After nearly 70 years, a 100% Mexican-made airplane is cleared for takeoff 

Mexican aviation marked a milestone this week arsenic the Halcón 2.1 — the archetypal craft successful astir 70 years to beryllium 100% designed and manufactured successful Mexico nether planetary standards — has received certification to spell into production.

It celebrated Wednesday by taking Mexico’s Economy Minister Marcelo Ebrard connected an exhibition flight.

Developed implicit 11 years by Celaya, Guanajuato–based Horizontec, the two-seater, light-sport craft took to the skies from Felipe Ángeles International Airport northbound of Mexico City successful what Ebrard called a historical occasion.

Officials are hoping the airplane (“Falcon 2.1” successful English) volition assistance restart a 100%-Mexican home craft manufacture that has been dormant since 1957 — for each categories, not conscionable light-sport aircraft.

“This is the 0001 mark; that is, we’re backmost successful aviation,” Ebrard said. “Mexico is producing again and taking off, and we’re going to bash precise well. We’re going to spell far.”

Ebrard said Mexico is the 12th-largest shaper of wide aeronautics worldwide, “and we’re climbing. We’re expected to beryllium 10th.”

He said virtually each airplane parts are produced successful Mexico, from turbines to analyzable alloys, fuselages and electronics. “But we didn’t person our ain aircraft,” helium said, adding that the benignant certification from Mexico’s Federal Civil Aviation Agency (AFAC) volition person a important impact.

“Not lone [is this milestone] precise important for restoring Mexico’s power successful its ain aviation sector, but besides successful each different sectors of the economy, due to the fact that present what statement could determination beryllium for america not to bash the aforesaid successful immoderate we acceptable retired to do?”

He noted that Mexico has dived into electrical vehicles, alluding to the Zacua (a car produced since 2017), the Olinia (in the readying stages) and the Taruk (an electrical bus).

Mexico has besides been manufacturing EV motors and batteries, and Ebrard said the federation tin physique overmuch much connected its own, from semiconductors to artificial-intelligence models.

“If we export, that’s large … We’re a large exporting power,” helium said. “But we should import little … we import excessively much.”

The AFAC certification volition let the Halcón 2.1 to beryllium utilized successful formation schools, for aerial surveillance and for recreational flights. It has a three-blade propeller that allows it to scope an altitude of 18,000 feet.

The two-seater has a three-blade propeller that allows it to scope an altitude of 18,000 feet. (SE)

Horizontec archetypal unveiled the level successful 2022 arsenic the Halcón 2. Its maiden formation was astatine the airdrome successful Celaya, marking the archetypal of 50 trial flights needed to signify airworthiness. This week’s formation marked the extremity of that process.

“Hopefully, we’ll person the accidental to design, make and make different aircraft,” said Giovanni Angelucci, co-founder of Horizontec with Eduardo Carrasco. “But what this craft demonstrates is that it meets planetary standards, is harmless and airworthy.

“The astir important thing, though, is that it’s made successful Mexico.”

Mexico’s aviation-building efforts since 1957 person progressive assembly, modifications oregon prototypes.

But determination had not been an craft 100% designed and built wrong Mexico, and certified for use, since models successful the mid-20th period similar the Lascurain Aura.

Built from c fibre and resins, the Halcón 2.1 has a 141-horsepower Rotax 915 iS motor and a Garmin solid cockpit. Able to cruise astatine 250 kilometers per hour, it has a scope of astir 1,100 kilometers. It uses premium automotive gasoline, slashing operating costs to astir a 4th of comparable models, and costs astir US $200,000.

Horizontec said it has 18 orders and expects further growth, including successful the export market, peculiarly to the U.S.

“The Halcón 2.1 not lone represents technological innovation, but besides assurance successful nationalist talent,” said Gen. Miguel Enrique Vallín Osuna, AFAC’s manager general. “When Mexican endowment takes off, it has nary limits.”

With reports from La Jornada, El Economista, Avion Revue and A21