Backcountry Sonex?
Posted: Mon May 03, 2021 4:42 pm
by SP1
I was reading the latest edition of Kitplanes, which talked about used Sonexes. There was a mention about Sonexes being used in the backcountry, and not recommending the trigear option for this. I had never thought about landing on anything but bonafide concrete or blacktop runways.
Have people been using their Sonexes on the rough stuff? I can’t imagine Trent Palmer like terrain, but that is intriguing. What modifications did you have to make? Bigger tires?
I did find an accident report about one landing on a relatively rough strip in Mercy Hot Springs, and there was another mention elsewhere that grass should be okay with a trigear, but on an infrequent basis.
Re: Backcountry Sonex?
Posted: Mon May 03, 2021 6:57 pm
by GraemeSmith
I’ve logged:
2B1 - Cape Cod
Still on 4 in tires in this shot. Check out the competition behind me. Longest runway is 2,700ft grass…
and 1B2 - Katama
both in MA in my tail wheel Sonex. Both are grass in decent - but not golf fairway - shape.
Wheel pants off.
I’ve switched the stock 4" tires for 5" x 500 Airhawks - deliberately to help with grass fields. 6" solid tail wheel.
Not sure I would tackle an Alaska gravel sandbar though!
Re: Backcountry Sonex?
Posted: Mon May 03, 2021 10:30 pm
by Sonex1517
I routinely fly my Sonex taildragger off grass. I did so with the stock tires and now with bigger tires.