SonexBuilders.net

I've included Jan's post in mine above.

Thanks and yikes. Your assesment is spot on.


Robbie
Sonex 1517

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD

That guy is amazing. I honestly can't figure out why anyone would give him a single dollar. Such a shame...

I saw that on the Viking Forum. Seems the only posts he allows are ones that stroke his ego. I went to the Zenith forum to find out what he was referring to.

I sleep well at night knowing that even though I lost my deposit on the Viking, I won't be threatened with a law suit when I complain about the service I've gotten (yet!). The customer (Ben) was delivered an engine (three months late) without an ECU and its been 6 months and he still doesn't have it. I too would be hitting the social media to let others know. And it looks like the engine is in continual research and development. At the customers expense. Now every existing customer must remove their ECUs and send them back to Viking for a new one. And it requires a new mounting holes and vacuum lines. This is addition to a new intake manifold, new dual battery wiring harness, belt pulleys and who knows what changes are just around the corner when Jan realizes another "area for improvement".

Did you also notice that the beautiful new Viking/Sonex came in 721lbs. That's a polished tailwheel plane. And he claims he really tried to build it light and I don't doubt that. I do doubt we will ever see a Viking/Sonex come in under 720. My Jab/Waiex/nosewheel/painted came it at 683 and I was pleased. Remember, Jan said the Viking weighed the same as a Jabiru 3300.

Sorry guys, but it looks like the Viking is going to follow the same path as the Egg Subaru conversions did. Leave a lot of angry people without support. I could be wrong, but I would never invest in a engine with such a company owner backing it up.

Not so long ago you could read the messages on the Viking Yahoo group without being a member. That changed a couple of weeks ago ...

Dale Williams
N319WF @ 6J2
Myunn - "daughter of Cleanex"
120 HP - 3.0 Corvair
Tail Wheel - Center Stick
20:06 hours - Phase One
Status - Flying

daleandee wrote:Not so long ago you could read the messages on the Viking Yahoo group without being a member. That changed a couple of weeks ago ...

I'm pretty sure it has something to do with the birth of this new group:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Viking_Aircraft_Engine/
A new yahoo group on the subject of Viking engines, however, this one is not under Jan's control.

Remember the group "Eggenfellner H6 Orphans"?
Well looks like the same story all over again.

fastj22 wrote:The customer (Ben) was delivered an engine (three months late) without an ECU and its been 6 months and he still doesn't have it.

Hmmm, where have I read that one before, oh yeah:

NOV 24, 2009 - after blowing his relationship with his ECU supplier, Eggenfellner is now shipping engines WITH NO ECU. Of course, as with the STi components, an ECU is promised to follow shortly, as Eggenfellner scrambles to create his own ECU from scratch. Given Eggenfellner's "ship 'em, then let the customers test 'em" philosophy, I predict major disasters.

http://www.meyette.us/engine.htm

Like I said in my previous post same story all over again!

LOL!
I have just joined the alternate Viking yahoo group, here's my welcome message:

Welcome to the Viking_Aircraft_Engine group at Yahoo! Groups.

Warning:

Due to the manufacturers commitment to honesty and openness, you will likely find yourself banned from a certain group, if your details are seen here.

This is most unfortunate as it may very well inhibit those who wish to offer praise here.

It would be prudent to use another account name here and to be circumspect about details that might identify you, if you wish to continue to use that forum, which has no relation to this one.

You should also know that private mail to other group members can be seen by the moderator - such communication would best be done via regular email. Users have complained that private messages that he does not like have been deleted. You should feel free, however to issue fulsome praise of the great and mighty one via that channel....

Both the man and the company do deserve some praise, after all.

It is to be hoped that the benefits of openness and honesty will in due course become apparent to the manufacturer.
Please visit Viking Aircraft Engines, the manufacturer support site at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Vikingaircraftengines/
Don't mention that we sent you.
So get started. Visit Viking_Aircraft_Engine now.
http://us.rd.yahoo.com/evt=42879/*http: ... aft_Engine


Regards,
Moderator
Viking_Aircraft_Engine

fastj22 wrote: Did you also notice that the beautiful new Viking/Sonex came in 721lbs. That's a polished tailwheel plane. And he claims he really tried to build it light and I don't doubt that.

The false claims of the weight of the Viking engine are easily known by us Cleanex owners. There is a reason that the battery was put into the tail on Casey's plane ... the same reason it was on mine. Myunn (Corvair/Sonex) weighed 726 pounds as a tail wheel before adding a paint job. Mine has dual Duckworth landing lights, strobes, and full interior. On the Panther site you can now see verification that when Dan Weseman built his "wicked Cleanex" it also weighed 726 pounds. If I remember correctly "Son of Cleanex" built by Chris Smith, also a tail dragger, came in at 728 pounds before paint.

The weight of the 3.0 Corvair engine is 218 pounds. Eggenfellner might be fooling some of the people but he ain't fooling me!

Dale Williams
N319WF @ 6J2
Myunn - "daughter of Cleanex"
120 HP - 3.0 Corvair
Tail Wheel - Center Stick
20:06 hours - Phase One
Status - Flying

Looks like Jan is selling the company demonstrator Waiex. He previously sold the RV12 he was going to use for the company demonstrator in favor of the Waiex. He no longer really promotes the Viking for the RV12 like he did a few years ago. Same destiny for Sonex? I would think an engine manufacturer would want at least one operating company demonstrator for the shows. And probably one in each model you are marketing for.