News

Sonex Aircraft Closes Doors Amid ‘Severe Drop-Off in Sales’

Owner Mark Schaible cites ‘perfect storm’ of debt and falling demand, ruling out 11th-hour rescue.

Monday, March 30, 2026 at 10:00 AM ET

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Sonex, a metal kit aircraft company that has been around since 1998, shuts down operations. [Credit: Sonex Aircraft]

Key Takeaways:

Sonex Aircraft has immediately ceased operations, citing a severe decline in sales, increasing costs, and its bank's unwillingness to extend credit.
Owner Mark Schaible attributed the closure to a "perfect storm" of financial pressures, which also led to his personal bankruptcy and the unemployment of staff.
Despite the shutdown, the company's founder and owner are seeking a party interested in supporting the existing worldwide Sonex fleet and completing outstanding high-wing kit orders.

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Sonex Aircraft announced Saturday it is closing its doors immediately. The shutdown was announced in a video message by owner Mark Schaible, who attributed the decision to a “severe drop-off in sales and our bank’s unwillingness to carry forward our debts.”

Sonex Aircraft was founded in 1998 by John Monnett in Oshkosh, Wisconsin. The metal low-wing aircraft quickly became a favorite among home aircraft builders. Schaible joined the company in 2003 and became its owner in 2022.

Meg Godlewski has been an aviation journalist for more than 24 years and a CFI for more than 20 years. If she is not flying or teaching aviation, she is writing about it. Meg is a founding member of the Pilot Proficiency Center at EAA AirVenture and excels at the application of simulation technology to flatten the learning curve. Follow Meg on Twitter @2Lewski.