| Wing Rigging |
| Controls |
| March 12, 2008 -- Deburred ribs and main spar. Cleaned & Primed those parts. Clips for rib #9 installed. Riveted Root Ribs. |
| March 13, 2008 -- Started top skin |
| March 5, 2008 -- Nutplates fiberglassed on tip. Made wing stand. |
| March 7, 2008 -- Micro-ballooned a few areas. Low productivity tonight. |
| March 8, 2008 -- Wing in stand. Waiting for connections for strobes/position lights. page not completed yet.. |
| Rear Spar |
| Main Spars |
| October 6, 2007 -- Riveted gussets to forward ribs. Started on aft ribs. |
| October 7, 2007 -- Finished gussets on aft ribs |
| October 1, 2007 -- Spar Caps started |
| October 2, 2007 -- Spar Cap details finished! |
| September 27, 2007 -- Finished other aileron. Both are now FINISHED!! |
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| May 19, 2007 -- Polished spars and drilled channels. |
| May 23, 2007 -- Clips on. Deburred and primed. |
| May 24, 2007 -- Rivet both spars. Alignment of HS frame. Fitting ribs. Problems with my QC'r. |
| May 27, 2007 -- Drilled and alodined ribs. |
| May 28, 2007 -- Riveted ribs on. Riveted bottom skin on. |
| June 1, 2007 -- Riveted top left skin. |
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| June 2, 2007 -- Made pieces I goofed on before. Drilled, clecod, and deburred rear spar. |
| May 15, 2007 -- Started rear spar. Goofed on rear spar! |
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| Michael's Sonex #1017 |
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| Sonex Builders Log |
| November 10, 2006: I ordered the plans to build a Sonex airplane. A week or so later, they were here: Plans #1017 |
| January 04, 2007: Ordered the Aluminum Angle kit and the Formed Aluminum kit from Sonex. |
| Cutting Angle, Channel, and Making Parts... |
| January 28, 2007: Getting started. Dad and I cutting angle. |
| February 05, 2007: Cutting down the formed aluminum. |
| February 06, 2007: Cutting the channel. |
| February 09, 2007: Bad night, some work got done though. |
| February 10, 2007: Finished cutting the channel from the formed kit (does my progress seem a tad slow?). |
| February 15, 2007: The cold temps kept me inside "marking" parts. |
| This site is NOT owned or operated by Sonex, Ltd. |
| February 20, 2007: Better make a few parts to see if "markings are adequate. |
| February 24, 2007: Paying attention to detail. Bending channel. |
| March 01, 2007: More parts, making T03-03. |
| Making parts is very repetitious! I now decided that while making parts, I will only post items that may be of benefit or noteworthy. So if you see a big gap in my dates, it does not mean I took an extended break. |
| I am still hard at it. Almost finished making parts from the formed alumium kit and angle kit. So I would not have much down-time, I ordered all of the tail parts that Sonex offers pre-made, along with a hefty order from Aircraft Spruce (ACS). They say ordering this way becomes expensive with shipping charges, and you do not get some of the discounts Sonex offers. I figure if I can pay cash as-I-go, it would be similar to the interest paid on a loan purchasing the whole kit at once. I also would not have to worry about storing a lot of parts until I need them. Here is my order summary from both Sonex and Aircraft Spruce: |
| April 13, 2007: |
| April 20, 2007: My tail pieces came in that I ordered from Sonex. Still waiting for ACS to ship my order. With Sun N Fun going on, I am sure it will take longer then normal to ship. |
| May 03, 2007: Order from ACS finally arrived! There are still a few parts on back-order, no big deal though. |
| Empennage |
| May 06, 2007: Inventoried my orders and mounted a "nuts & bolts" organizer in the garage. Now that I have sheet aluminum, I made the clips needed for my first section, the empennage. |
| Rudder |
| May 10, 2007 -- Started rudder work...FINALLY! |
| May 11, 2007 -- Alodine some parts. Finding rudder center rib location. |
| May 14, 2007 -- Drilling control horn assembly to skin. Drilling hinge locations. |
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| May 15, 2007 -- Finished rudder. |
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| Vertical Stabilizer |
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| Horizontal Stabilizer |
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| May 22, 2007 -- The channel I goofed on arrived from Sonex today. Work was suppose to continue on the VS, but.... further inspection reveled that the holes previoulsy misdrilled in the channel, were also throwing-off the holes in T12-02 Main Spar Fwrd Strap. Anyway... what this means is, I need to order another T12-02 from Sonex! I swear, sometimes it feels as if I am trying to build the most "expensive" Sonex, ever built! |
