Fri, Aug 24, 2007
Sport Trainer, Sport Acro Take Flight
Sonex Aircraft, LLC flew two new factory prototype aircraft in
the month of August. Sonex Sport Trainer S/N 0007 made its maiden
flight on August 3 with Sonex CEO Jeremy Monnett at the controls
(shown below).
On August 9, the Sonex Sport Acro (Sonex S/N 0008) took to the
sky for the first time with Sonex founder and President John
Monnett behind the stick.
The Oshkosh, WI-based planemaker tells ANN both planes have been
ready to fly since April of this year... but FAA certification
paperwork delays pushed airworthiness inspection on the aircraft
out until just prior to EAA AirVenture 2007.
Both aircraft will be used for E-Flight Initiative testing of
ethanol fuels and other efficiency enhancements. The Sport Acro
will be put through the paces of IAC Primary and Sportsman class
aerobatic routines as part of its flight test program, to prove the
aircraft's suitability for entry-level competition.
During the August 9 Sport Acro test flight, John Monnett
performed initial evaluations of the effectiveness of the
aircraft's enlarged ailerons, rolling the aircraft at
near-full-rate to high bank angles of less than 90 degrees.
"It rolls like a Sonerai I!" Monnett reportedly commented after
landing.
Sonex says the enlarged Sport Acro ailerons will be available
for any Sonex or Waiex airframe... but the true Sport Acro
configuration, optimized for entry-level aerobatic competitions,
will probably utilize the single-pilot cockpit configuration shown
in the photos above and below.
The Sport Acro cockpit will also sport a fuselage cross-tie
bump-out to accomodate a parachute, along with the enlarged single
pilot rudder pedals.
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