Monnett Sonerai

{{Infobox aircraft

|name=Sonerai

|image=Monnett-Sonerai-g-rily.jpg

|caption=Sonerai II

|type=Homebuilt aircraft

|manufacturer=Monett Aircraft

|designer=John Monnett

|first_flight=July 20, 1971

|introduction=1971

|retired=

|status=

|primary_user=

|more_users=

|produced=

|number_built=

|variants=

}}

The Sonerai is a small, VW-powered homebuilt aircraft,[http://www.greatplainsas.com/sonerai_i.html "The Sonerai I,"] GreatPlainsAS.com / Sonerai Works, retrieved November 11, 2020 designed by John Monnett.{{cite journal|journal=Plane and Pilot's Homebuilt Aircraft Annual|date=Winter 1975}} 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. {{ISSN|1368-485X}}

Later versions included a low-wing Sonerai IIL, a tricycle-gear Sonerai IILT and finally the stretched Sonerai IILS and IILTS.[http://www.greatplainsas.com/sonerai_stretch.html "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.{{cite journal|journal=Sport Aviation|date=May 1991|title=Bob Barton's Sonerai IIL|author=Bob Barton}} 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.{{cite web|url=http://www.greatplainsas.com/soneraihistory.html|title=Sport Aircraft History|publisher=Great Plains Aircraft|accessdate=2008-10-08}}

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, 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.{{cite journal|journal=Sport Aviation|date=March 1972|title=Race to Oshkosh|page=6}} 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.{{cite journal|journal=Popular Mechanics|title=Flying Twins your choice of one or two|date=Aug 1974|pages=108}}

Great Plains Aircraft Supply Company held the rights to the Sonerai series of aircraft until 2015. Sonerai Works LLC, of Franksville, Wisconsin, 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).[https://www.kitplanes.com/soneraiworks-llc-is-now-the-supplier-of-plans-and-model-specific-parts-for-the-sonerai-series-of-sport-aircraft/ "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{{cite journal|journal=Sport Aviation|date=February 2015|page=15}}

In December 2019 the design was acquired by Sonex Aircraft.{{cite web|url = https://www.avweb.com/aviation-news/sonerai-kit-aircraft-comes-home/|title = Sonerai Kit Aircraft Comes Home|access-date = 15 December 2019|last =Cook |first =Marc |work =AVweb |date = 30 December 2019|archiveurl = https://web.archive.org/web/20200102224123/https://www.avweb.com/aviation-news/sonerai-kit-aircraft-comes-home/|archivedate =2 January 2020 }}

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 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.{{cite book|title=John Monnett from Sonerai to Sonex|author=Jim Cunningham}}

= World records =

File:Sonerai Formula V.jpg

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.{{cite web|title=FAI world Records|url=http://www.fai.org/fai-record-file/?recordId=1094|accessdate=18 Jan 2015}} 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).{{cite journal|journal=Sport Aviation|author=Robin Austin|title=Four World Records|date=October 2010}}

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)"[http://www.fai.org/fai-record-file/?recordId=15060 FAI Record ID #15060 - Speed over a recognized course, C-1a (Landplanes: take off weight 300 to 500 kg)]" Fédération Aéronautique Internationale Record date May 17, 2008. Accessed: October 4, 2015.
June 5, 2008: Aeroplane Efficiency : 29.79 km/kg Jacobs Well, QLD (Australia)"[http://www.fai.org/fai-record-file/?recordId=15065 FAI Record ID #15065 - Aeroplane Efficiency, C-1a (Landplanes: take off weight 300 to 500 kg) ]" Fédération Aéronautique Internationale Record date June 5, 2008. Accessed: October 4, 2015.
June 8, 2008: Aeroplane Efficiency 37.22 km/kg C1-b Class"[http://www.fai.org/fai-record-file/?recordId=15066 FAI Record ID #15066 - Aeroplane Efficiency, C-1b (Landplanes: take off weight 500 to 1000 kg) ]" Fédération Aéronautique Internationale Record date June 8, 2008. Accessed: October 4. 2015.
July 28, 2008: Speed over a recognized course 440.0 km/h (273.4 mph / 237.6 kn) Blackall, QLD (Australia) - Rockhampton, QLD (Australia)"[http://www.fai.org/fai-record-file/?recordId=15100 FAI Record ID #15100 - Speed over a recognized course, C-1a (Landplanes: take off weight 300 to 500 kg)]" Fédération Aéronautique Internationale Record date July 28, 2008. Accessed: October 4, 2015.

Variants

File:Monnett Sonerai I.jpg

File:Sonerai 2 Frame.jpg

File:Sonerai-Subaru.jpg

;Sonerai I

:Single-seat Formula V RacerPurdy, Don: AeroCrafter - Homebuilt Aircraft Sourcebook, Fifth Edition, page 171. BAI Communications, 15 July 1998. {{ISBN|0-9636409-4-1}}

;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 developed in 1983{{cite magazine |last1=Moll |first1=Nigel |last2=Comstock |first2=Bryan |magazine=Flying |title=Reporting Points:...And Tricycle Sonerai |date=May 1983 |volume=110 |issue=5 |page=12 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=nDrlpoetcl0C}}

;Sonerai II-LS

:Two-seat, low-wing, stretched fuselage, conventional gear

;Sonerai II-LTS

:Two-seat, low-wing, stretched, tricycle gear

Specifications (Sonerai II)

File:Sonerai IIL.jpg

{{Aircraft specs

|ref=Jane's All the World's Aircraft 1982–83{{harvnb|Taylor|1982|pp=554–555}}

|prime units?=kts

|genhide=

|crew=1

|capacity=1 passenger"Janes All the World's Aircraft, 1992-1993," p.518

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|length ft=18

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|wing area sqft=84.0

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|airfoil=NACA 64212

|empty weight kg=

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|max takeoff weight lb=1150

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|fuel capacity={{convert|10|USgal|impgal L|abbr=on}}

|more general=

|eng1 number=1

|eng1 name=1700cc modified Volkswagen air-cooled engine

|eng1 type=air-cooled flat-four

|eng1 kw=

|eng1 hp=65–70

|eng1 note=

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|prop blade number=2

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|max speed kmh=

|max speed mph=160

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|cruise speed kmh=

|cruise speed mph=140

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|stall speed kmh=

|stall speed mph=44

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|range km=

|range miles=350

|range nmi=

|range note=at 75% power (with reserves)

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References

{{cite book |editor-last=Taylor |editor-first=John W. R. |editor-link=John W. R. Taylor |title=Jane's All The World's Aircraft 1982–83 |year=1982 |location=London |publisher=Jane's Yearbooks |isbn=0-7106-0748-2}}