Waiex-B News – Sonex Aircraft

New: Upgraded Tail Kits for Xenos Builders!

waiex29 — Fri, 29 Sep 2023 22:19:08 +0000

Sonex is excited to announce new, easier to build Xenos Tail Kits! All new Xenos Tail Kits now feature finished matched-hole stabilizer structure channels and new machined parts. This upgrade brings the Xenos up-to-speed with all other Sonex aircraft tail kits and is the final installment in a series of Xenos matched-hole kit upgrades. Like all tail kits, the new Xenos Tail Kit is compatible with both legacy Xenos build projects as-well as the current Xenos B-Model.

NEW & IMPROVED: Xenos-B Tail Kit
Xenos-B Tail Kit: $2,175 Order Now! Upgrade your Existing Xenos Tail Kit for $521

Xenos-B Tail Kit: $2,175
Order Now!

Upgrade your Existing Xenos Tail Kit for $521

Sonex has been continually upgrading Xenos Motorglider kits through the years to help make the largest of our kit aircraft models easier to build, and to speed production of Xenos Quick Build Kits as-well as the Teros UAS.

Matched-Hole Formed Parts replace the pre-formed long channel sections previously supplied in our kits with finished parts with all bends complete and pilot holes matching skins and other internal structure parts.

Learn More About the Xenos-B Motorglider

See More Sonex Kit Features & Options!

Matched-Hole Formed Parts save a lot of work vs. older kits.

New Xenos Tail Kit Matched-Hole Parts (New Machined Parts Not Shown).

New: Announcing Dual Stick Option for B-Models!

waiex29 — Tue, 25 Apr 2023 20:23:29 +0000

Sonex is excited to announce a new option for Sonex, Waiex and Xenos B-Models: Dual Sticks! Thanks to popular demand, we have created an optional Dual Stick installation for all B-Model aircraft, and are making a retrofit package available to customers wishing to convert their existing aircraft.

B-Model Dual Stick Retrofit Kit
SNB-C04-Dual: $1,500 Order Now! Retrofit Kit Lead Time: 10-12 Weeks Upgrade a New Kit Order for $760!

SNB-C04-Dual: $1,500
Order Now!

Retrofit Kit Lead Time: 10-12 Weeks
Upgrade a New Kit Order for $760!

This change includes a new Universal Seat Pan installation that accommodates both Center and Dual Stick configuration installations and features a removable forward seat pan to improve access for autopilot servo installations, and installation & service of avionics sensor boxes or antennas. The removable Forward Seat Pan installs via piano hinge and includes cover plates for unused center stick or dual stick locations.

New B-Model kit orders can be upgraded with dual sticks for $760 and existing customers may retrofit their kit or flying aircraft via a $1,500 B-Model Dual Stick Retrofit Package. The Dual Stick installation represents a weight increase of approximately 2.25 lbs. vs. Center Stick Installation. Dual Stick B-Model Upholstery options are coming soon.

NOTE: No Parts Exchanges or Returns are accepted for Center Stick Configuration Parts. Dual Stick Retrofit Kit lead time is approximately 10-12 weeks. Existing kit order customers may add the Dual Stick Upgrade to their kit orders by contacting Sonex Customer Service (some parts may be backordered and ship separately).

Learn More About the Sonex-B

Learn More About the Waiex-B

Learn More About the Xenos-B Motorglider

Dual Stick Installation with Forward Seat Pan Removed.

Center Stick Installation with Forward Seat Pan Removed.

Dual Stick Installation with Forward Seat Pan Installed.

Center Stick Installation with Forward Seat Pan Installed.

View Looking Aft: Universal Seat Installation with Forward Seat Pan Removed.

View Looking Forward: Universal Seat Installation with Forward Seat Pan Installed.

Single Cover Plate Installed for Dual Stick Installation.

Two Cover Plates Installed for Center Stick Installation.

One Week Wonder Waiex Flies!

waiex29 — Thu, 18 Aug 2022 22:48:16 +0000

The AirVenture 2022 One Week Wonder Waiex-B made its maiden flight early this morning here in Oshkosh! Flown by EAA and Sonex alumn Joe Norris, the Rotax 912iS powered, standard gear Waiex-B serial number WXB66OWW made a brief shake-down first flight. Initial rate of climb information indicated over 1600 feet per minute and overall performance was very good. More images, videos and performance data will be released as the test flight process continues!

