As they say, longtime Sonex employee Mark Schaible liked the planes so much, he bought the company, Sonex LLC, where he will also assume the position of CEO, at least on paper.
Based in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, Sonex has been building very light kit-built aircraft for 23 years. Founded by homebuilding pioneer John Monnett, Sonex has made a name for itself with some of the lowest cost-to-build-and-fly very light aircraft. Monnett, who will serve on the company’s advisory board, is indeed onboard for the change: “Establishing Sonex Aircraft, Sonex Aerospace and AeroConversions as innovative, affordable performance brands to serve the sport aircraft community has always been my goal,” Monnett said.
Schaible added, “John Monnett is a legendary name in the aviation industry, so I am very humbled and excited to have the opportunity to stand on the shoulders of his achievements and continue to shape the Sonex legacy into the next generation.”
At the same time, Schaible, who served in a number of leadership roles at Sonex over the years, has big plans for growth, including the introduction of new models.
These will include:
- A two-seat version of the company’s popular (and cleverly named) SubSonex light jet, which the company hopes to roll out at this year’s Oshkosh AirVenture Fly-In.
- A high-wing Sonex, to be introduced at the 2023 AirVenture, details on the new plane to come.
- Unpiloted aircraft for military programs (formerly a focus of Sonex Aerospace, which will now be rolled into the parent company.