| May 18, 2007 -- Started leading edge spar. Found someone to QC my work from now on. |
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| June 2, 2007 -- Riveted top right skin. |
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| June 06, 2007 -- Riveted & bolted spars. Re-made a part. |
| June 07, 2007 -- Closed up the VS... except hinge location. |
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| June 11, 2007 -- Riveted hinge on. Started the fiberglass tips. |
| June 12, 2007 -- Fiberglass tips on, and off. EAA Tech Counselor visit and sugesstion. . |
| June 15, 2007 -- Fiberglass tip continues |
| June 16, 2007 -- Fiberglasss tip back on. Filler on the front gap. |
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| Elevator |
| June 16, 2006 -- Drilled control horn ribs. Cut-out's made on the skins. |
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| June 20, 2007 -- Started the Right elevator half. |
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| June 21, 2007 -- Right hinge positioned and drilled. (see "Elevator" June 25, 2007 for the rest of hinge placement) |
| June 21, 2007 -- Riveted Right and Left elevator halves (although not to the control horn assembly). |
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| June 25, 2007 -- Both hinges riveted on the Horiz Stab. Drilled root assembly to both elevator halves. |
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| June 26, 2007 -- Riveted all of elevator. Filed the root skin even with the ribs. |
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| June 26, 2007 -- Started the fiberglass tips. |
| June 29, 2007 -- Trying to make my own "mirror image" of the tip rib (for the FG tips)... FROM SCRATCH!! |
| July 1, 2007 -- Finished making rib(s). Plan C prevails... working on FG tips, still. |
| July 5, 2007 -- Still on the FG tips... |
| I am using this website to document my build of Sonex plans # 1017. I will even go a step further and try and explain any problems I encounter along the way. Like I said before, I am an amatuer builder and not real good at making stuff, so this will be quit a feat for me. I will probably have troubles where-as others' do not have trouble. In fact, I probably should not even document all my Goofs.. but what the heck! I am using other Sonex related websites for a guide during my build, so if something appears genius, it was probably NOT my idea! I will try and update this site as often as I can. If you have any questions, comments, confusion, mass hysteria, paranoia, or schizophrenia, let me know at E-Mail Michael. Last updated: December 25, 2009 |
| July 10, 2007 -- FG tips. Straightening the aft portion, horizontally. |
| July 13, 2007 -- FG tips.. getting closer to done. |
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| July 18, 2007 -- I am slowly working on the FG tips still. A lot of airshows and fly-in's lately. I still own & fly a Challenger II. Had some minor maintanence to do on the Challenger, taking time away from the Sonex project. The weather has also been 90-100 deg F. Making the working conditons in the garage kind of poor. Nevertheless, I am pressing foreward! |
| Wings |
| July 19, 2007 -- Riveted the fiberglass tips on !!!!! |
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| July 30, 2007 -- Ordered all (I hope) wing components from Sonex. A little late ordering this... you know...the money thing. |
| September 4, 2007 -- After some things on back order, my shipment arrived and all was well! |
| September 5, 2007 -- Control drive assemblies complete, and the hinges cut and drilled. |
| Flaps |
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| September 10, 2007 -- Skin cut and rib lines placed on skin. |
| September 11, 2007 -- Rib and hinge holes drilled for Left flap. Deburred Left flap parts. |
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| September 12, 2007 -- Finished Right flap. Flaps are FINISHED!! |
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| Ailerons |
| September 13, 2007 -- Drive plate riveted. Cut counter-balance lead. Hinges cut and drilled. |
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| September 14, 2007 -- Counter-balance assembly riveted, minus drilling the lead. |
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| THE END FOR NOW |
| September 17, 2007 -- Drilled Counter-balance lead. Skin Cut-outs made. |
