FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Sonex Builders & Pilots Foundation Established as
National Type Club for Sonex Aircraft:
Joint Sonex/SBPF Transition Training Syllabus Released

May 10, 2013, Oshkosh, WI

Sonex Aircraft, LLC is pleased to report the establishment of a national type club for the Sonex line of aircraft, the Sonex Builders & Pilots Foundation. In alignment with NTSB recommendations for the improvement of Experimental/Amateur-Built aircraft safety, the Sonex Builders & Pilots Foundation was founded as a type club to promote safety and education in building and operating Sonex aircraft. With this announcement comes the release of a Sonex Aircraft Transition Training Syllabus as a joint publication of Sonex Aircraft, LLC and the Sonex Builders & Pilots Foundation. The Syllabus will be utilized in the new Sonex T-Flight Transition Training Program, and is available for download from both Sonex and the SBPF.

"There have been a core group of Sonex builders/owners who have expressed a desire over the past few months to grow the Sonex community across the nation," writes Foundation President Robbie Culver. "What started as one-on-one discussions about bringing more groups together, growing a community, promoting safety, education and transition training, has now morphed into an informed coalition of individuals who are interested in building a national Sonex type club. One glance at the current conversation in the experimental aviation community shows an increased emphasis on many of the topics we have as goals."

"We are excited that a group of Sonex builders have responded so positively to the challenges facing homebuilt aviation by forming a national type club in support of their fellow builders and pilots," remarked Sonex Aircraft, LLC General Manager Mark Schaible. "The goals and philosophies of the Foundation’s leaders are in perfect harmony with those of Sonex Aircraft, and we look forward to the enhanced level of builder support that can sometimes only be fully embraced when coming from one’s peers. The timing was perfect for the Foundation’s first project, a syllabus for transition training in the Sonex line of aircraft, as we were in the process of writing our own syllabus for the new T-Flight program. Combining the two documents into a joint publication allowed us to take advantage of the best of both efforts, and was a natural fit. In addition to factory transition training offered by the Sonex T-Flight program, our hope is that this syllabus, along with increased efforts by the FAA, the insurance industry, and organizations such as EAA and the Aircraft Kit Industry Association (AKIA) will encourage more CFI’s with an interest in homebuilt aircraft to pursue FAA Letter of Deviation Authority (LODA) to offer transition training in Sonex designs, as well as other homebuilt types."

The Sonex Builders & Pilots Foundation is also aimed at helping to further support and spotlight the numerous pre-existing regional builders groups that have formed around the country. These groups already provide a tremendous amount of peer support and camaraderie, while holding a large number of grass-roots fly-in events throughout the year. Some events are celebrating 10 and 11-year anniversaries in 2013 and are attracting hundreds of current and potential Sonex Aircraft builders. "We do not wish to take over, compete with, or in any way direct any established group, regional organization, or association such as the American Sonex Association (ASA), Florida Sonex Association, etc.," continues Robbie Culver. "Instead, we want to encourage and grow the Sonex community by promoting already established regional groups and their events, and help to connect those interested in building/flying a Sonex with local builders/owners."

The Sonex Builders & Pilots Foundation has applied for 501(c)(3) non-profit organization status, and can be found online at: http://www.sonexfoundation.org

Sonex Aircraft, LLC is a leader in the experimental kit aircraft industry, providing a series of Sport Pilot eligible kit aircraft and producing the AeroConversions line of products which include the AeroVee engine, AeroInjector and ancillary aviation products. Sonex Aircraft’s Sonex, Waiex, and Onex sport planes, and the Xenos sport motorglider offer outstanding performance in an easy to build, easy to fly kit package that can be purchased and completed with full technical support at an unrivaled price. Sonex and AeroConversions product development is committed to providing simple, elegant and low-cost solutions for sport flying. Simply put, Sonex Aircraft and AeroConversions products provide the best performance per dollar. Check us out at www.SonexAircraft.com and www.AeroConversions.com

SONEX BUILDERS & PILOTS FOUNDATION HOME PAGE:
http://www.sonexfoundation.org

JOINT SONEX/SBPF TRANSITION TRAINING SYLLABUS:
http://www.sonexaircraft.com/support/transition_syllabus.pdf

SONEX T-FLIGHT TRANSITION TRAINING PROGRAM:
http://www.sonexaircraft.com/support/t-flight.html

SONEX T-FLIGHT PRESS RELEASE:
http://www.sonexaircraft.com/press/releases/pr_050613.html

SONEX BUILDER ASSOCIATIONS AND EVENTS CALENDAR:
http://www.sonexaircraft.com/builders/builderevents.html

EAA TYPE CLUB COALITION:
http://www.eaa.org/govt/tcc.asp

SUBSCRIBE TO THE SONEX AND AEROCONVERSIONS PUBLIC RELATIONS MAILING LIST:
http://www.sonexaircraft.com/rss_info.html

PRESS CONTACT:
Mark Schaible
Sonex Aircraft, LLC
www.SonexAircraft.com
Phone: (920) 231-8297
Fax:     (920) 426-8333
E-mail: mark@sonexaircraft.com

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