Sonex Highwing Update: Data, Pricing, and Videos – Orders Now Accepted!

Sonex Highwing Kit Pricing:

Complete Kits:

• Complete Airframe Kit: $39,000
• Quick Build Kit: $55,000
• Tri-Gear Option for Complete Airframe Kit or Quick Build Kit: $1,250

Sub-Kit Pricing:

• Tail Kit: $2,250
• Fuselage Kit: $15,600
• Fuselage Quick Build Upgrade: $10,000
• Wing Kit: $15,000
• Wing Quick Build option not available separate from fuselage purchase
• Gear & Controls Kit: $6,200
• Tri-Gear Option for Gear & Controls Kit: $1,250
• Kit Minus Tail Package: $36,750

 

Buy Your Highwing Today!

Kit Reservation Deposit: $500 Tail Kits Available for $2,250 Complete Airframe Kit: $39,000 (base price) Highwing Quick Build Kit: $55,000 (base price) Highwing Kits: See All Pricing and Order Now!   Sonex-B PDF Order Form The Bottom Line: What Will My Highwing Cost? Shipments Begin Year-End 2025! Kit Reservation Deposits are refundable less a $50 cancellation fee. Deposits for Complete Airframe Kits, Quick Build Kits and Sub-Kits are non-refundable. See Sonex Terms & Conditions for details.

Stall Testing

Stalls with 360 cam: look around the entire cabin!
 

Flight Data Collected Since First Flight:

Stall Speeds:

• Flaps Zero: 53.9 mph
• Flaps 14: 50.75 mph
• Flaps 30 (full flaps): 46.26 mph

Climb:

• Climb, solo (aerobatic tips – short wingspan configuration): 1475 fpm at 95mph and 2745 RPM*

Level Flight Speeds:

• Level Flight Cruise: 150 mph IAS, 160 mph TAS at 2500 feet and 2800 RPM*
• Level Flight Top Speed, WOT: 160 mph IAS, 170 mph TAS at 2700 feet and 3000 RPM*

We can honestly say that we have encountered no unpleasant surprises or gripes. The Highwing handles beautifully as predicted (like a Sonex), and is crisp, solid and predictable in all phases of flight. The UL Power UL350iS has also performed exceptionally, with no cooling problems so-far during the engine break-in phase, and offers lots of power on-tap. The exceptional cooling of the engine that we’ve experienced allowed us to perform the brief WOT level flight run shown above with no concerns for engine’s health, although the engine is still in its break-in period.

*Propeller Pitch
We have discovered that the Sensenich prop currently installed on the aircraft could use a couple more inches of pitch. The WOT static RPM range (with the aircraft tied down) for this engine is 2700-2750 RPM, and we’re currently seeing 2790. We are working with Sensenich and UL Power to get this dialed-in, and we expect level flight speeds to increase with a re-pitched propeller. We have been somewhat limited in test flight altitudes by weather, and the cruise speeds observed so-far at low altitudes with an under-pitched prop are exciting. True airspeeds at 8,000 feet should be outstanding, and performance with other supported engine options should be quite good as-well. As discussed in earlier project updates, we’ll be performing reduced power tests (once we have the correct propeller pitch installed) to better estimate performance with other engines.

Stall Speeds and Climb Performance
The numbers above for stall and climb performance are with the aerobatic (short span) wing tips installed. We will see increased climb performance with the full span tips installed, which we’ll have in a couple months, and the propeller adjustments mentioned above stands to optimize climb performance as well. Stall speeds will also benefit from the full span wing tip configuration, but the current stall speeds (tested solo for now) show that we are very safely within the limitations of the proposed new MOSAIC Sport Pilot and Light Sport Aircraft regulations, even if no changes are made to the NPRM. Rumor has it that a major announcement regarding MOSAIC will be made this week at AirVenture, so stay tuned!

Weight & Balance
The taildragger Sonex Highwing prototype does not have its aux. wing tanks installed yet (tanks will be arriving in approximately 8 weeks), and it weighs just-under 820 lbs. with the short aerobatic wing tips. We do have a heavier panel install with the dual screen 10” Dynon displays however. We are currently publishing 820 lbs. as the “Basic Empty Weight”, which would include the aerobatic configuration. This is basically the lightest that you can build the aircraft, and the UL Power installation is the lightest FWF installation among our supported options of AeroVee Turbo, Jabiru 3300, UL Power and Rotax (yes, Rotax installs weigh more by the time all accessories are installed and coolant is added).

From a CG perspective, we’re in good shape, but our prototype could benefit from a traditional Odyssey battery vs. the EarthX that we currently have installed with regard to getting the most out of baggage capacity. Considering all of the above, builders should anticipate finished aircraft weights trending towards 850+ lbs. with paint, slightly heavier FWF installations, etc. Download our current Weight & Balance for N225SH.

Tricycle Gear:
We will be starting construction on the Tricycle Gear in late August or September. The gear configuration is traditional and similar to the rest of our aircraft with direct nosewheel steering, so we have no concerns about the performance or handling of the Tri-Gear variant. Weight impact of tricycle gear installation is expected to be less-than 10 lbs. of added weight.

Deposit Statistics and Lead Times:
As of this date we have 71 current Sonex Highwing Kit Reservatoin Deposit customers. Out of the 73 total deposits received since February, we have only received two cancellations, which is a great indication of the level of serious interest in the aircraft and the level of satisfaction with how the aircraft has taken shape in our published project updates. Out of our 71 deposit holders, 33 have expressed interest in Complete Airframe Kits or Sub-Kits, while 33 have expressed interest in a Quick Build Kit (four deposit holders responded as Undecided about kit type).

Based on our current numbers, lead times for Complete Airframe Kits and Sub-Kits will be very reasonable at approximately 16-20 weeks. We will be expanding our Quick Build Assembly department to handle increased volume anticipated for the Highwing. Quick Build Kits take longer to produce, as they are hand assembled by our staff here in Oshkosh. We will assembling Quick Build Kits in large batches of approximately 5-7 or more at a time as we retool our facilities and onboard additional staff, using every square inch of our current facility and performing each build task “round robin” to each airframe in the batch. The earliest Quick Build Kits will ship in Spring/early Summer of 2026. Later serial numbers among the first 33 Quick Builds will likely ship in 2027.

See the Highwing at AirVenture!
Check-out the Sonex Highwing at our Sonex Open House & Homecoming Fly-In this Sunday, July 20th, and in our Exibit Booth at EAA AirVenture Oshkosh 2025!