Thank you to all the volunteers, EAA staff, Sonex staff and donors for helping to make this build happen! The One Week Wonder was built during AirVenture 2022, going from Complete Airframe Kit to first taxi in 6-1/2 days. See photos and video coverage of the One Week Wonder in our AirVenture 2022 Wrap-Up!

Learn More About the Waiex-B!

View the Latest Sonex Aircraft Completions

First Flight Pilot Joe Norris and EAA’s Charlie Becker give a thumbs-up with the Sonex launch crew after the One Week Wonder’s successful first flight!

Joe Norris straps-in to the One Week Wonder Waiex-B as he prepares to take it on its maiden flight.

WE DID IT! One Week Wonder Completed!

waiex29 — Mon, 01 Aug 2022 15:31:09 +0000

The One Week Wonder at EAA AirVenture Oshkosh is in the books: WE DID IT! Waiex B-Model N220WW taxied under its own power at the end of the air show on Sunday, July 31st capping off AirVenture 2022 and an heroic effort by One Week Wonder volunteers, Sonex staff, EAA staff and One Week Wonder sponsors. Thank you to all for making this giant undertaking a success and thank you to everyone who stopped by to pop a rivet in the aircraft and cheer us on! More to come in pictures and videos about the One Week Wonder and Sonex exhibit operations at AirVenture 2022… after we get some sleep!

Learn More About the Waiex-B and Order One Today!

Sonex Aircraft to be EAA One Week Wonder in 2022!

waiex29 — Sat, 07 Aug 2021 16:29:00 +0000

Every EAA AirVenture Oshkosh show is itself a “One Week Wonder,” and the One Week Wonder aircraft project is set to return in 2022 as a Waiex-B Complete Airframe Kit! The Fun Meter on the shirt of EAA’s Charlie Becker was pegged as he officially announced Sonex Aircraft’s selection for the 2022 project. The planning is already underway as we work with EAA to coordinate the use of hundreds of AirVenture volunteers to build a Waiex kit in a single week, taxiing the aircraft by the closing day of the show and flying it just after the event.

Learn More About the Waiex-B!

See All Sonex Aircraft Kit Building Options!

B-Model Hardware Kits Available

waiex29 — Wed, 21 Dec 2016 19:41:58 +0000

Sonex Aircraft, LLC is pleased to announce that Hardware Kits from WBParts are now available for Sonex-B and Waiex-B aircraft!

WBParts SmartKits are provided in sturdy impact-resistant plastic toolbox drawer assemblies that are organized, labeled and filled by hardware type and include QR codes for easy re-ordering.

Effective December 21st, all new Sonex-B and Waiex B Complete Airframe Kit, Kit-Minus-Tail Package and Quick Build Kit orders will include WBParts SmartKit hardware packages with updated kit pricing, and SmartKits can also be purchased separately from the Sonex Web Store. Additionally, B-Model Hardware Lists are now available for download from our Hardware web page.

SmartKits bring Six-Sigma / Lean Manufacturing principles to the kit builder’s hangar. SmartKits save time and organization, and shortens overall time to completion. Genuine component parts are in each SmartKit and provide manufacturing trace. SmartKits will keep your parts more organized, giving a more enjoyable and fulfilling kit-building experience. Best of all SmartKits can increase the ease of FAA Airworthiness inspection because they incorporate FAA Safety Values.

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B-Model Test Flight Video Now Available!

waiex29 — Fri, 02 Sep 2016 18:51:45 +0000

Sonex Aircraft has just released the first flying video of our new B-Model series of aircraft! Ride along with Joe Norris of Sonex Aircraft during the B-Model flight test process in Red One, our Waiex-B prototype. Red One is AeroVee Turbo powered and the flight test process has revealed no surprises — it flies exactly like a Sonex and meets all published B-Model specs! Speed with the AeroVee Turbo and the cleaned-up B-Model cowling is impressive, with top speeds over 190mph TAS at 8,500 feet. Without trying too hard the airplane cruises at 150 mph TAS at about 3500-4000 ft. Climb rates have averaged 1100-1200 fpm as more of a “performance climb,” and about 800 fpm in “cruise climb.”