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| September 18, 2007 -- Drilled the ribs and hinge to number 40 on one aileron. |
| September 21, 2007 -- Drilled to number 30. Riveted one aileron.. One more to go! |
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| Misc |
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| October 5, 2007 -- Rib gusset work. |
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| October 10, 2007 -- Wing attach blocks made. |
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| October 11, 2007 -- Finished Attach Blocks. Polished angles that attach to the main spar. |
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| October 15, 2007 -- Aileron Bellcrank started... |
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| October 16, 2007 -- Cut channel, drilled rib holes, and made the rear spar wing tip assembly. |
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| October 19, 2007 -- Drilled and polished all parts for rear spar. |
| October 20, 2007 -- Primed and riveted rear spars.. they are complete!! |
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| October 20, 2007 -- Made angles over. Sanded to correct dimensions.. |
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| October 24, 2007 -- More work on the Aileron Bellcranks |
| October 25, 2007 -- Pretty much finished both Aileron Bellcranks. |
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| October 29, 2007 -- Layed out the spar webs and doublers. Started drilling into the Spar Caps.( Started on the Right spar first.) |
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| October 30, 2007 -- Finished drilling the webs and doublers to the Spar Caps. Reviewed plans for next step. |
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| November 2, 2007 -- Drilling angles on the inboard section. |
| November 3, 2007 -- Drilled Tip Web Assembly and the rest of Angles. Started the updrilling process. |
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| November 7, 2007 -- Practiced dimpling spar web. Finished updrilling holes to #21. |
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| November 8, 2007 -- Countersinking practice and started countersinking. Pratice using Rivet Gun. |
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| November 9, 2007 -- Finished countersinking. Primed the Webs. |
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| Right Main Spar |
| November 10, 2007 -- Reassembled everything. Placed Bolts in the "bolted parts," and started riveting!! |
| November 12, 2007 -- Back-Riveting... Michael Style! More riveting. |
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| November 13, 2007 -- Finished riveting all of outboard spar. Began to flush rivet. |
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| November 17, 2007 -- Finished the Right Main Spar! Well... mostly. |
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| Left Main Spar |
| November 19, 2007 -- Drilled spar caps. Drilled angles to web piece. |
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| November 20, 2007 -- Updrilled all pieces. Took everything back apart and began to debur. |
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| November 27, 2007 -- Finished deburring. Almost finished countersinking. Spar Caps left to countersink. |
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| November 30, 2007 -- Finished countersinking Spar Caps. Cleaned and Primed Spar webs. |
| December 1, 2007 -- Reassembled everything and began to rivet. |
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| December 3, 2007 -- Continued riveting. |
| December 6, 2007 -- More riveting. Almost finished, though. |
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| December 14, 2007 -- How I drill out rivets. Finished the spar! |
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| Back to Kansasflying.com home page. |
| Mating the Spars |
| December 19, 2007 -- Alignment holes drilled to size and spars bolted together. |
| December 20, 2007 -- Wing attach blocks updrilled. |
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| Wing Skeleton |
| December 20, 2007 -- Made center and web spacers. Temp. placed aft ribs on spar. |
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| Left Wing |
| December 24, 2007 -- Drilled webs spacers. Made Root Ribs. |
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| December 27, 2007 -- Rear Spar fitted to aft ribs. Started updrilling forward ribs. |
