aspects of building a Sonex Darick. From what I've gathered, there used to be a simple build manual but those are no longer being offered.

Believe it or not, your build manual and procedures is your drawing tree, plans page # SNX-B03 (or close, I'm sure you know which I'm talking about). That is your outline for building and if you take a look at it, you'll see there's a method to the madness. Sonex give you the option of where you start; fuselage, wings, tail, etc. Most start at the tail so if you look at the drawing tree, look at the pages that SNX-T##, highest numbers first which are at the bottom of the page. Think of it literally like a tree and start as the "highest" branches. There will be a sub-assembly page to start, then a main assembly page, etc. It follows an order. SNX-F## is fuselage, SNX-T## is tail, SNX-W## are wings, etc.

Make sense?

Thanks!

Yes, it makes sense to me. Thanks for the insight.
Darick

You will find it more convenient if you look ahead in the plans before closing up a certain area.As an example putting the rudder pedals in when you put the forward fuse box together before actually getting to that page in the plans just makes the job easier,or putting the rudder pulleys in the tail cone before the turtle deck goes on makes it more convenient to work.
There are many such examples ,but you will have to look ahead to decide which order to do something.
Cheers,
Mike

Thank you...I will check as suggested.

There is one place that Sonex could improve and that's the sometimes tricky timing of assembly installation. So many assemblies are better left open until the very end of final assembly. Example, don't rivet the floor until you are ready for inspection. Working on anything behind the panel/tank is a pain the butt (literally) if you have to hang upside down in the cockpit. If you can remove the floor pan, its easy to work there.
Also, as you work, seek out other builders websites or visit them to see how they completed a component. There's lots of better ways to do things than Sonex sometimes does. Example, the riveted panel is very difficult to work with after installation. Make it removable.

Good points on the timing of the assembly! Most smart builder's don't rivet the top firewall in place until after the bolts going through the glare shield and longeron for the engine mounts are in place. It is very difficult to get under the panel and get to these with the top firewall in place. I learned that the hard way.

Also great advice on not closing up the floor until the inspector in pulling in the driveway. There is a lot to do that is extremely difficult if the bottom skin is on.

Dale
N319WF