Sonex

Sonex Aircraft has presented its first high-wing design, expanding its range with a new single-engine, piston-powered configuration. The company debuted the design on its website on Tuesday. Flying spoke with Sonex Aerospace CEO Mark Schaible about the news. “We’ve been working hard to finish the two-seat jet—it’s a natural evolution for us, with niche demand,” […]

Back in 1971, Sonex Aircraft founder and president John Monnett began designing and building the first Sonerai 1 for $1,200—including a new engine—to compete in the newly-conceived Formula Vee air racing class. It wasn’t long before other builders began requesting plans for the aircraft, and John was in business, eventually offering the Sonerai in several […]

Thrill seekers who dream of building their very own personal jet to throw around the sky now have the option of bringing along a friend. Sonex Aircraft revealed the development of a two-seat version of the SubSonex single-engine jet, more details of which will be revealed soon. The new JSX-2T is being billed by the […]

Sonex, the Oshkosh, Wisconsin-based manufacturer of kitplanes including a tiny single-seat personal jet called the SubSonex, is for sale after company founder John Monnett announced his retirement following 50 years in the homebuilding industry. “I am retiring from Sonex Aircraft, but not forsaking my passion for aviation,” Monnett said in a statement. “I will continue […]

Sonex Aircraft has introduced two new airplane kits, the Sonex and Waiex B-Models. The Oshkosh, Wisconsin, plane builder says the new B models offer more room inside, more panel space, more fuel capacity, additional engine choices, and more standard features “combined with reduced build time and the same great Sonex and Waiex flight characteristics.” Sonex […]

Redge Greenberg, a pilot from Durango, Colorado, is one of the few people in the world ever to have built his own jet in his garage after completing the first customer-assembled SubSonex, serial number JSX0003. “I flew the SubSonex this morning, for about 35 minutes…all went well,” Redge wrote to inform kit manufacturer Sonex Aircraft […]

Sonex Aircraft, the Oshkosh, Wisconsin, maker of tiny kitbuilt airplanes with unusual names to go along with their unusual looks, is expanding into the military UAV market. Sonex says it has signed a business collaboration agreement with Navmar Applied Sciences Corp. for research, engineering and production of UAVs for Defense Department applications. The first project […]

Sonex Aircraft has completed the initial series of flight tests of the SubSonex JSX-2 personal jet, flying the diminutive single-seater for the first time on July 10 from the company’s home base in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, ahead of its public debut later this month at AirVenture. “Its flight characteristics can be summed up in two words: […]

At a press briefing on Sunday in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, Sonex revealed details regarding the SubSonex personal jet, including initial pricing. Sonex is accepting $10,000 refundable deposits for production slots and while the company did not announce what the final price for the single-engine jet kit will be, the company said that the first ten deposit […]

Those who know John Monnett would say he has an acerbic wit and sometimes acts like a relative of Don Rickles. But he’s also a genius, passionate about flying and far cleverer than a room full of Boeing engineers. John Monnett has had a fascinating career in aviation…without any formal training. He’s more of an […]