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 drop-off in sales," increasing costs, and its bank's unwillingness to carry debts.
Owner Mark Schaible announced the closure, attributing it to a "perfect storm" of financial pressures, which will also lead to his personal bankruptcy and unemployment.
Schaible expressed hope that another entity might step in to support the global Sonex fleet and potentially complete the production of high-wing kits.

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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.