Sonex Aircraft is out of business.
In a message posted to the company’s website and YouTube on March 27, 2026, owner Mark Schaible said the decision to close the company doors “effective immediately,” was “necessitated by a severe drop-off in sales and our bank’s unwillingness to carry-forward our debts given some unprofitable years.”
“We’ve had to make this decision very suddenly as a perfect storm of bank pressure, lack of sales, increasing costs, competition from our own aircraft in the used market, and cashflow realities are not allowing us to continue our work,” he continued.
While noting company officials have fought “tooth and nail” to make Sonex successful, he reported that the company is filing bankruptcy, as well as he and his wife.
Referencing another “high-profile bankruptcy” in the business — no doubt speaking of Van’s Aircraft — he said the outcome of this bankruptcy will be different.
“Barring an 11th hour investment or purchase allowing the operation to continue, this will not be a reorganization of our debts, but will be much more severe,” he said.
While acknowledging that an “11th hour miracle is unlikely,” he noted that company officials hope to find someone “willing to step up and support the worldwide Sonex fleet in some capacity.”
You can watch the full video here.
For more information: SonexAircraft.com
Dear Mark, your message has reached Scotland. I do not know you, nor know about Sonex, but I certainly have feeling towards you and those around you. I am very sorry to hear this “heart felt” message. I truly hope a solution can be found for you and those around you.
From what I am hearing there has been an outpouring of serious interested parties in bringing Sonex back soon. They have many assets that would make this a good investment for anyone with experience in manufacturing and a love of aviation. All successful businessmen have at least one failure in their past – how one learns.
This is sad to hear. A friend flies a Sonex, and it a great aircraft.
Maybe Zenith or Vans can acquire the aircraft line.
The sub-sonex is one of few jet experimentals…!
Unfortunate news for the entry-level GA owner-fliers as the aircraft was a relatively cheap and established step in getting and flying your own plane.
I am curious about his mention that used Sonex aircraft were a factor in the bankruptcy – never heard that before, and would like to know more about what kinds of volumes and pricings of used ones are and how they made that causal link. I have never seen that many used Sonex listings around. I suspect those used ones are bout to dive in value too now, further spiraling the viability of Sonex recovery.
That said, this must have been in the making for some time, and there was a pivot point some time ago that might have changed their financial trajectory (there always is in hindsight). I can only assume the debt level is deep enough that a bank said it wasn’t going to risk it anymore. Its a business that runs fairly low volumes building labor intensive want-vs-need products that may be cheap by GA standards, but are not chump-change cheap to the average person. I doubt MOSAIC is going to encourage more cheap entry level aircraft builders, but rather will give current owners more upgrade options.
Again, curious about the details – whatever Sonex was dealing with is likely affecting other kitplane builders in the USA and the world? Should they have looked at their sales volumes earlier and cut the product offerings down, and concentrated on buzz items like the highwing? Partnered with another business? Or is the whole business just to expensive and not viable anymore given the cost of materials, labour and engines/tech?
Maybe the market is shifting and GA builders need to pivot. I started looking for entry level 2 person planes, and was surprised at the negative reactions I get when I ask if there is an airframe parachute option or folding wings, or even a Rotax type engine option – always get told its not important, too heavy, or unreliable, like these are things only for the weak. Buy a 172 or an SR22 or don’t fly at all.
My guess/hope is that there will be an 11th hour savior, or somebody will buy up the IP and tooling on liquidation – seems like a good airframe and engine platform IP for an unmanned defense system builder or foreign group looking to jumpstart an aviation enterprise. It worked for Cirrus, Icon, Diamond, Flight Design, and more recently, whatever company made the Bushcat. At least it might keep the highwing in dev/prod and get parts out.