Longtime Employee Acquires Sonex Assets; All Staff Retained

Oshkosh, Wisconsin-based kit producer Sonex has a new owner. Mark Schaible, a veteran Sonex employee and general manager, has acquired the assets of both Sonex Aircraft LLC and Sonex Aerospace LLC. He will now fill the roles of owner and president for the new business entity, Sonex LLC.

All current employees will be retained, and John Monnett, who founded the company in 1998, will serve as a “lifetime emeritus advisor” and hold a seat on the newly formed Sonex Advisory Board. Schaible said, “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.”

“Future strength for Sonex will come from innovation and diversity within our product line, as we see great things on the horizon,” Schaible added. Development of all of the company’s current projects is slated to continue “seamlessly.” They include the JSX-2T two-seat SubSonex Personal Jet, scheduled to debut at this year’s EAA AirVenture Oshkosh; the Sonex High Wing, expected to make its debut at AirVenture 2023; expanded support for UL Power’s line of four-cylinder engines and Jabiru engines; and continued expansion of Sonex’s line of AeroConversions products.

Sonex also reaffirmed its commitment to supporting adaptation of the Rotax 912-series engines to power its aircraft, including the Rotax 912iS. There is currently a factory installation underway and it will serve as a basis for the planned Rotax installation in the AirVenture 2022 One Week Wonder project. Sonex also said it is “closely monitoring the engine market for other new products that may become good candidates to power Sonex aircraft as they develop and prove reliability.”

“While our traditional market is stronger than it has been for many years,” Schaible said, “there is no question that the UAS [Unmanned Aircraft Systems] market is growing exponentially and will continue to do so.” Along that line, the formerly separate company Sonex Aerospace has been absorbed as the third major product line for Sonex LLC. That group will target projects related to the high-profile UAS market “as well as other aerospace industry product and service opportunities,” according to Sonex.