SonexBuilders.net

All,
I'm new here, and I'm sure this subject has already been discussed, so please just send me to the right spot or web site and I'll hush.
Like a lot of those considering the Sonex, I'd sure like to be able to fold the wings by myself (to more easily pack more planes into a hangar, to put the beast onto an enclosed trailer to store at home, or for stowage in a shipping container at the field). Having to have a second person to detach the wings is a significant inconvenience when one just want to go fly around for a couple of hours. What have folks tried in order to make this happen?

Working from a position of ignorance, the simplest approach I can think of would be similar to the smart external wing folding bracket Dave Thatcher engineered for the CX4. It's not very sexy, but it adds almost no weight to the airplane and it gets the job done. It would have to be modified quite a bit for the Sonex (due to the Sonex's long carry-through spar), but it seems do-able. You'd probably need 3 things:

1) A small support (mini-sawhorse) to hold up the wingtip during wing detach/attach operations. This stays with the trailer/on the ground.
2) A "saddle" to go over the rear of the airplane just in front of the V-Stab, it has craddles to hold the leading edges of both wings once they are folded back. A slicker way to do this would be pins/brackets that pop out from the fuselage rear to engage slots in the bottom of the wing (like the S-18 version of the Thorp T-18 does things), but that's more complex.
3) A removable external wing support and pivot bracket (one needed per wing, these stay on the ground once the wing is on the airplane). This would be the heart of the concept, holding up the root end of the wing while it was being withdrawn from the person at the wingtip, and providing a means for the wing to pivot two ways: First "twisting" so that it is leading-edge down, then pivoting back so it is aligned with the fuselage and can be supported by the cradles (part 2 above). I can imagine a few simple ways this could be done with a rod, a bushing and a trolley to engage the spar. The ideal system would require no modifications to the spar.

Anyway, before I go on--what have smarter folks done?

Thanks for any ideas. If I had $200 per month for hangar rent this wouldn't be an issue.

Mark

Mark, you should consider the Onex... ;)

Seriously, I cannot imagine removing my wings after every flight. You would not just "go fly for a couple of hours". You would plan half a day adding the wing removal process. You will always need a second person. Then, the trailer part; more time and lot's of potential for dents. It is no doubt possible but I would rather get a second job that pays an extra $200 per month for the hangar, it would be less work... :shock:

Kip

Kip,
Perhaps a rapid wing fold mechanism for the Sonex is out of the question due to the way the plane is built? There's no doubt that the long carry-through spars are more hassle in this regard than a simple spar break with pins (ala KR2, Thorp T-18. Thatcher CX4, Mustang 2, etc).

Mark

Mark, seriously, check out the Onex - it's one of the best engineered folding wing solutions I have seen. I have to agree with Kip - I can see taking the wings off to store it for the winter (I live in Chicagoland) but can't see taking them off much more often than that....


Robbie Culver
Sonex 1517
Chicagoland
Aerovee/taildragger
Working on the tail
Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

Mark,

I'm going to second what Kip and Robbie have said. While the wings on the Sonex are "removable", it's certainly not something you'd want to do on a regular basis. In fact, I'm really hoping I never have to pull mine off again! I was working on something a few weeks ago and dropped a bolt into the wing which required me to remove my wings. It took an hour to pull the wings, find bolt (and throw it across the hangar), and reinstall the wings. And this was before I had my controls connected...now it would be even longer.

It's a nice option for long distance moves or major repair work but taking off the wings is quite a task in the Sonex. Like the others have said, if you want "easy" look at the Onex or something with quick folding wings to make your life much easier.

Mark just think of it as a Sonex sports car that fits nicely in the garage :D

I guess I was seduced by the wing removal/replacement instruction sheet on the Sonex site ( http://www.sonexaircraft.com/documents/instruction_sheets/wing_install.pdf ). It looked relatively straightforward and possible to do solo with the right mechanical help.

Thanks for the feedback. Like many, I was hoping the Hornets' Nest might be working on a wing fold option for the Sonex to be announced when the Onex rolled out. It would provide them a chance to sell all kinds of proprietary fittings (for the spar joint, attach pins, control linkages, etc). I haven't heard anything like that, so I guess it ain't gonna happen.

FWIW, here's a video of a one-person 30 second Mustang 2 wing folding operation. . For wings the length of the Sonex, I think this "twist down, swing back" folding method would be more practical than the straight up approach of the Onex.

Mark

Once my wings are on I don't plan to remove them ever, unless necessitated by maintenance.

"Removable" is not the same as "Conveniently Removable"... :(

If enough people made enough noise, you might convince Sonex to scale up the Onex Wing system for the Sonex, but that would require a REAL amount of obvious money in it for them.

vigilant104 wrote: Like many, I was hoping the Hornets' Nest might be working on a wing fold option for the Sonex to be announced when the Onex rolled out. It would provide them a chance to sell all kinds of proprietary fittings (for the spar joint, attach pins, control linkages, etc). I haven't heard anything like that, so I guess it ain't gonna happen.
Mark

That was brought up a few times at the October workshop and Jeremy said it was not in the works now or in the future.I forget now exactly why.My short term memory is long term going.....gone :?