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| December 28, 2007 -- Finished updrilling the ribs. Locating the Root Ribs. |
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| December 29, 2007 -- Finished up the Root Ribs. Started rib # 9. |
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| January 2, 2008 -- More work on rib # 9. Re-made the Bellcranks. |
| January 3, 2008-- Finished Left & Right Bellcranks and Ribs # 9 on both. Primed ribs (not the kind you eat). Got Lights!? |
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| January 4, 2008 -- Drilled out tooling holes in forward ribs for wiring. Started riveting ribs on. |
| January 7, 2008 -- Finished riveting the ribs on. Squared the skeleton frame. |
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| Wing Skinning (And then some.) |
| January 8, 2008 -- Squared the Skeleton. Established zero twist. Started skinning the Top-Aft skin |
| January 11, 2008 -- Continued to drill the Top-Aft skin. |
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| January 12, 2008 -- Drilled into Main Spar. Found Aileron Bellcrank Bracket - clip positions. |
| January 17, 2008 -- Positioned Bottom-Aft skin. Drilled up to # 40. |
| January 18, 2008 -- Drilled Bottom-Aft skin Main Spar to # 40. Flipped wing on belly. |
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| January 22, 2008 -- Leading edge skin clec'd on. Grace & Pooh flying around the house. |
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| January 25, 2008 -- Alieron Inspection Cover installed. Tubing holders made for the LRI. |
| January 26, 2008 -- Aileron and Flap hinges drilled. |
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| January 28, 2008 -- Lift Reserve Indicator (LRI) arrives!! |
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| January 29, 2008 -- Drilled & fitted wing-walk. Mounting the LRI. |
| January 30, 2008 -- Aileron Bell Crank Bracket - clips installed. Deburring, deburring and deburring! |
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| February 1, 2008 -- Super Simpe Dimple Die -- NOT SO SIMPLE! |
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| February 4, 2008 -- Dimpled the foward ribs and skin. Mounted the brackets for the LRI tubing. |
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| February 5, 2008 -- Drilled hole in skin for Tie Down and other side of Aileron Bellcrank clips. Landing light started. |
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| February 8, 2008 -- Landing light bracket installed. |
| February 13, 2008 -- Flush-mounting the LRI |
| February 14, 2008 -- Finished flush-mounting the LRI. Primed skins and ribs. |
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| February 15, 2008 -- Updrilled wing attach bolts to 3/8". Aileron-bellcrank tube installed. |
| February 18, 2008 -- Riveted Top & Bottom Aft skins. Tubing for LRI. Wires for strobe installed. |
| February 19, 2008 -- Position light wires. Bottom LE riveted. Cleco'd Top LE. |
| February 22, 2008 -- Top LE riveted. Cut out Landing Light hole in LE. |
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| February 27, 2008 -- Landing light, still. |
| February 28, 2008 -- Finished landing light. |
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| March 3, 2008 -- Started fiberglass wingtip. |
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| Right Wing |
| March 8, 2008 -- Spacers drilled, forward & aft ribs to # 30, Rear Spar cleco'd. |
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| March 10, 2008 -- Rear spar updrilled. Root Ribs drilled. Pitot tubing brackets drilled in ribs 1-4. |
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| Wing Skeleton (part II) |
| Wing Skinning (part II) |
| March 18, 2008 -- Bottom skin |
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| March 21, 2008 -- Finished bottom skin and started forward skin. |
| March 26, 2008 -- Finished fwd skin. Flap hinge drilled. |
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| March 27, 2008 - Fit aileron, made & installed inspection plate, cut wing tie-down hole. |
| April 4, 2008 -- Deburred skeleton, made landing light bracket, ran pitot and static tubing. |
| May 8, 2008 -- Pitot tube installation, dimpled fwd skin, installed aileron push-tube, riveted top aft akin. |
| May 9, 2008 -- Riveted bottom aft skin, ran wires for lights, riveted fwd skin. |
| May 13, 2008 -- Worked on fiberglass wingtips, position light fairing work. |
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| May 10 -12, 2008 -- Installed landing light in leading edge. Link is a YouTube Video of that process. |
