Gary Motley: Sonex# 1155

With so many Sonex-related videos available on YouTube, we can't possibly keep-up with it all on this web site. We do our best to post videos that are inspiring to other Sonex Aircraft builders, or that show-off the capabilities of our products particuarly well. This video from Gary Motley certainly checks-off both criteria, showing his AeroVee powered Sonex through several aerobatic manuevers and in cruise flight at 14,000 ft over the Rockies. "Perhaps some of these videos of an Aerovee powered Sonex at extremes of the flying envelope might help," wrote Gary, to which we say "Keep 'em coming!"

• Sonex Aerobatics; lots of spins and flight atop the Colorado Continental Divide
  

Craig Ritson: Sonex# 540

Sonex builder Craig Ritson has created some beautiful videos with his Jabiru 2200 powered Sonex# 540, experimenting with external GoPro video camera mounts and some fun flying. Craig's story is inspiring, in that he was able to construct his Sonex despite serious permanent injuries to his arm and hand. Check-out the fruits of his labor in the following videos:

• Sonex Spring Flight
   
• Sonex Rolls over Rochester NY
  

Michael Farley: Waiex# 56

Waiex builder Mike Farley achieved First Flight of his aircraft on April 2nd, 2012. He wrote us a few days later wanting to share his experiences with others via the following article:

• My Life With A Waiex... (article)
  

Michael Jackson: Xenos# 42

Michael Jackson first captured our attention by constructing his Xenos Motorglider SN#42 within the confines his New Jersey townhouse (see article from link below). Michael has since completed and flown his Xenos, and has provided the videos below:

• XENOS N42XE Soaring Flight (video)
   
• XENOS Cranking 'n Banking (video)
   
• Where There's a Will, There's a Way: Building Xenos 42 in a Jersey City Townhouse (article)
  

Mike January: Waiex# 23

Mike January has been flying his AeroVee powered Tri-Gear Waiex #23 in his home state of Florida since 2007. Mike sent us the following four cockpit perspective flight videos:

• Waiex 23 view from the cockpit- Discovery Launch (last launch of Space Shuttle Discovery)
   
• Waiex 23 view from the cockpit-Part 1
   
• Waiex 23 view from the cockpit-Part 2
   
• Waiex 23 view from the cockpit- Cedar Key Landing
  

Kip Laurie: Waiex# 82

Waiex Kip Laurie sent-along four neat videos showing his Jabiru 3300 powered Waiex in-flight, even showing aerobatics including spins. If Kip's tail-view camera doesn't answer the common question as-to whether there is any difference in handling between a Waiex and a Sonex, nothing will!

• Waiex Flying (wingtip mount camera)
   
• Waiex Cockpit View
   
• WaiexTailView1 (fuselage mount camera looking aft at tail)
   
• Waiex Tailview #2 (tail mount camera looking forward)
   
• KittyHawk (takeoff over Kitty Hawk and aerobatics over the ocean)
  

Ted Staton: Xenos# 32

Xenos builder Ted Staton sent us another annual "Cleco de Mayo" email on May 5, 2011 with some in-flight footage of soaring in his AeroVee powered Xenos. Notice the altimeter and variometer in the climbs, not to mention the easy AeroVee in-flight starting!

• Xenos Climbs
   
• Xenos Gliding
  

Karl Storjohann: Sonex# 1178

Sonex Builder Karl Storjohann (S/N 1178) completed his Jabiru 3300, Std-Gear aircraft early in 2011 and wrote about it for EAA's Experimenter newsletter. The article shows Karl's excitement and perserverence in completing his project!

• The Joy is Repeated: Completion of a Sonex
  

Steve Nelson & Chris Dearden: Xenos# 35

Xenos builders Steve Nelson and Chris Dearden took some nice video, including air-to-air footage, of the first flight of their Xenos# 35 in August, 2010.

• A Xenos Will Fit
   
• Winter Thermals
   
• Xenos First Flight
  
  

Jim Arbore: Xenos# 28

Xenos builder Jim Arbore brought his polished, Jabiru 3300 powered Xenos# 28 to EAA AirVenture Oshkosh 2010 for the second year in a row, and made a beautiful slide-show video of the journey to the tune of "Silver Wings".

• Silver Wings
  

Jim Ballenger: Sonex# 760; Pete Pearson: Sonex# 1051

Sonex builders Jim Ballenger and Pete Pearson flew their Sonex Aircraft for the first time on the same day. Read Pete's brief account of two friends building and flying together.

• A Tale of Two Sonexes
  

Stuart Trist: Sonex# 181

Big Country, Small Plane: 2,400 miles across the Australian outback in Sonex #181 (1.10mb PDF File)

Whoever said the Sonex is not a "touring aircraft?" I think I have given my tri-gear Sonex with a Jabiru 2200 engine a serious testing in long distance touring and it has proved more than capable of the mission, keeping pace with the average GA aircraft burning more than double the fuel.

Read More! (1.10mb PDF File)

Tom Huebbe: Sonex# 764 & Mark Huebbe: Sonex# 24

Sonex builder Tom Huebbe has been flying his Sonex (S/N 764) since Spring, 2007 and has produced several videos about flying his "Silver Bullet" with his sons Mark and John. Among our favorites are the following videos:

• Fall Colors - Flying high above
   
• Hot Summer Days - Get-a-way
   
• Smoke On
   
• 2010 American Sonex Association Fly-In
   
• Summer Days in a Sonex
   
• Tommy Georges's 2010 Fly-In
   
• Fly Bys, with Tom Huebbe
   
• Sonex# 24 First Flight
   
• Flying Around at Tommy George's
   
  
• Lake Barkley Trip
  


• Crossville 2008
  


• Tommy's Fly-In 2008 with Sonex

Aaron Knight: Sonex# 1024

Sonex builder Aaron Knight (S/N 1024) has been having a blast with his Sonex ever since his first flight of the aircraft in the summer of 2008.

• Aaron & Moriah's Bahamas Sonex Flying Adventure!
  


• Aaron & Moriah's Sonex Niagara Trip
  


• Aaron & Elisha's Sonex trip to the Bahamas Out-Islands + Turks & Caicos
  


• Aaron & Isaiah's Sonex trip to the Bahamas Out-Islands
  


• Aaron & Elisha's Mass to Grand Canyon SONEX Trip
  


• Flipping the World Around in a Sonex
  


• Sonex Air to Air Aerobatics+Maneuvers 8/08
  
  

Phil Simon and Jerry Bassler: Sonex# 492

Build Partners Phil Simon and Jerry Bassler of San Rafael, California first flew Sonex# 492 in February 2006, and have since flown many long cross countries in the aircraft. On July 21, 2008 the aircraft touched-down in Maryland, completing Simon's goal of landing their AeroVee-powered Sonex in all of the lower-48 United States!

"Our Sonex is the perfect airplane," writes Phil Simon. "Lots of fun to do basic aerobatics in (loops & rolls) and enjoyable to fly cross country in. The little AeroVee engine is bullet proof... Building the Sonex & the AeroVee were two of the most rewarding things I have ever done."

• July, 2008: The Last 12 of all Lower-48 United States
  


• September-October, 2007: 32 States
  


• August, 2006: 10 States
  
  

Much More to Come!

Stay-tuned to this page as we post new stories and videos as they come-in! If you'd like to submit your own Sonex Flying Stories, email them to: sales@sonexaircraft.com