- Monnett Sonerai
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Sonerai 
Sonerai 2 Role Homebuilt aircraft Manufacturer Monett Aircraft Designer John Monnett First flight 1971 Introduction 1971 The Sonerai is a small, VW powered homebuilt aircraft designed by John Monnett. The Sonerai began to compete as a single seat mid-wing Formula-V racer class formed in 1972. The Sonerai soon evolved into a two-seat model called the Sonerai II. Later versions included a low wing Sonerai IIL, a tricycle gear Sonerai IILT and finally the stretched Sonerai IILS and IILST.
John Monnett came up with the name Sonerai from a combination of the words Sonic and Cosmic-Ray [1] 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.[2]
Contents
Design
The Sonerai I was designed to use the 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 with all aluminum wings and a fiberglass nose cowl. The plans cost $50 and $57 in 1974.[3]
Great Plains Aircraft Supply Company currently holds the rights to the Sonerai series of aircraft. The aircraft is not available as a kit, and can be assembled using plans only.
Operational history
The protoype Sonerai 1 was displayed at the Experimental Aircraft Association Airshow in Oshkosh, Wisconsin 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 John Monnett saw painted Sassy Grass Green.[4]
World Records
Brian Dempsey built a Sonerai I that holds a world record. The C-1a/0 (Landplanes: take off weight less than 300 kg) Speed over a straight 15/25 km course of 292.15 km/h on February 19, 1989.[5]
Robin Austin of Australia built a Sonerai IIL with a 100hp Rotax engine. The aircraft has set the following FAI records for C-1a/0 (Landplanes: take off weight less than 300 kg).[6]
- Aeroplane Efficiency : 29.79 km/kg 05/06/2008 Jacobs Well, QLD (Australia)
- Speed over a recognised course 404.3 km/h 17 May 2008 St. George, QLD (Australia) - Brisbane, QLD (Australia))
- Speed over a recognised course 440.0 km/h 28 Jul 2008 Blackall, QLD (Australia)- Rockhampton, QLD (Australia))
- Aeroplane Efficiency 37.22 km/kg 08 Jun 2008 C1-b Class
Variants
Sonerai I single seat racer
Sonerai II Fuselage- Sonerai I
- Single-seat Formula V Racer
- Sonerai II
- Two-seat mid-wing
- Sonerai IIL
- Two-seat low-wing
- Sonerai IILT
- Two-seat low-wing tricycle gear
- Sonerai IILS
- Two-seat low-wing stretch fuselage
- Sonerai IILST
- Two-seat low-wing stretch tricycle gear
Specifications (Sonerai II)
Sonerai IILGeneral characteristics
- Crew: 1
- Length: 18 ft 10 in (5.74 m)
- Wingspan: 18 ft 8 in (5.69 m)
- Empty weight: 520 lb (236 kg)
- Max takeoff weight: 950 lb (431 kg)
- Powerplant: 1 × Volkswagen air cooled engine air-cooled flat-four
Performance
- Maximum speed: 170 kn; 320 km/h (200 mph)
- Cruise speed: 126 kn; 233 km/h (145 mph)
- Stall speed: 39 kn; 72 km/h (45 mph)
- Range: 347 nmi (399 mi; 643 km)
- Rate of climb: 500 ft/min (2.5 m/s)
See also
References
- ^ {cite magazine|magazine=Sport Aviation|date=May 1991|title=Bob Barton's Sonerai IIL|author=Bob Barton}}
- ^ "Sport Aircraft History". Great Plains Aircraft. http://www.greatplainsas.com/soneraihistory.html. Retrieved 2008-10-08.
- ^ "Flying Twins your choice of one or two". Popular Mechanics. Aug 1974.
- ^ Jim Cunningham. John Monnett from Sonerai to Sonex.
- ^ "FAI world Records". http://records.fai.org/general_aviation/current.asp?id1=16&id2=1. Retrieved 7 October 2010.
- ^ Robin Austin (October 2010). "Four World Records". Sport Aviation.
External links
Aircraft designed by John Monnett Lists relating to aviation General Aircraft (manufacturers) · Aircraft engines (manufacturers) · Airlines (defunct) · Airports · Civil authorities · Museums · Registration prefixes · Rotorcraft (manufacturers) · TimelineMilitary Accidents/incidents Records Categories:- Homebuilt aircraft
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