Aviation Tragic

As a bit of an Aviation tragic, I've set this blog up to follow the build of my second kit plane. This page, being a reminder and a record for myself, so I can look back on, hopefully years from now, and ask  why I ever decided to build a second one.

I think mainly I wanted to build a second plane so that I could actually enjoy the experience this time. The first kit plane I bought, I was actually lucky to receive, as basically the company went broke after I had paid in full for the kit. I did however receive the kit two years later in a somewhat frazzled frame of mind about  it and really had had quite enough before I even started. Well the kit came and I finally finished it four years later, but I can't say it was a good experience. What I did learn from it, was to buy kit aircraft of which there are lots flying already, one which has an easy to follow plan and a design that someone else has done all the experimenting on for you. It won't take the EXPERIMENTAL out of the plane, but it will take the experimenting out. I guess only those who have built planes before will really understand.

So I'd basically decided I would build a Sonex.  I went to Oshkosh during Airventure 2013 to have a look at the planes properly and to try them on for size.  I checked out as many other planes as I could and talked to the manufacturers to gauge their approachability.  However, I don't know if it was my mindset or not, but the Sonex stand stood out like a beacon. I talked to Jeremy who was kind enough to give me about thirty minutes of  his time. He patiently talked all about the new quick build options, my current aerovee installation in my Aeropup Aircraft and the new turbo option, then yet to be released, and the hurdles facing its release. Joe Norris and and few others were very helpful regarding the info and statistics I seemed obsessed with, like the cruise speed haha. I have to add a big thanks to Mark Schaible as well for making the purchase go ahead without hurdles. As I write this the kit will be due for pick up from Fremantle port next week. All this wouldn't have happened without the team at Sonex being an easy company to deal with.  The factory tour was also a great thing to be part of and I really enjoyed meeting the rest of the crew and to see how the whole operation worked.

So hopefully if you decide to follow this blog whilst I build this new plane you'll get a good feeling for how much time and patience it really takes to undertake a project like this. Maybe it will inspire a few others to see the rewards and thrills an undertaking like this can achieve.

-Brett