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Sonerai 2 to Sonerai 2 Stretch?

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Sam McNair

New Member
Joined
Feb 7, 2020
Messages
1
I have an opportunity to buy a nice work in progress Sonerai 2 project. But I would like the extra space of the Sonerai 2 Stretch. Has anyone ever done this conversion? If so, have you had any major difficulties other than the expected cut & weld fuselage and longer control connections, etc? Wings are not yet built. Project is bare Fuselage with tail feathers stage of completion.
Sam [email protected]
 
Hi Sam: Converting an Original Sonerai II fuselage to a Stretch is not really practical. Because the tail cone taper starts at the back of the rear cockpit, it is not practical or esthetically pleasing to simply plug a 12” section behind the cockpit. So, you have to replace the entire tail cone, and the front portion of the fuselage. With that much work to do, you’d be better off building a new fuselage from scratch. Unless you plan to fly passengers a lot, there is no need for the stretch configuration. Just finish the original, and fly the heck out of it.
 
Hi Sam: Converting an Original Sonerai II fuselage to a Stretch is not really practical. Because the tail cone taper starts at the back of the rear cockpit, it is not practical or esthetically pleasing to simply plug a 12” section behind the cockpit. So, you have to replace the entire tail cone, and the front portion of the fuselage. With that much work to do, you’d be better off building a new fuselage from scratch. Unless you plan to fly passengers a lot, there is no need for the stretch configuration. Just finish the original, and fly the heck out of it.
I have exactly the same situation (looking to buy an S2L welded fuselage), and had exactly the same question. Glad Fred answered the question so clearly.
 
Before buying my Sonerai II project I had the same concerns. I am 6' 1" and I do fit in both cockpits of my S2L fuselage. It is not an easy exit aircraft though.
 
I'm only 6' even and fit in both seats in my S2L comfortably.......except as posted before..... the lid won't close. :(

I got stupid and have been spending the last month building an oven. sigh.
DSC_0245.JPGDSC_0006.JPG
 
Sounds like a Panther is a better option for us tall pilots . Im 6 ft 2 and guess I wont fit in any Sonerai. You can put a corvair engine in them if you dont want to buy a standard engine.
 
From perusing ads over the years, an awful lot of them, especially the stretch model, have been raised.
I *think* I've seen reference to more than a couple 6'-4" builders as well as many between that and 6' who have raised the canopy and turtledeck on both standard and stretch.

smt
 
Hi all good thread. I am pretty sure you are talking about pttim one of the admins.
https://www.sonerai.net/members/pttim.881/
Another way to go as a tall pilot is to build the SII-L as a single seat. This is what the project I had was set up as. It had more than enough leg room for any 6' plus pilot and the turtle deck was raised 2" for headroom. I was in the process of raising the tail 2" to match the turtle deck when I gifted my project away. My pictures are still in the gallery.
 
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