SonexFlight

With spring finally here and new builders reading their planes for first flight, new owners getting ready to ferry their newly-purchased Sonex home, and the rest of us thinking about knocking the rust off on our own proficiency, it's time to discuss Transition Training. The Sonex Builders and Pilots Foundation published a training syllabus designed to guide pilots through the process of gaining proficiency to fly their Sonex airplanes, and satisfy their insurance requirements so they can obtain insurance coverage. We review the syllabus, talk with a new Sonex pilot who recently used the syllabus for his own Sonex transition, and offer some practical advice to those looking to train in the future.

Each Sonex builder or owner will eventually reach the point where it's time to sell the plane. We discuss a rent experience where an owner sold the plane and hear about the thought process and logistics of how that played out.

Non-builder owners of experimental aircraft show a disturbing trend in the accident data, sometimes running into problems within the first few hours or even the flight home with their new airplane. Experience has highlighted many of the common problem areas a second owner may encounter, and we cover some key advice to keep you out of the NTSB database.

One of the great aspects of homebuilt aircraft is the ability to customize and tailor our planes to our own interests and requirements. We speak with builder Jake Logan about his Sonex project and the custom features and modifications he implemented.

Sonex airplanes have always been known for light and responsive handling, but sometimes pilots want even more! For pilots wanting superior roll control, Sonex offers the "Acro Aileron" option. We describe the modifications necessary, the pro's and the con's, and help answer whether that option is right for you.

'90% done, 90% to go!' Every homebuilder is confronted with this truth as they near the end of the project and must accomplish a multitude of little things that have to be completed to finish out the project. We speak with a Sonex builder about running the last mile to his first flight.

Builders and pilots are always looking for ways to improve the performance and reliability of our engines and aircraft, and ensuring your aircraft's propeller runs smooth and vibration-free is a simple way to do both. We talk with manufacturer DynaVibe and cover the methodology and process of dynamically balancing your prop to help you get the smoothest engine around.

Fitting the cowling is always a challenge, but with patience and the proper techniques it can be accomplished with minimum frustration. We cover our favorite tools, techniques and best tips to help you thru this portion of your build.

Every pilot wants more power in their airplane, or may decide to try out a different engine for various reasons, and over the years a number of pilots have decided to conduct engine swaps to do just that. We’ll cover some considerations to keep in mind when replacing engines on an already-flying airplane.

AirVenture 2019 Days 1 and 2 were a blast! Here are a few samples of the things we did, people we talked to and events we enjoyed after the show.

AirVenture, the world's biggest airshow in Oshkosh, WI, is less than two months away, and it’s time to get busy finalizing plans for attending. We cover flying in, camping and lodging options, airshow events and more in our 2019 preview.

Electronic Fuel Injection (EFI) is a popular addition to experimental aircraft engines, and offers several attractive benefits including balanced mixture distribution, lower fuel burn, increased power and general smoothness of operation. We discuss the SDS EFI system with a successful Sonex builder and the company founder, and lay out what you'll need to add EFI to your AeroVee.

The SonexFlight Podcast is coming up on its third anniversary, and it’s probably past time that we formally introduce ourselves. Your hosts talk about our own aviation backgrounds, share the stories that brought us together on the podcast, and look ahead to goals and objectives we each have in the coming months.