New here, High Wing

[cadcap]

Hey Chris from Griffith, nice Cessna! Good to see some more HW reservation folks here. Mark said during our factory visit on 2/7/25 that they had more than 40 reservations in that first week! It was interesting too that he explained that things like the HW and two place jet are research and development projects and since they are non-billable they basically only get worked on after hours. It was interesting that most of the employee's there were plugging away assembling quick build kits all day. I just kinda assumed they would stamping out kit parts all day but that must not take as much time as I assumed as they have a pretty good inventory on the shelves for current products. I would have guessed someone was working on the HW all day but makes sense now that you gotta keep all the employees on jobs that bring in revenue and that Mark's spare time and volunteer hours are what goes into the HW development. I hope the current timeline can be kept. Sounds like Dynon is coming in to do the avionics in it and I would guess most all the wiring for the engine and avionics will be done from that visit. The outer wing panels were going together so it really does look like it could be ready to fly by March/April like the HW update video said. I'm really hoping for a kit this time next year. I originally thought Id just start on a tail kit and see how it goes before taking the full kit but the more I think about how fast the tail kit should go together I'm thinking I'll just take delivery of the full kit as soon as available.

Hello Chris from Brownsburg, Thanks for the compliment. I sure do hope they are able to stay on projected schedule and we have components by early next year. I am very anxious and very old to be building an airplane I'm hoping to have time to fly !!! None of us know how long we can keep our medical status. Thank You for talking to us about your visit to Sonex Aircraft facility. I was thinking of doing the same in April and can update you when/if I go. A hangar neighbor has his Dakota being fire damage repaired at a facility @KOSH and I may be flying him there to see the progress of both airplanes.

[Bryan Cotton]

If the High Wing schedule stays near the projected timeline and I were to go with the UL Power engine, the 50A alternator would have to be a must. I don't like the thought of a marginal charging system. I'm used to mag. ign., ADS-B in-out, cert.GPS, Tru-Trak autopilot w/GPSS, dual taxi-land lights etc. etc. What would you estimate the load for all digital panel and auto-pilot with the intent of night IFR capabilities ...?

More juice available is always better. 20A is really marginal.

We routinely fly night VFR. I've said it a few times before - the Sonex is a joy to fly but would be a horrible instrument platform. Very light controls and neutrally stable. I used the autopilot in the Arrow I used to fly but it would not have been an emergency if it failed in IMC.