Monnett Sonerai
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The Sonerai is a small, VW-powered
homebuilt aircraft Homebuilt aircraft, also known as amateur-built aircraft or kit planes, are constructed by persons for whom this is not a professional activity. These aircraft may be constructed from "scratch", from plans, or from assembly kits.Armstrong, Kenn ...
,"The Sonerai I,"
GreatPlainsAS.com / Sonerai Works, retrieved November 11, 2020
designed by
John Monnett Sonex Aircraft, LLC is an American kit aircraft manufacturer located in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, producing kits for four all-metal homebuilt monoplanes. The company was founded in 1998 by John Monnett, who has designed the Monnett Sonerai sport ai ...
. The Sonerai began to compete as a single-seat, mid-wing, tailwheel Formula-V racer class formed in 1972. The Sonerai soon evolved into a two-seat model called the Sonerai II.Tacke, Willi; Marino Boric; et al: ''World Directory of Light Aviation 2015-16'', page 110. Flying Pages Europe SARL, 2015. Later versions included a low-wing Sonerai IIL, a tricycle-gear Sonerai IILT and finally the stretched Sonerai IILS and IILTS."The Sonerai II Stretch,"
GreatPlainsAS.com / Sonerai Works, retrieved November 11, 2020
John Monnett came up with the name Sonerai from a combination of the words ''Sonic and Cosmic-Ray'' Many Sonerais have been built and it remains a very popular design for people seeking a low-cost experimental aircraft with good speed and maneuverability. The airframe cost to build in 1974 was estimated at $2,500. The 2010 airframe cost is approximately $6,000 (US) and the total cost is approximately $15,000 (US) with the addition of hardware, instrumentation, engine and other required items. The time to build is between 800 and 1000 hours.


Design and development

The Sonerai I design and construction started in 1970 with the goal of a flying aircraft to be demonstrated at the 1971 EAA airshow. The aircraft was to meet the new Formula V rules and those of the Professional Race Pilots Association (PRPA) for aircraft powered by 1600cc Volkswagen engines (it will accept VW engines from 1600 to 2800cc displacement). Inspired by the
Spitfire The Supermarine Spitfire is a British single-seat fighter aircraft used by the Royal Air Force and other Allied countries before, during, and after World War II. Many variants of the Spitfire were built, from the Mk 1 to the Rolls-Royce Griff ...
, an elliptical tail profile was incorporated. Elliptical wingtips and a low-wing configuration were dropped, but a low-wing Sonerai II variant was released later. The Sonerai I was designed to use a direct drive 1,600cc VW engine and the Sonerai II was designed to use the 1700cc VW engine. The wings were designed to fold alongside the fuselage for towing without a trailer and compact storage. The Sonerai II was designed to be soloed from the rear seat. The aircraft is built around a fabric-covered steel-tube fuselage and tail, with all-aluminum wings and a fiberglass cowl. The plans cost $50 and $57 in 1974.
Great Plains Aircraft Supply Company Great Plains Aircraft Supply Company is an American aircraft manufacturer of experimental plans based primarily on the Volkswagen air-cooled engine. Great Plains provides VW engine conversions for use in experimental aircraft.Bayerl, Robby; Martin ...
held the rights to the Sonerai series of aircraft until 2015.
Sonerai Works LLC The Sonerai is a small, VW-powered homebuilt aircraft,"The Sonerai I,"
GreatPlai ...
, of
Franksville, Wisconsin Franksville is a former census-designated place (CDP) in Racine County, Wisconsin, Racine County, Wisconsin, United States. The population was 1,789 at the 2000 United States Census, 2000 census. History Originally occupied by the Potawatomi, Poto ...
, purchased the rights to Sonerai plans and parts from Great Plains in 2015. Sonerai Works LLC was formed by Fred Keip. a Sonerai IIL builder, owner, and pilot, who was ''Sonerai Newsletter'' editor and publisher 1996 –2010, and had been a technical support provider for Sonerai builders over 28 years (an EAA Technical Counselor since 1987)."SoneraiWorks LLC is Now the Supplier of Plans and Model-Specific Parts for the Sonerai Series of Sport Aircraft,"
press release, as reprinted December 10, 2014, '' Kitplanes,'' retrieved November 11, 2020
In December 2019 the design was acquired by
Sonex Aircraft Sonex Aircraft, LLC is an American kit aircraft manufacturer located in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, producing kits for four all-metal homebuilt monoplanes. The company was founded in 1998 by John Monnett, who has designed the Monnett Sonerai sport ai ...
. The aircraft is not available as a kit, and is built using plans, although some parts are available.Bayerl, Robby; Martin Berkemeier; et al: ''World Directory of Leisure Aviation 2011-12'', page 104. WDLA UK, Lancaster UK, 2011. ISSN 1368-485X