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| May 15, 2008 -- Testing Wing Landing Lights and Position Lights. Link is a YouTube Video of that process. |
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| May 16, 2008 -- The wings are both completed and were moved to the hangar for storage. Wonderful Day!! |
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| At this point I just posted my Challenger for sale on Barnstormers. I will need to sale the Challenger before buying the fueslage pieces. With a new baby boy ( 3 weeks old now) and my 17 month old daughter, time is not as accessible as before. I WILL find a way to complete this project!! I will take the summer off of building and start up again in the fall. Have a GREAT SUMMER! |
| June 30, 2008 -- SOLD MY CHALLENGER !! Although, for $ 5,000 less than what I was asking - so be it. |
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| June 28, 2008 -- Found a zero-time Jabiru 3300 engine (120 hp) for sale on Barnstormers - $ 3,000 less than the new price. I bought it! To be honest, I was still trying to decide what to buy - the AeroVee (80 hp) or the Jabiru 3300. I really think I will be happier with this engine, especially if I need to travel back and forth from KS to TX in a couple years for school. |
| July 2, 2008 -- Ordered the rest of the parts for the fuselage from Sonex. |
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| July 9, 2008 -- Recieved engine today. Fuselage, center stick, and tailwheel hardware kit arrived from Aircraft Spruce. |
| July 15, 2008 -- Conway freight delivered my Fuselage section from Sonex today! |
| Fuselage |
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| Aft Fuselage (Side Panels) |
| July 30, 2008 -- Bent angle splices. Bent fwd edge of side skin. Started phenolic blocks. |
| August 8-9, 2008 -- Sort of finished phenolic blocks. Angles (longerons) drilled to side skin - # 40 only. |
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| August 12-13, 2008 -- Riveted angles on both side skin. Fitted & riveted Vertical channels. |
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| August 19, 2008 -- Installed phenolic blocks to verticals. Made inspection holes and rudder cable slots. Made Box Cross Tie Assembly. |
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| August 23, 2008 -- Seatbelt attachment brackets, aft shear web, and other aft fueslage parts assembled. |
| August 25-28, 2008 -- Bottom & Top Cross Ties fitted and cleco'd. Minus the Top Cross Tie Box. |
| August 29, 2008 -- Cross Tie Box fitted and cleco'd. Updrilled Cross Ties to # 30. |
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| August 31, 2008 -- Fit the bottom skin. Drilled holes in forward bottom skin - bottom Cross Tie area. |
| September 1 & 2, 2008 -- Details & order fitting and drilling the aft of the aft fuselage. Seatbelt attachmente installed. |
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| September 5, 2008 -- Deburred, primed, and riveted the CrossTies. |
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| Aft Fuselage (Turtle Deck) |
| September 6, 2008 -- Parts inventory. Bent the Attach Plates. |
| September 10, 2008 -- Riveted the TD skin together. Located and cleco'd the TD skin on aft fuselage. |
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| September 12, 2008 -- Located, drilled, and cleco'd the Aft and forward Formers. |
| September 16 & 17, 2008 -- Three middle Formers located and placed. Updrilled, deburred, and primed the Assembly. |
| September 19, 2008 -- Riveted the Assembly. Riveted the plate on Cross Tie Box. Finished! |
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| Front Fuselage |
| September 21 & 22, 2008 -- Phenolic blocks for flap drive made. Other small assemblies completed. |
| September 25, 26,& 28, 2008 -- Angles cleco'd on both side panels. One side updrilled to #30. |
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| October 3, 2008 -- Finished fwd side panels. |
| October 7 & 12, 2008 -- Filler box & Upper Firewall. |
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| October 13, 2008 -- Worked on Tunnel Zee fwd & aft. Made clips for fwd fuselage. |
| October 17 & 18, 2008 -- Drilled and cleco'd fuselage sides, bottom skin, cross ties, and firewall. |
| October 22 & 23, 2008 -- Drilled and Cleco'd fwd & aft tunnel zee, floor and firewall stiffners. |
| October 25, 2008 -- Upper firewall, Splice Plates, and updrilled firewall. |
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| October 29 & 30, 2008 -- Riveted fuselage side skins and fwd tunnel zee. |
