There was a thread on the homebuilt aircraft forum, but they do the paywall thing now so most won’t have access. Someone asked about modifying the canopy for the Onex, and someone else posted the picture I’ll attempt to attach.
I can’t find any other pictures or info. It’s in Australia registered to Simon Pike. Anyone have any additional info?
In my opinion, this is fantastic, and how the plane should have been, mostly because it keeps the fuel filler outside of the cockpit. It would compromise the lifting body effect though, and I wonder how that changed the flying qualities.
My windscreen is crazing around the fill hole and, to my knowledge, has never come into contact with fuel. I do see lots of gas vapor every time I take the fuel cap off.
I think maybe the “lifting body” thing is over blown. I’ve talked to two different Sonex pilots that installed a flat wrap canopy. Both had flown with a blown canopy. Both said they couldn’t tell a difference between the two. So, maybe no difference.?.?
Here’s a link to the other forum post. If anyone wants to try it.
Here’s a link to their new “supporting account” policy. If you had an old account that you can still log into, you can often see everything. If you are a new user, you’ll only see the first 3 posts then the paywall notice.
I’ve always thought the Sonex should have a steeper windshield like that - partially because it looks a little more like a normal airplane, but also for the exact reason that the gas nozzle is right next to the windshield.
I do think that looks better than stock. And I’m 99% sure the flat bottom of the airplane is what contributes to the “lifting body” - certainly more than the rounded canopy that mostly only directs the air up and over the fuselage down the center of the canopy. The stock windscreen is probably a little more slippery, though.
Thanks for posting. I’ve asked my self quite a few times if I could do what this guy did. But in the end, I’ll probably just build it per the plans. If it ain’t broke …
I had a massive incident a couple years ago. The young lineperson here got jiggy on the trigger, with the nozzle barely in the tank, and soaked us both with 100LL. We were on opposite sides of the windshield, which was also soaked. I ripped off my tshirt and taxied back to the hangar, and washed it down as best as I could. No cracks. I had to throw that shirt away.
I run 93 octane non-ethanol in the 912 though it could also use 87 octane with 10% ethanol. I’ve suspected that auto fuel is far more damaging to the windscreen and canopy than 100LL. I’ve read plenty of reports of people spilling 100LL, including videos Sonex put out from Oshkosh. I’ve been meaning to try to test that theory (not on my canopy ), and I saved some scrap canopy trimmings to test.
As it is, I won’t fuel the Onex anywhere but in my hangar. That limits where I can fly pretty significantly. As bad as replacing the windscreen and canopy was, at least it was in my hangar and not at some distant airport. I definitely hate the fuel situation.
The canopy shape you’re proposing absolutely transforms the plane from ugly duckling to swan (in my opinion of course). When I get the Ruckus flying, I’ll probably take a hard look at fixing the fuel situation once and for all. I’m not really up for making my own canopy, but if I can come up with some way to modify the front using the existing canopy plus a new windscreen, that will be an option.
If you decide to run a test, be sure to stress the Lexan while testing. I did that by safety wiring a piece bent. I tried both avgas (first) and mogas. The stressed piece of lexan crazed with both. But …, maybe avgas is slower to craze. I didn’t test that.
Yeah, any “stress risers” like cut edges or drilled holes are the first to go. I wouldn’t be surprised if stretched surfaces from being bent fall into that same category.
Even without testing, I’m fairly convinced that auto fuel can be much worse than 100LL. Even if it’s OK today, next week they could add some other additive that isn’t OK.
Thanks Bryan. I plan to get it flying with the new canopy before doing anything to the tail. I think the rudder will be composite (likely a CF molded part with perhaps two stiffening ribs to try to keep it as light as possible) but I haven’t made my mind up on anything yet.
