Sonex High Wing

[Scott Todd]

I can't believe no one is talking about this. I watched the video by Experimental Aircraft Channel about 5 times. Its a pretty cool airplane. I really want one but I'm afraid its gong to be out of my price range. A $30K kit will make it a $80-90K airplane. Even buying a $10k AeroVee and basic instruments will still put you around $60. For reference, my second hand Onex was a complete package with engine, prop, EFIS, and other misc stuff. My Spruce bills still added up to $10k by the time time it flew. Its amazing how all that stuff just keeps adding up. Still, Its a cool airplane and could be a lot of fun :)

[Bryan Cotton]

We sat in the prototype yesterday. Comfortable and roomy. Visibility more like a C140 than the Waiex.

[Eric W]

Really nice size. Super easy to get in & out, but watch your head on the wing. The additional width will make it a lot more comfortable than my legacy Sonex. "Bubble" doors won't really help this design much, as the center of the bubble is well ahead of your elbows, and your elbows are back near the door frame. Look at this compared with a Rans S-21, for example, where the widest part of the bubble door is right at your elbow. Seat angle and cushions were excellent. Lots of room in the panel. The dihedral is built into the center section, so the outer wing panel joint is exactly flat (wasn't sure whether the dihedral would occur at the wing outer panel joints). Also did the factory tour. This is all that there is at this point, but what's there so far looks really good! There was a pair of wing outer panels sitting in a rack in the factory - but they're for the 2-place jet. They were VERY tentatively forecasting flight before the end of the year, with maybe deposits (small $ to hold a place in line) towards the end of the year, with MAYBE tail kits early '25. But don't hold them to all that, as there's a whole flight test program to get through, and any updates out of that need to be proven in.

[Eric W]

More photos. I think that rear-most "window" is the panel for the BRS, if so equipped, and not really a window to look thru. Don't worry about some skin edges sticking up - not all rivets were installed, and it looked like some were Aluminum just to hold it together for display at the show. Panels in the top of the wing - where the aux fuel tanks will go in.

[Eric W]

More photos. Bottom photo of the panel was with wide angle lens.

[WaiexB22]

I really liked the plane and I confirmed it is the exact same FWF as the B model. It looks great in my opinion and looks even better next to the spec sheet. My only negative comment is the visibility over the panel. I'm not a big guy and the seat was very low relative to the top of the panel to me. I'm not sure how much this would matter in a level flight attitude....and you could always add cushions to the seat to raise the seat up (head space wasn't an issue for me)

[Bryan Cotton]

With respect to visibility, the Waiex has ruined everything else for me.

[Eric W]

I can't believe no one is talking about this. I watched the video by Experimental Aircraft Channel about 5 times. Its a pretty cool airplane.

Quite a bit more active discussion at that EAC video in the comments. A lot from people who aren't Sonex fans or who don't understand the objectives of the airplane (want it to be another STOL competitor or something), but some more perspectives over there.

Probably best that most of them don't know about this forum. It's really not advancing our conversations about this airplane to have a bunch of "but it doesn't do" whining & complaining.

[BRS]

... My only negative comment is the visibility over the panel. I'm not a big guy and the seat was very low relative to the top of the panel to me...

I didn't get to visit OSH this year. Checking out the HW proto would have been tops on my list. Vsby over the panel was/is my biggest concern as this is the main beef about the Sonex-A that I fly. Can't see traffic in front of me.

[Bryan Cotton]

Vsby over the panel was/is my biggest concern as this is the main beef about the Sonex-A that I fly. Can't see traffic in front of me.

My A model was the same until I put a hard foam booster under the seat cushion. Now I can see the horizon in front of me. The high wing is the same, but you do lose the unobstructed view through the bubble canopy.