Your Published Specs say a Sonex can cruise at 170 mph. Aren't you too fast for Sport Pilot?
All Sonex Aircraft models, with all approved engine options, qualify as Light Sport Aircraft. If you look closely at the Light Sport Aircraft Envelope above, you'll see that the FARs define max speed at Vh. Vh is defined as maximum continuous power setting, which is set by each engine manufacturer's operating specifications. The rule goes further, specifying that speed at Vh must be measured under the following conditions: speed in level flight with maximum continuous power (Vh) of not more than 120 kts (138 mph) CAS (Calibrated Air Speed) under standard atmospheric conditions at sea level. In a standard-gear, Jabiru 3300 powered Sonex or Waiex, our CAS under those conditions is 136 mph. Flying a cross-country in a Jabiru 3300 powered Sonex or Waiex, however, we can climb-up to 8,000 feet and see a True Air Speed of 170 mph at 75 percent power, and it's still perfectly legal under the Light Sport Aircraft rules. |