Monnett Experimental Aircraft

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Monnett Experimental Aircraft
Experimental Aircraft Kits and Plans
IndustryExperimental Aircraft Manufacturer
FateSold to INAV Ltd. 1986
Successor Great Plains Aircraft Supply Company
Headquarters Elgin, Il
Key people
 John Monnett
ProductsExperimental Aircraft Kits and Plans
Sonerai I Monnett Sonerai I.jpg
Sonerai I
Moni Moni-V Tail.jpg
Moni
Monex Monnett Monex.jpg
Monex

Monnett Experimental Aircraft was a United States aircraft manufacturer. Founded by John Monnett, a schoolteacher from Illinois who transitioned from a pilot of J3 Cubs and Aeronca Champs to building and designing tube-and-fabric racing aircraft built around the Volkswagen air-cooled engine. [1] The company was founded to produce plans and kits for the Sonerai I aircraft. The Sonerai I was specially built to be used as a Formula V Air Racing racer. The follow-on aircraft, the Sonerai II was a two-seat modification that made the aircraft more marketable for sport piloting. [2] In 1982, the company marketed its Moni motor glider. It was built of aluminum and featured bonded wing skins. [3]

United States Federal republic in North America

The United States of America (USA), commonly known as the United States or simply America, is a country comprising 50 states, a federal district, five major self-governing territories, and various possessions. At 3.8 million square miles, the United States is the world's third or fourth largest country by total area and is slightly smaller than the entire continent of Europe. Most of the country is located in central North America between Canada and Mexico. With an estimated population of over 327 million people, the U.S. is the third most populous country. The capital is Washington, D.C., and the most populous city is New York City.

Aircraft machine that is able to fly by gaining support from the air other than the reactions of the air against the earth’s surface

An aircraft is a vehicle that is able to fly by gaining support from the air. It counters the force of gravity by using either static lift or by using the dynamic lift of an airfoil, or in a few cases the downward thrust from jet engines. Common examples of aircraft include airplanes, helicopters, airships, gliders, paramotors and hot air balloons.

Tube-and-fabric construction

Tube-and-fabric construction is a method of building airframes, which include the fuselages and wings of airplanes. It consists of making a framework of metal tubes and then covering the framework with an aircraft fabric covering.

Contents

Ownership history

In 1986 Monnett Experimental Aircraft was sold to INAV Ltd. INAV remained viable for only one year. The rights to the Sonerai series of aircraft were sold to HAPI, and were then again purchased by Great Plains Aircraft Supply Company, who still sells plans for the Sonerai aircraft. [4] John Monnett went on to found a new company, Sonex Aircraft. Sonex and its follow-on aircraft have a common lineage to the VW engines of the Sonerai and simple aluminum construction of the Moni and Monex.

Great Plains Aircraft Supply Company

Great Plains Aircraft Supply Company is a United States aircraft manufacturer of experimental plans based primarily on the Volkswagen air-cooled engine. Great Plains provides VW engine conversions for use in experimental aircraft.

Sonex Aircraft

Sonex Aircraft, LLC is an American kit aircraft manufacturer located in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, producing kits for four all-metal homebuilt monoplanes. The company was founded in 1998 by John Monnett, who has designed the Monnett Sonerai sport aircraft series, Monnett Monerai sailplane, Monnett Moni motorglider, and Monnett Monex racer. Monnett designs are displayed in the Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center of the National Air and Space Museum near Washington D.C.

Aircraft

Summary of aircraft built by Monnett Experimental Aircraft
Model nameFirst flightNumber builtType
Sonerai I 1971 400+Single Seat Formula V Racer
Sonerai II 1974 50+Two Seat mid-wing
Monerai 1978 25+Glider
Sonerai IIL 1981 25+Two Seat low-wing
Monnett Monex 1981 1Single seat V-tail racer
Moni 1982 1+Single Seat Motor Glider

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Monnett Sonerai

The Sonerai is a small, VW-powered homebuilt aircraft, designed by John Monnett. The Sonerai began to compete as a single seat mid-wing Formula-V racer class formed in 1972. The Sonerai soon evolved into a two-seat model called the Sonerai II. Later versions included a low wing Sonerai IIL, a tricycle gear Sonerai IILT and finally the stretched Sonerai IILS and IILTS.

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Monnett Monex

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Monnett may refer to:

References

  1. ↑ Joe Christy (1985). ARV flier's handbook.
  2. ↑ "Flying Twins your choice of one or two". Popular Mechanics: 108. Aug 1974.
  3. ↑ Ben Kocivar (Feb 1982). "V tailed kit plane". Popular Science.
  4. ↑ Gunston (1993). World encyclopaedia of aircraft manufacturers from the pioneers to the present day . pp.  209.
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