Newbee! Decided to build a Sonex! Seat Pan Lowering Mod?

[billstratman]

I have a couple of questions for all you experienced Sonex builders. I want to build a Sport Acro, center stick. 1) Is it possible to do the seat pan lowering mod with the center stick? And 2) I am 6'2", Will I fit? I guess what I'm saying is, can the panel be shortened to allow more knee room? My buddy has a Sonex and it is a tight squeeze! Any help will be greatly appreciated!

[MichaelFarley56]

Hi Bill,

Welcome to the forums! We're glad you're here and ready to start a Sonex!

To the best if my knowledge, unless you engineer your own pieces you cannot do the center stick and lowered seat modification. There are interference issues which makes things hard to work.

So you can either do the dual sticks with the lowered seat or the single stick with the standard seat.

If you are planning on sitting in the middle, I'm sure you'll have plenty of room. If you want to do the center stick and still want to carry passengers, that may be an issue with the loss of headroom.

I'm 6'3" an fit in my Waiex with the lowered seat mod just fine, even sitting on a standard Sonex interior. That being said, I'm glad my seat is lowered; the standard seat would really eat into my headroom!

Let us know what other questions you have! Welcome again!

[billstratman]

Thanks Mike! I thought I had heard that if you want to do the seat pan mod that it had to be dual stick. I think that holds true if you want to put auto pilot servo's in too. Just trying to get my ducks in a row before I get to that point in the ordering process.

[Sonerai13]

Mike is correct. The center stick mechanism will not fit under a lowered seat. But unless you are long in the upper torso, you shouldn't have any problems fitting in the airplane with the standard seat. You certainly won't have any issues when flying the airplane while seated in the center. But like Mike mentions, when flying the airplane in the right or left seat you may have interference if you're taller (especially if your height is in your torso). The Sport Acro with the center stick is a VERY fun airplane. Highly recommended!!

Welcome to the forum!!