Sonerai II rebuild by Junior

[avgas]

My son acquired a Sonerai II (ZS UJK)that last flew in 1984.
It used to belong to Des Erasmus and then 2 gents in the Eastern Cape Moss and Russel.
They sold it to Bully Andre. He stripped it and then I bought it together with ZS WSW.
I rebuild WSW and sold UJK to Leon Joubert some 15 years ago.
Recently my son(14 years old) asked about the Sonerai and I pointed him to Leon. They made a deal and the aircraft was collected in Pretoria.

He has begun with the enormous task of rebuilding the plane.
It used to be a mid wing and the conversion to low wing was started by Bully but not completed.
I will try and keep the threat alive with progress reporting but due to his limited time (boarding school boy) and his finances it will be a long process.

[avgas]

day 1

sonerai small.jpg (28.62 KiB) Viewed 22316 times

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small 2.jpg (36.88 KiB) Viewed 22316 times

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before the strip down

before.jpg (59.02 KiB) Viewed 22316 times

[Goose]

Mooi man, nog een van die ou airies wat nuwe lewe kry Wat se donkie kom voor in, Janmar, bombardeer, johndeer of breek en staart nooit weer

Ek sien die een wat in baas Thys se hanger staan is uitmekaar gehaal, net die vlerke is daar

[avgas]

Mooi man, nog een van die ou airies wat nuwe lewe kry Wat se donkie kom voor in, Janmar, bombardeer, johndeer of breek en staart nooit weer

Ek sien die een wat in baas Thys se hanger staan is uitmekaar gehaal, net die vlerke is daar

Wil graag 912 gaan maar dan beteken dit langer bene ens.
Jaraboe 4 silinder is 'n goeie opsie. Volla is eintlik sy engine maar daar is beter opsies

watter een staan in Thys se hangar?

[Goose]

Thys sal ons kan se. Ek het gesien hoe vlieg daai een in Thys se hanger met n VW en ek het myself amper bek@k net om te staan en kyk, daai pilot het GROOT goons. Wonderboom se baan was amper te kort Ek dink die Jab 6cyl is die regte ding vir die een Los daai airie n mid wing, lyk windgat!

[avgas]

Lyk windgat maar niemand behalwe 'n klein outjie pas dan in nie. bene moet onder spar deur gaan.
Jab 6 is te swaar en hulle vlieg goed met minder perde. Moet net lig wees. My vorige een het goed gevlieg met VW 1835. maar was net sigle seater regtig

[justin.schoeman]

Lyk windgat maar niemand behalwe 'n klein outjie pas dan in nie. bene moet onder spar deur gaan.
Jab 6 is te swaar en hulle vlieg goed met minder perde. Moet net lig wees. My vorige een het goed gevlieg met VW 1835. maar was net sigle seater regtig

I have just finished swapping an Aerovee (one of the lightest big bore VWs available) with a Jabiru 3300. Total weight increase was 3kg. The bigger battery was 2kg heavier - so the basic engine installed weight is pretty much identical.

I only know of one Jabiru 2200 installation on a Sonerai. Apparently performance was great, but handling was terrible. He had to move the engine so far forward to get the CG right that the gyroscopic forces were almost unmanageable. Last I heard, he was busy replacing it with a 3300.

[avgas]

Very interesting Justin. where did you find the info?
There is also one flying with a 912. broke speed record. over 400km/h well over sugested VNE
I will look out for a timex 3300 in any way
912, Jab 6 and vw weigh almost the same
I don't want to move away from the original design. We would like it light and basic but FAST
Minimal instruments. small MGL efis (still looking for one) behind front seat with mgl radio (already have) also there. Front dash ASI, slip ball and G-meter. All these small instruments that we still have to get.
Prop would be variable pitch. Maybe that will make up the extra weight up front
welcome to give suggestions as I have not done W&B calcs yet.

[justin.schoeman]

Sounds like a great setup. Haven't looked at the exact sizes yet, but the 7" MGL Discoverer Lite might just fit in the rear seat panel.

For the Jab engine. the guys name is Bill (can't remember his surname). He posts quite often on sonerai.net and occasionally on the Yahoo jabiruengines group. You can find details on his plane by searching those group archives.

If you are a serious Ratex fan, then the 912 will certainly work, but if you want light and simple, then you should consider the Jab. The small fuselage profile works very well with the short props that the jab likes, and with so much excess power you can use a short over pitched wood prop and still get decent take-off performance without a VP prop.

Call Jabiru and Microwings (Camit engine). You will be amazed at how cheap reman engines are .

[Divan rossouw]

Hi oom Richard. Baie geluk aan oom se seun. Hys baie gelukkig hy het iemand met ondervinding wat hom kan raad gee. Baie sterkte met die projek hoop oom se seun geniet dit baie.
Groete
Divan

[avgas]

Dankie Divan
Ek moet nog by jou uitkom maar elke keer wat ek beplan val daar iets voor.
Groete

[avgas]

Hi Justin
yes the 7"MGL is the one
I have now mailed Bill lets see what he has to say.
Short prop is part of the design and I would not like to deviate from that.
Thanks for the input it is great to have positive feedback