| November 1 & 2, 2008 -- Fastened fwd fuselage bolts, riveted lower firewall hinge, made parts for lower fwd fuse & idler assembly. |
| November 3, 4, & 7, 2008 -- Fwd bottom structure & idler assembly located, drilled, and riveted. |
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| Novemeber 8, 12, & 14, 2008 -- Seat Pan and Trim Lever installed. |
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| Nov 15, 16, 20, 21, 24, 25, 2008 -- Instrument panel & Glareshield - young eagle rider - well... sort of. |
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| November 26 & 30, 2008 -- Changes out seat pan support channel from .032" to 1/8" angle. |
| December 1-3, 2008 -- Rudder Pedals and made cut-outs for the vents. |
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| December 18, 2008 -- Bought some Instruments Check them out. Still waiting on the EIS. |
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| December 7 - 17, 2008 -- Fuel Tank, Rear Spar Carry-Through, and Engine Mount - Part 1 of 2 . |
| December 22 - 29, 2009 -- Fuel tubing, Engine mount finished, filler tray. |
| December 29 - January 6, 2009 -- Landing gear, wheels, and brakes. |
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| January 10 - 14, 2009 -- Tail wheel installation |
| January 12 -18, 2009 -- Mounted HS & VS to fuselage. |
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| Rear Spar (CT), Landing gear, Wheels, Fuel tank, Instrument Pod, Tail mount (a mixture of these items) |
| January 19-26, 2009 -- Tail fairings, Fuel vent tube, Instrument cross brace installed, made Instrument Pod. |
| Jan 27 - Feb 26, 2009 (Part 1) -- Windscreen installed. |
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| Jan 27 - Feb 26, 2009 (Part 2) -- Canopy frame |
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| March 4 & 5, 2009 -- Wing rigging |
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| March 6 - 8, 2009 -- Aft box and angles riveted |
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| March 9 - 25, 2009 -- Brakes, flap tube, and elevator trim. |
| March 28 - April 5, 2009 -- Rudder cables, Control Stick, and Elevator. |
| Firewall Foward, Electrical, and Instruments |
| April 8 - 14, 2009 -- Battery Box installed, Voltage Regulator, Starter Solenoid, Gascolator. |
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| April 17 - 29, 2009 -- Fuel probe, Antenna, fuse box, instruments in pod, GPS mount, LRI, EIS, and radio cut outs made. |
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| May 1 - 5, 2009 -- Holes for switches, mounted strobe box, wig-wag unit, control grip and PTT switch, & other panel cut-outs. |
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| May 7 - 17, 2009 -- Prime & paint panel, ELT install, Batt contactor, NACA vents, Throttle & Mixture controls, and Mag switch. |
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| May 20-29, 2009 -- Alternator relay, more vent work, more switches, and upholstery kit arrives. |
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| May 30 - June 6, 2009 -- New seat and Radio installed. |
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| June 7-25, 2009 -- INSTALLED ENGINE! Started baffling work and odds & ends on the engine. |
| June 27 - July 26, 2009 -- Cowling (Part I) |
| June 27 - July 26, 2009 -- Cowling (Part II) |
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| July 27 - Aug 12, 2009 -- Baffle seals, Egt & CHT connections, oil breather tube, new fuel plumbing, more wiring. |
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| NEW |
| Canopy and finishing up!! |
| Aug 13 - Aug 27, 2009 -- Canopy |
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| Sept 1 - Sept 6, 2009 -- Exhaust mounting, oil breather cut out, fuel vent, canopy seal, and baggage compartment. |
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| Sept 7, 2009 -- The Big Move... to the hanger, that is! |
| Sept 13, 2009 -- First Engine Start!! - Link is YouTube video. |
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| Sept 18 - Oct 4, 2009 -- Installed wings, rigged control surfaces, finished odd & ends, Buttoned up the aft bottom skin! |
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| Oct 5 - Nov 25, 2009 -- AW CERT... and A WHOLE LOT OF "ISSUES." |
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| NEW |
| DEC 11, 2009 -- FIRST FLIGHT and Phase 1 testing |
| Click here for additional stuff I am finishing on the plane while doing the flight test... and beyond! |