EAA Sport Aviation - January 2012

CALIFORNIA SONEX

I ENJOYED BUILDING MY RED SONEX so much that I built another one (yellow). I test-flew the yellow Sonex on April 10, 2011.

I had been flying ultralights prior to 2000 when I bought the first Sonex kit, anticipating the FAA finalization of the light-sport aircraft rule. I worked on the plane a couple winters, but then I found out I wouldn’t qualify as a sport pilot due to being turned down on my medical. I put the airplane aside and built an ultralight helicopter— an Ultrasport with 104 hours on it now. In 2007, I managed to get my medical back and went to work on the first Sonex and test-flew it in October 2008. It now has 104 hours. With an empty shop I bought a Sonex kit from a guy who had built most of the tail and gave up. This one took about 18 months over a two-year period. The first Sonex has a 120-hp Jabiru engine, and the second kit had a mount for the Sonex 80-hp AeroVee. Building the airframe was a lot easier because I had the experience and all the tools and fixtures. But in some ways it was harder to keep motivated—it wasn’t as challenging. The AeroVee engine was a kit that had to be assembled. Testing the airplane with an engine that had to be assembled has been a bit more stressful. I have 41 hours in the second Sonex now. It is flying well and in less time than it took for the first. I painted the red Sonex by myself, which took three months. One of our sons and I painted the yellow Sonex in 20 days (I was the helper). The only changes I made in the second Sonex was a taller instrument panel, hydraulic brakes, and an entry step. The Sonex kits are well-designed, easy to build, and a joy to fly, and they perform well. I am 77 years old but have begun building the new single-place Onex. Now that the 40-hour flight testing is complete on the second Sonex, I am putting both the red and yellow aircraft up for sale.

ALASKA J- 3 CUB

AFTER 35 YEARS sitting out in the backyard and another 2,300 hours rebuilding, N25994 returned to the air April 23, 2011. Sporting a zero hours since major overhaul C- 85 and McCauley 1B90 7143 prop, the 72-year-old J- 3 was airborne almost instantly and climbed at 1, 100 fpm. This was a complete rebuild with the goal of making it lightweight and better than new. Starting with four new spars built up from Sitka spruce blanks and all new spar attach brackets, the wings were built using 19 of the 24 original ribs. I also disassembled both ailerons and found light intergranular corrosion under only the I/B and O/B hinge brackets, which were then doubled. After repairs, the entire airframe and all steel components were powder coated yellow to match the finished Poly-Fiber Orange Yellow top coat. With the pristine little airplane almost finished, I couldn’t find a nice cowling that fit well, so I ended up making a new one. At final sign-off, it tipped the scales at 778 pounds. Thanks to my wife, Alice, and A&P/IA mechanic Mark Kapsner for all their support and advice!