Steering Sonex without toe break

[SonexEZ]

Hi am looking at several Sonex trigear . my question is how do you steer at low speeds with out the toe break ? And also has anyone installed the turbo yet ?

[Bryan Cotton]

Hi,
Welcome to the forums! Steering is by direct linkage for nose or tail wheel. At least 3 guys on this forum have flown their turbos. There are threads in the forums and some youtube vids out there.

[SonexEZ]

Do you mean like what I had on the 727 small steering wheel ?

[wlarson861]

I have over 30 hours on the turbo conversion. If you have any questions start a thread and i think the three of us can answer. Also see the videos by Mike Farley.

[SonexEZ]

Bill was it worth doing the turbo what is your average cruise now compared to before the turbo . I was going to buy a long EZ but I don't feel the 3rd class medical will change anytime soon

[SonexEZ]

I just want to know if there was much of a cruise difference due to the long haul I plan on doing . and expected gallons per hour

[Sonex1517]

Welcome to the forum! Check out some videos about the turbo here

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCCnIilmVPw6sVeUp_xPO7fw


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

[vigilant104]

Hi am looking at several Sonex trigear . my question is how do you steer at low speeds with out the toe break ? And also has anyone installed the turbo yet ?

My plane is a trigear with no differential braking (just a lever to actuate both hydraulic brakes). When I was looking at Sonex's I was sure I'd retrofit whatever I bought with differential braking because every plane I'd flown has 'em. I quickly changed my mind one I flew it and taxied it--it does not need differential braking, handles fine without them. The turning circle using just the nosewheel steering is fairly tight.

[Bryan Cotton]

SonexEZ,
I have very little 727 time. All of it was in the back! The nose gear wheel (or tailwheel) steering connects to the pedals with hard linkages. No springs or breakaway joints.

[Mike53]

To add toe brakes or not, is purely subjective.I think it really depends on where you are flying into most of the time.As has been mentioned many times the turning circle is "fairly tight" which for the majority of airports you visit is going to work out just fine.An airport I fly into regularly is fine through the week but on weekends it gets crowded and unless you don't mind parking farther out you will find wending your way in and around other airplanes to be challenging when your turning radius is limited by how far your nose wheel alone can turn you.Still no biggie.
The time to plan and install toe brakes is when you are building your plane.Retrofitting would be a major pain.So that's where the subjective part comes in.If you think like many that it is a waste of time ,then build to plans.There are many Sonex's out there with them.Doesn't mean you should follow.

Toe brakes are fairly simple to install, it free's up your left hand and allows you to turn on a dime.Not necessary but a nice feature.
For me ,it was always going to be toe brakes.They are what I'm used to and what I like.Purely subjective.
Cheers,
Mike