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B-Model Kits Added to FAA NKET Eligible Kit List!

waiex29 — Fri, 19 Aug 2016 19:06:28 +0000

Sonex Aircraft is pleased to announce that FAA National Kit Evaluation Team (NKET) checklists for the new Sonex-B and Waiex-B-Model kits, and the new Xenos Motorglider Quick Build Kit have been added to the FAA’s online list of eligible kits! Listing on the FAA’s kit list signifies that an aircraft kit may allow an amateur builder to meet the major portion, or “51 percent rule,” requirement of 14 CFR section 21.191(g) for experimental/amateur-built aircraft.

More information about the NKET process, along with links to our current kit checklists may be found on our Aircraft Certification Page.

Builders use these checklists to simplify the airworthiness inspection process for their completed aircraft. NKET checklists are especially important for kit sales in many foreign markets, where U.S. Experimental Amateur Built rules are often used as boilerplate definitions of their own regulations.

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First B-Model Sonex and Waiex Kits Have Shipped!

waiex29 — Thu, 30 Jun 2016 18:57:33 +0000

Sonex Aircraft is excited to announce the first customer shipments of Sonex-B and Waiex-B kits! Two Waiex-B Kit Minus Tail packages and one Sonex-B Wing Conversion Kit left our warehouse this afternoon, with several more kits scheduled to ship over the coming weeks!

This event marks a significant milestone in an intensive new aircraft development program that only began last Fall. Our thanks and congratulations go-out to the entire Sonex Aircraft team who worked so hard to design, prototype, test, produce, organize, market, sell, pack and ship this new aircraft model in such a short period of time. We are very excited for early B-Model customers to experience all of the enhancements and the high quality put into these new kits.

Progress continues on the first customer B-Model Quick Build Kits, which will begin shipping immediately after EAA AirVenture Oshkosh 2016, and will be on-display in the Sonex shop for viewing during Sonex factory tours throughout the show!

The B-Model will be on-display in the Sonex Aircraft booth at AirVenture 2016, Booth# 622 in the North Aircraft Display Area. Be sure to check it out!

See How our Kits are Packed and Shipped!

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B-Model Conversion Technical Data Published

waiex29 — Thu, 12 May 2016 19:31:00 +0000

The Sonex Aircraft engineering team has published a B-Model Conversion Process Description technical document to help builders define conversion kit “start” points: PDF Download

We’ve also published a list of Legacy Kit Parts NOT Used in B-Model Conversions: PDF Download
Keep in-mind that this parts list is preliminary and subject to change without notice. Also remember that Sonex cannot accept returns or exchanges on these parts.

Several new images have been uploaded to the B-Model Image Gallery, including images of our first Waiex-B prototype, “The Spirit of Red One”! See the new images and download the above resources from the Sonex-B and Waiex-B home pages!

Please Read: Special B-Model Conversion Kit Considerations

No exchanges of legacy Sonex or Waiex parts are available.
Builders will have to get their projects to a defined “starting point” for conversion. That may mean either building-up to the point where changes begin to take place, or removing parts to get “back” to the starting point of conversion changes. See our B-Model Conversion Process Description document for more information.
Depending upon a project’s status and condition, builders may need to fabricate or purchase replacement legacy (A-Model) parts at additional expense that are not part of the conversion kit. This will be more likely if builders need to remove parts to return to the conversion’s defined “starting point.”
No “partial conversions” will be supported — Sonex Aircraft can only offer support for construction as defined in the plans that are provided for conversion.
Wing conversion kits do not include new B-Model wing skins, as the conversion is most economically made by trimming existing wing skins. Builders may opt to purchase new B-Model wing skins at additional expense.
Builders must retain their original legacy plans set with their projects and legacy aircraft serial numbers will not be valid for building additional projects. Legacy aircraft that have been converted will receive a version of their original serial number that includes a conversion designator.
See our list of legacy Sonex and Waiex kit parts NOT used in B-Model Conversions (preliminary, subject to change without notice).

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