30 Years!

[soneraifred]

Today I celebrated the 30th anniversary of the first flight of my Sonerai IIL, N99FK. I flew her from my home base of Burlington, WI (KBUU) to Kenosha, WI (KENW) where the first flight took place late in the afternoon of Sunday, June 8, 1986. The weather was beautiful, and the flight was uneventful, unlike the first flight which ended in a farmer's field next to the airport due to the canopy coming open about two minutes into the flight. The airplane now has 1463 hours on the Hobbs. She now has a 2180 (originally an 1850), the 5/8" gear, and a different paint scheme. There's been four different props, four different sets of brakes, two different comm radios, a loran, and three different GPS's. But she's still a hoot to fly, and I hope to keep flying her for quite a while.

 

[mhflyit]

Congratulations Fred - you are an inspiration!

 

[soneraii]

Congratulations Fred!

Thanks for sharing that. You have certainly gotten your money and times worth out of that machine.

Kevin

 

[sshelo1]

Congrats Fred, you and your plane are definitely an inspiration to many, if not all of us! Thank you for keeping the Sonerai alive!

 

[wafer]

Testimony of both a great design and your ability to build/modify/maintain….Congrats!

 

[Raceair]

That's great, Fred. I am impressed with it all. Going for another 30?….See you at OSH……Ed

 

[Wayne Byal]

Great accomplishment, and thanks for all the help on my project. More comment on the props and 2180

 

[smoothmat]

Congrats Fred.

Is your plane the longest flying sonerai? There are a lot of sonerai' but how many with 30yrs of continuous operation? I think my sonerai was first flown in 78 and flown to oshkosh in 79.

 

[dcstrng]

Congrats Fred... !!!!

 

[Raceair]

Smoothmat…Very good question. There are 'older' Sonerais out there flying, but maybe none 'continuously' for 30 years….

 

[soneraii]

Not to take away from Fred's wonderful achievement but to answer Ed's query.

My buddy Jim Carlisle down here southwest of Ft. Worth has been flying his Sonerai-I, N89JC continuously for 41 years and has about 1400 hours on it. He has never split the case. I think he has only done a little cylinder and head work in all those years. He is still flying it sporadically well into his 70's. It is turnkey today.

Kevin

 

[Raceair]

Kevin, that is amazing…Especially the fact that the case has never been split. It shows the usefulness of the design, and the engine…And that your friends initial investment to build a Sonerai was 'paid for' so to speak, decades ago….

 

[wbpace]

Fred,

I just noticed on the Kitplanes site, under their homebuilders portal where they list where you can get support for various designs, they mention you as the contact for the newsletter and that you have been flying your airplane for 12 years. I think their information may be a bit stale.

http://www.kitplanes.com/homebuilders-portal/supportgroups.html

O'Bill

 

[Raceair]

O'Bill.....The kitplanes support list has several errors and outdates in addition to the one about Fred....In today's information society, you would think things would be up to date.....

 

[Elviar]

Congratulations, Fred! I hope I can fly mine for 30 years! (That'll make me well over 100...)

Elviar

 

[Schmleff]

Awesome Fred!!!

 

[phzabriskie]

I didn't get in here and say Congrats yet. As the Hee Haw crowd said, "Saluuuuuu" . You are an inspiration Fred and Christine promises me that I will get another trip to OSH before she puts me out to pasture. ;D

 

[smokyray]

Today I celebrated the 30th anniversary of the first flight of my Sonerai IIL, N99FK. I flew her from my home base of Burlington, WI (KBUU) to Kenosha, WI (KENW) where the first flight took place late in the afternoon of Sunday, June 8, 1986. The weather was beautiful, and the flight was uneventful, unlike the first flight which ended in a farmer's field next to the airport due to the canopy coming open about two minutes into the flight. The airplane now has 1463 hours on the Hobbs. She now has a 2180 (originally an 1850), the 5/8" gear, and a different paint scheme. There's been four different props, four different sets of brakes, two different comm radios, a loran, and three different GPS's. But she's still a hoot to fly, and I hope to keep flying her for quite a while.

Wow, congrats Fred!
I was still EXP aircraft dreaming in 86' and you were already flying!
Thanks to your encouragement I am enjoying a new type EXP airplane (for me) and enjoying "tinkering" again.
V/R
Smokey