Operational history

The prototype Sonerai 1 was displayed at the Experimental Aircraft Association Airshow in
Oshkosh, Wisconsin Oshkosh is a city in Winnebago County, Wisconsin, of which it is the county seat. The city had a population of 66,816 in 2020, making it the ninth-largest city in Wisconsin. It is also adjacent to the Town of Oshkosh. History Oshkosh was ...
where Monnett eventually relocated. The aircraft was painted a bright green that became the color of all the future prototypes and company marketing. The shade was from a 1971
Dodge Charger The Dodge Charger is a model of automobile marketed by Dodge in various forms over seven generations since 1966. The first Charger was a show car in 1964. A 1965 Charger II concept car resembled the 1966 production version. The Charger has ...
John Monnett saw painted Sassy Grass Green.


World records

Brian Dempsey built a Sonerai I that set a world record. The C-1a/0 (Landplanes: takeoff weight less than 300 kg) Speed over a straight 15/25 km course of 292.15 km/h (181.53 mph / 157.74 kn) on February 19, 1989. Dempsey's record stood for 20 years. Robin Austin of Australia built a Sonerai IIL with a 100 hp Rotax engine. The aircraft has set the following FAI records for C-1a/0 (Landplanes: takeoff weight less than 300 kg). * May 17, 2008: Speed over a recognized course 404.3 km/h (251.2 mph / 218.3 kn) St. George, QLD (Australia) - Brisbane, QLD (Australia) * June 5, 2008: Aeroplane Efficiency : 29.79 km/kg Jacobs Well, QLD (Australia) * June 8, 2008: Aeroplane Efficiency 37.22 km/kg C1-b Class * July 28, 2008: Speed over a recognized course 440.0 km/h (273.4 mph / 237.6 kn) Blackall, QLD (Australia) - Rockhampton, QLD (Australia)


Variants

;Sonerai I :Single-seat
Formula V Racer Formula V Air Racing is an American motorsport that involves small aircraft using engines up to in displacement. History The proposal for Formula V has its roots in the 1964 Reno Air Races. In 1969, Air racer, Steve Wittman presented at th ...
Purdy, Don: ''AeroCrafter - Homebuilt Aircraft Sourcebook, Fifth Edition'', page 171. BAI Communications, 15 July 1998. ;Sonerai II :Two-seat, mid-wing, conventional gear ;Sonerai II-L :Two-seat, low-wing, conventional gear ;Sonerai II-LT :Two-seat, low-wing, conventional gear,
tricycle gear Tricycle gear is a type of aircraft undercarriage, or ''landing gear'', arranged in a tricycle fashion. The tricycle arrangement has a single nose wheel in the front, and two or more main wheels slightly aft of the center of gravity. Tricycle g ...
developed in 1983 ;Sonerai II-LS :Two-seat, low-wing, stretched fuselage, conventional gear ;Sonerai II-LTS :Two-seat, low-wing, stretched, tricycle gear


Specifications (Sonerai II)


See also

*
Monnett Moni __NOTOC__ The Monnett Moni is a sport aircraft developed in the United States in the early 1980s and marketed for homebuilding. Designed by John Monnett, who coined the term "air recreation vehicle" to describe it, it is a single-seat motorglid ...
*
Monnett Monerai The Monnett Monerai is a sailplane that was developed in the United States in the late 1970s for homebuilding. It is a conventional pod-and-boom design with a V-tail and a mid-mounted cantilever wing of constant chord. The kit assembles in app ...
*
Sonex Aircraft Sonex Aircraft, LLC is an American kit aircraft manufacturer located in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, producing kits for four all-metal homebuilt monoplanes. The company was founded in 1998 by John Monnett, who has designed the Monnett Sonerai sport ai ...
*
Southern Aeronautical Scamp The Southern Aeronautical Scamp is an American aircraft designed for homebuilt construction and Formula V Air Racing. Design and development The Scamp is a single place, mid-wing aircraft with conventional landing gear. The fuselage is construc ...


References

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External links

* {{Monnett aircraft Homebuilt aircraft
Sonerai The Sonerai is a small, VW-powered homebuilt aircraft,"The Sonerai I,"
GreatPlai ...
1970s United States civil utility aircraft Mid-wing aircraft Aircraft first flown in 1971 Single-engined tractor aircraft