100% Mexican-Made Aircraft Certified For the First Time in Nearly 70 Years

After a nearly 70-year dormant period, Mexican aircraft production is back and better than ever with the official certification of the Halcon 2.1 sportplane. The last 100-percent Mexican-designed and manufactured plane to be cleared for production was the twin-engine Lascurain Aura in 1957.

The Halcon, or “Falcon”, 2.1 is the product of 11 years of work by Celaya-based Horizontec. The company first rolled out the prototype in 2022 and, more than 50 test flights later, finally proved itself as a homegrown success.

For Mexico’s aviation industry, the symbolism outweighs the achievement itself. Mexico has long produced airplane parts ranging from fuselages to turbines, earning it the rank of 12th-largest global producer of aeronautical equipment, but it has lagged in domestic design and production for the last 70 years. This positions the Falcon 2.1 as proof that domestic design and production can compete with global standards.

“This is the 0001 mark; that is, we’re back in aviation,” said Mexico’s Economy Minister, Marcelo Ebrard. “Mexico is producing again and taking off, and we’re going to do very well. We’re going to go far.”

The aircraft itself is built from carbon fiber and resins, with a Garmin glass cockpit and a 141-horsepower Rotax 915 iS engine up front. It swings a three-blade propeller and can climb to 18,000 feet, cruising at about 135 knots. The range is just under 600 miles, enough for flight schools, aerial patrols, or weekend hops. Unlike many light-sport aircraft, it runs on premium automotive gasoline, claiming to cut costs to roughly one-quarter of comparable models.

At a sticker price of $200,000, plus 18 orders on the books and plans for US exports, the Falcon 2.1 could become a regular sight at flight schools and small airports in both Mexico and abroad.

“Hopefully, we’ll have the opportunity to design, develop and generate other aircraft,” added Giovanni Angelucci, co-founder of Horizontec. “But what this aircraft demonstrates is that it meets international standards, is safe and airworthy. The most important thing, though, is that it’s made in Mexico.”

FMI: www.horizontec.com.mx