Sonex Aircraft reports that the FAA National Kit Evaluation Team (NKET) has approved and published amateur building checklists for the new Onex Single-Place, Folding-Wing Sport Pilot Aircraft.
Availability of these approved checklists allows current and future Onex builders to show compliance with the “major portion” requirement of 14 CFR section 21.191(g) for experimental/amateur-built aircraft, commonly referred to as the 51% Rule. This not only effects builders in the United States, but it also allows builders in many other countries, whose aviation authorities base their homebuilt aircraft regulations upon NKET approval, to build the Onex design. NKET checklist participation also opens the opportunity for Onex builders to legally obtain commercial assistance for their projects, company officials said.
Sonex Aircraft is also reporting the availability of Onex upholstery packages, as well as Onex-specific installation provisions for the AeroConversions AeroVee Engine. These new additions to the line of Onex kits, accessories, and support serve to finalize the Onex aircraft design as a fully developed kit aircraft package, as the earliest Onex kit customers are nearing completion of their aircraft, company officials said.
“We wrapped-up the year 2011 as an incredibly successful and action-packed year for the Onex design,” said Sonex Aircraft CEO and Onex lead designer Jeremy Monnett. “We saw first flight of the #1 standard gear prototype on Jan. 27, 2011, completed a flight test program on the aircraft, created a feature-packed Onex Complete Airframe Kit and Sub-Kits, completed the full set of Onex plans, achieved first flight and testing of the #2 tricycle gear Onex prototype, and sold and shipped over 50 Onex kits by year-end with Onex orders staying strong in 2012. We are pleased to hear of the rapid progress being made by Onex builders, and some of the first customers whose kits shipped in July and August are getting very close to completing and flying their aircraft.”
The Onex (pronounced One-X) is a single-seat aircraft designed to offer an even-more economical way to build and fly a sport pilot aircraft, Monnett noted. The folding-wing design can fit into a garage, or share a T hangar with other aircraft, be trailered on local roads, and the wing panels are easily removed for trailering at highway speeds. Onex kit builders can get their aircraft flying for as little as $25,299, company officials said.
Sonex Aircraft’s participation in the FAA NKET process dates back to participation in the FAA’s Amateur-Built Rulemaking Committee (ARC) formed in August of 2006 to examine industry compliance with homebuilt aircraft rules. In October, 2009 Sonex Aircraft hosted the FAA’s newly formed National Kit Evaluation Team in using Sonex, Waiex and Xenos kits for their practice evaluation exercises. Sonex Aircraft customers can download all versions of the Amateur-Built Aircraft Fabrication and Assembly Checklist (2009) form for Sonex, Waiex, Xenos, and Onex aircraft, find FAQs and other important information on the Sonex Aircraft Certification web page
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