Photos courtesy of Sonex
John Monnett started the kit airplane manufacturing company Sonex in Illinois in the 1970s, but it eventually found its way to Oshkosh — the hobby’s mecca. Today it is owned by hobbyist turned EAA photographer turned manufacturer Mark Schaible, a Rochester, New York native who also found his way to Oshkosh because of his aviation passion.
Sonex currently sells kits for making the Sonex-B — an all-metal, two-place monoplane; the Waiex-B — a Y-tail version of the Sonex; the single-seat Onex; the glider known as Xenos-B; and SubSonex — a “personal jet,” as well as plans for the original Sonex and the original Sonerai — Monnett’s initial invention, sketched at his kitchen table when he was working as an art teacher.
Schaible says the company has always followed Monnett’s philosophy that airplanes should be accessible and not cost more than a car.
“We’re probably half as expensive as our competition to build and fly,” he says.
Schaible says Sonex is currently “right‑sized,” which means the company is smaller than it has been in the past. He describes it as a “small family business” with a dedicated staff. But it’s also poised to grow, both its customer base and its physical footprint. And, perhaps most importantly, this summer the company will launch not just one, but two new products for the first time in a decade. These include the Sonex Highwing and the SubSonex JSX-2T, a two-place variant of the popular SubSonex. Schaible says he hopes to have prototypes of both products on display at this year’s EAA AirVenture taking place in Oshkosh July 22-28.
Kit airplanes are a niche market, Schaible acknowledges, and AirVenture is the greatest opportunity to reach that niche. But it’s a group that has tremendous pride in aviation and independence.
“I have a passion for not just flying, but the idea of being able to build your own airplane. We have the privilege in the United States to do this for our own education and recreation,” Schaible says. “And that’s really what it’s all about.”
