August 11, 2009: Sonex Aircraft, LLC Unveils SubSonex Jet Prototype!
What is the SubSonex? Okay, so maybe we’re guilty of a little carbon trading for the e-Flight Initiative with this aircraft, but nobody can deny that every pilot’s fantasy is to own and fly a jet! The SubSonex is designed to capitalize on new generation small turbine engines, possibly using alternative biofuels, to give pilots… Read More
Smithsonian Air & Space Magazine: “The Electric Airplane”
Smithsonian Air & Space Magazine “The Electric Airplane” by Peter Garrison Sonex Aircraft LLC’s own Pete Buck received major recognition for his part in the E-Flight Electric aircraft research & development project in a feature article appearing in the August 1, 2009 edition of Smithsonian Air & Space magazine! The article, “The Electric Airplane” by… Read More
JetWhine Aviation News Blog: “Jet & ESA Fly From Sonex Hornet’s Nest”
JetWhine Aviation News Blog “Jet & ESA Fly From Sonex Hornet’s Nest” by Scott Spangler Scott Spangler of the JetWhine aviation news blog paid the Sonex Aircraft facilities a visit to learn more about our Hornets’ Nest Research and Development projects unveiled at EAA AirVenture Oshkosh 2009. The August 31st blog post covers the E-Flight… Read More
July 22, 2009: Development Timeline; Aircraft System Integration
The Sonex Aircraft, LLC E-Flight Initiative proof-of-concept electric-powered Waiex aircraft will be on display in the Aviation Learning Center during EAA AirVenture Oshkosh 2009, located on the flight line, East of the AirVenture Forums Plaza. There will be an informational update regarding the progress of E-Flight given during the “Sonex and AeroConversions E-Flight Alternative Power… Read More
December 12, 2008: Benchmark RPM Goal Achieved
The E-Flight design team has reached a major milestone in the development of the E-Flight Electric Powerplant System’s Main Controller Unit (MCU) and Integrated Motor and Switching electronics (IMS). The E-Flight design team has been running the system at high voltage and amperage power inputs with a large bank of lead-acid batteries, simulating power levels… Read More
November 28, 2008: System Development and High Power Runs
The E-Flight design team has been steadily making progress on the electric motor and controller systems. The E-Flight Electric Motor is being run at increasingly higher power settings using a ground test bank of lead acid batteries (see video at right). As expected, development of the Main Controller Unit (MCU) and Integrated Motor and Switching… Read More
April 2, 2008: First Runs of E-Flight Electric Motor
A prototype AeroConversions E-Flight Electric Motor was first run in the fall of 2007 at low power using simple computerized commutation software. Since then, the prototype Hall effect sensing system for the motor has been built and tested, and the prototype E-Flight Electronic Motor Controller has been built and is currently being tested and refined…. Read More
July 24, 2007: AirVenture 2007 E-Flight Roll-Out
The Sonex Aircraft, LLC E-Flight Initiative was officially unveiled at a Tuesday, July 24 press conference held on AeroShell Square at EAA AirVenture Oshkosh 2007. The unveiling included a proof-of-concept prototype electric powerplant installed in a Waiex airframe and the event was kicked-off with opening remarks by EAA President Tom Poberezny. During the press conference,… Read More
First Customer-Built Xenos Takes Flight!
Please note that links on older archive pages are often not active. These pages serve purely as an informational archive. If you have trouble obtaining the information you need from this site, please email the webmaster with your questions. Congratulations to Craig Jones of Austin, Minnesota, whose AeroVee powered Xenos (S/N X0011) flew for the… Read More
Xenos Development Archive 5: Stall and Spin Testing the Xenos Motor Glider
July 2, 2004: Tested and Written by Roger Tanner 3300 Jabiru powered Xenos prototype N212XS owned by Pete Buck. (Photo by Roger Tanner) Roger Tanner The Xenos is a new motor glider based on the popular Sonex family of sport planes design by Pete Buck and John Monnett of Sonex, ltd. Pete and I both… Read More
