This is the complete and uncensored story of my Sonex homebuild project

The Year 2000 and earlier	2001	2002	2003	2004	2005	2006	2007	2008 Chinese Year of the Rat	2009
For about three years I researched the homebuild market, monitored the RV, Kitfox and other eMail lists. Then at the end of 1999 I finally decided for the Sonex. Then it took another half year until I finally received the plans and the rib forming tools via Ares Inc. Italy.	January Large cutouts, more engine stuff, panel layout	January Wing Attach Blocks, Fitting the Wingribs	January New Tools, Fwd Fuse Floor, Air Vent, Spar Tunnel, Pitot Tube Mount, Root Rib Attach Angles	January The Mainspar	January The Big Bend, Leading Edge Press Problems, Skinning the Wing	no activities until July 2006	January Cable Fairing, New Idler, Levers and Pushrods, Elevator Pushrod, Control Stick Jam? Positioning the engine, Reinforcing the Seat Structure, Seat Cross-Tie Service Bulletin	Januar Kühlung Flugmotor, Luftleitbleche (Ducting)	Januar Überlegungen zur Abgas-Anlage
	February Instrument sub-panel, oil cooler ducting, still more engine stuff	February Pivot and other Blocks, Vertical Tail	February Fusealge, Aft End	February Test-Fitting the Spars, Still more from Mainspar	February Forward Wingskin Clecoed, Almost a Wing, Second Leading Edge Bend, New Aluminum arrived	no activities until July 2006	February Flap Handle & Fuselage Floor, Trim Servo Cable Routing	Februar Vorbereitung Motorhaube (Cowling)	Februar Konsol-Abdeckung, Flügelstützen
	March Tailcone, 'Pop'-Rivets, Wiring Diagram	March More Alodining, Machining Nylacast	no activities	March Flap Drive	March Wingtip Rib	no activities until July 2006	March Titanium, Baggage Compartment, Eclipse of the Moon	März Untere Motorhauben- Halbschale	März Spur-Einstellung, Hauben-Abwurf, Tailtip 2, Tailtip 1, Bodenblech
The Beginning Setting up the workshop, waiting for the plans to arrive	April More about Sonex Parts, the Stainless Instrument Panel, Corrosion-Story	April Hardware Kits Arrive, Glasscockpit, still more Priming	April New Engine under the Hood? Instrument Panel Takes Shape	April A Flap Experience	April FI for Beginners, Thoughts...,	no activities until July 2006	April all following entries in German Langauge! Achsen, Fahrwerks-Beine, Belastungs-Test Gepäckfach	April keine Lust	April keine Aktivität
May Wingrib gussets	May More on Tailcone, Priming, Improving the Sonex Design, Elevator Ribs, Compass	May NACA Vent, new Polish, Forward Fuselage, Secrets of the pulled dimpler and other dimpling tales	May Floor Stiffener, Polishing Pattern	May Flight Training, Canopy bow, Wingbolt- Placement	May to July	no activities until July 2006	Mai das Ende? Motorträger, Fahrwerk I, Fahrwerk II	Mai mehr von der Cowling	Mai TankInstallation
June Working with stainless steel	June Polishing, Aileron Counterweights, Rear Spar and Other Problems	June Small Jobs, Elevator Trim, Elevator Fuss, Bolting and Riveting, Forward Fuselage Sidewalls.	no building activities (too hot, no bolts available)	June more Wingbolt-Placement	Broke right leg during skydiving landing	no activities until July 2006	Juni Spornrad	Juni wieder keine Lust	Juni Flügel-Montage- Albtraum
July Wingrib production / big box arrives	July Turtledeck goes to Junkjard, Inspector was here, Total Lift Indicator/Part One, Installing the Turtledeck Skin	Summer holidays, no significant homebuild acticities this month	no building activities (too hot, no bolts available)	July Control Horn, Bronze Bushings, Pivot Blocks	no activities until July 2006	July Rigging left Aileron, Tiedown Bolts, Access Hole.	Juli Linearlager, erster Versuch	Juli zu warm	Juli Lackierereien, der große BELASTUNGSTEST
August Angles and formblocks	August More about AOA, Aileron Tip Ribs, Flaps, Rivet Squeezer, Split Turtledeck Skin, New Bulkhead #2?	August Elevator Trim completed	August New parts, engine ideas	August Stick Grip, Fixing the Wiggle, More of Control Horns and Sticks	no activities until July 2006	August Wing rigging	August Hauben-Rahmen	August Die Flügel sind dran (gottseidank)	August keine Aktivität
September More on bending, improved manufacturing methods	September This'n That, More about Bending, Fuse Joints	September A Good Idea?, Summer Fly-In	September 'Tight Fit' Holes are best ;-)	September Sparcap Bucking Bar, Mainspar, Wingbolthole, Wingbolt Drill Kit	no activities until July 2006	September Wing assembly, Rotax vs. Lyncosaurs, Inspector was here	September Cockpit-Haube, Inchadder, gehärtete Welle trennen	September Linearlager - ein Flop	September Grundpolitur beendet
October Lightening holes & more bananas	October Building an Engine Stand, Sparcaps	October Mounting Tail Tips, Vertical Tail, Aileron Counter- weight Fitting	October Mating the Fuselage Parts.	October Hard Working on the Wing, Sh.. happens, Wing Skeletal, Engine Rebuild, Mainspars accomplished!, Terrible Rivet	no activities until July 2006	October Wire Conduits, Fairings, Strobe Light, The Whale	Oktober Hauben- Abwurf- Mimik, Spornrad- Steuerung, Borhilfe, Brems-System	Oktober Horizontal- Trim- Steuerung, Strobe, Center- Konsole, Fairings	Oktober
November Cockpit parts, bad holes, paint scheme	November More about Sparcaps, Type 4 Disassembly	November Casting the aileron weights	November Tail Installation, This Engine Puzzles me. A Real Aviation Engine	November Wing Plumbing, Bushings	no activities until July 2006	November Old Oklahoma Steamer, Closed the Wing End, Casting a Gasket, Lift Indicator Probe	November Fußspitzen- Pedale	November Platzprobleme unter der Haube, Gurte, Verdrahtung	November
December The wooden bending brake, engine thoughts	December Fine-Tuning the Wingribs, The Mirror-inverted Mainspar, Messing Up the Horizontal Tail	December Seat, Stick Grip, Idler and other pivot points, Glareshield Disaster, Instrument Panel No. 3	December Magneto	December Wingstuff, Aileron bellcranks	no activities until July 2006	December Cowling Templates, Engine-Mounting, Breath of Time, @!?&%-Endrib, Problem Solving, Problems with the Left Wing	Dezember Luftgekühlt, Nosebowl	Dezember Ölkühler-Anschluss, Überlegungen zum Vergaser	Dezember (fliegt sie nun?)