22 March 2019
A new German aircraft manufacturer, Horten Aircraft, will give its radical flying wing two-seater its world debut at AERO Friedrichshafen in April.
The aircraft has been in development for three years and a prototype has started flight tests at Eisenach Airfield with the approval of the German Federal Aviation Authority.
The design has no tail or fuselage – it’s all wing. The company name honours the visionary aircraft designer Dr. Ing. Reimar Horten (1915-1994), a pioneer in the field of flying wings along with Hugo Junkers.
“Due to its low aerodynamic resistance, the flying wing flies farther and faster than a comparable aircraft with a fuselage,” said Bernhard Mattlener, managing director of the company, which belongs to the LIFT Air group.
“The design of the airframe makes it easily adaptable for installing new propulsion technologies we anticipate will become available in the future.”
In the sky over Eisenach: Test pilot Kai Schülter tests the HX-2 aircraft to determine its exact performance and flight characteristics.
The prototype lands safely after a test flight at Eisenach Airfield. It has been granted a “provisional traffic approval ” for extensive testing by the German Federal Aviation Authority.
What the heck… let’s go for another flight!
Horten Aircraft plans further developments, such as unmanned or multi-seat versions of its current prototype. The aircraft will be built at the company’s headquarters at Kindel Airfield near Eisenach.
12 comments
I would love to buy an airframe kit for this aircraft if they will be made available. Please put my on your mailing list. Thanks and good luck.
Was always impressed with the WW2 Horten 229 jet & would be nice to have a sport plane based on its principles.
Congrats to Horten Aircraft on their achievements to date.
In response to a reply below, yes, our group in the US is developing a 2-seat all-wing aircraft as well. We are completing the design of the full-scale prototype of our Model 14, and plan to commence construction as soon as May of this year.
Contact us for additional information.
Hi
I recall that the Horten Ho 229 was the only design to meet the 3 x 1,000 specification . . . . 1,000 kg payload over a range of 1,000 km at a speed of 1,000 km/h.
I imagine that you probably are not going to exceed that, however, congratulations for evolving the design and structure to need less than a tenth of the original weight and fly with a fraction of the power and fuel.
In many ways, it is like a canard but without the canard!
Can you please explain which certification rules under you will be producing this aircraft?
There is very little information on your website, however, I did spot a Rotax 912iS and, therefore, I am guessing that you are going to manufacture this aircraft as a LSA under EASA, with the usual limitations of MTOW of 600 kg and stalling speed of 35Kts or, perhaps, certification under CS-23? Or are you only going to manufacture kits for homebuilders?
In the USA you would have to go under the amateur built category.
I also noticed an ASI calibrated to 380 km/h and imagine that you are seeing a maximum cruise speed, at 92% power, of 300 km/h or 162 KIAS or, maybe, up to 10% more. Is that about right?
Do you have a Rotax 915iS installation planned?
Kind regards
Philip
What’s the L/D with engine off?
I corresponded for several years with Dr Ramer Horton in South America regarding developing a sports version of the Gotha. I found him a very brilliant interesting man. He sent me a great deal of original drawings of the Gotha. There is growing interesting and support from the German Gov., I believe to put a full size Gotha back in the air. Be interesting to see what the Ultralight version discussed performances like.Take off distance is a big issue with all flying wings
retired CPL
Hola, yo tuve la suerte de volar en dos alas Horten, la Urubu y Glen Antu.
There is an American group developing an all-wing aircraft as well. Rumor has it that the prototype is already under construction! They have a facebook page as well at facebook (dot) com / lvaero , so I am sure you can contact them for information!
Hallo, das ist beeindruckend. Ich besuche die Aero ab nächste Woche und besitze eine Pilotenlizenz. Kann ich sie mal selber fliegen? Ich würde sofort ein Kit kaufen!
Obviously inspired by the resounding commercial success of the earlier e-Go single-seater. That went well, didn’t it?
Looks not like they been inspired by the e-go.
This plane has more of the look of the old two seated Pul-10, have a look yourself:
https://web.archive.org/web/20120120230648/http://www.nurflugel.com/Nurflugel/Horten_Nurflugels/PUL-10/pul-10.html
Beautiful plane, and ahead of its time.
Keep going Bernhard, you have my support. Try to keep it under 600 kg mauw if you can.