Hornet light sport airplane

The Hornet airframe is designed to protectively surround it's occupants while providing a substantial degree of strength and structural integrity.

there's no other airframe like a Hornet airframe! (12189 bytes)

As you view the airframe of a Hornet, you will see that it is composed of many 1-1/4" dia. formed aluminum tubes and hundreds of computer generated gussets, each designed to distribute loads evenly throughout the airframe. Unlike steel welded airframes, this method of construction offers definite advantages.

Since the weight of aluminum is 1/3 that of steel, the diameter of the aluminum tube can be three times as large as a steel tube of the same weight. Why do we want large diameter tubing uniformly surrounding the pilot? Consider this example: If you take a piece of wire and pull on it, it has a high tensile strength; but if you push on it, it has very little compressive strength and bends easily. Forming material into a tubular cross-section increases it's compressive strength. The larger the diameter of the tube, the larger the ratio of compressive strength which translates into its ability to resist bending in compression. Welded steel airframes, made up of small diameter steel tubes, do not have the same degree of compressive strength as larger diameter aluminum tubes. A frame made of high compressive strength tubing surrounding the pilot results in pilot protection.

Another advantage of a structure that provides high compressive strength is that it can be covered with a fabric that offers superior strength and low drag characteristics. Unlike aircraft covered with "slip-over" sail cloth or other lesser strength fabrics, the Hornet is covered with a Stits Poly-Fiber 2.7 oz. fabric. This fabric is F.A.A. certified for high-speed aircraft and has a strength rating of 114 psi (16,416 Lb/Sq Ft). In order to use this fabric, the airframe must be designed to withstand the stress of the shrinking process. Using this covering on similar size light planes designed for lighter fabrics, such as 1.7 oz, could tend to crush or deform the airframe, whereas, on the Hornet, it simply improves its strength, durability and performance.

The Hornet incorporates dual-spar wings and is rated to fly to 4G’s. Unlike the typical ultralight style wing in which strength is made up of leading and trailing edge tubes, each attached to a strut, the Hornet wing is built around two bridge-section spars attached to a single strut. This assembly is then surrounded by leading and trailing edges that are all tied together with top and bottom ribs attached thru interlocking gussets. This configuration provides superior strength and less drag than other designs. Look inside the wing before you buy!

Hornet struts are extruded from proprietary dies into a laminar flow airfoil. We do not use conventional round tubing with optional airfoil material riveted over it.

The Hornet is full of parts that were uniquely designed with quality, functionality, durability and reliability in mind. Just a few of these parts are illustrated below.

Landing Gear

The Hornet landing gear is designed and built, as we say, " to withstand the worst student!" It incorporates an air spring suspension system on all three wheels which is designed to protect the aircraft from damage in the event of a "miscalculated" landing. To demonstrate how well this feature works, the Hornet is typically stalled eight feet off the ground at air shows. The craft hits the ground hard without damaging the structure or bouncing back into the air because the energy is absorbed by the gear. Bungy type or carbon fiber spring landing gear designs return most of the energy to the airframe which causes the aircraft to bounce back into the air.

front gear swing arm with airbag allows for lots of deflection (25261 bytes)

maingear with airbags is designed to handle stalls from up to 8-10 ft above the runway (45688 bytes)

The Hornet uses Good Year air springs that are inflated with air, just like you would inflate tires.

Electric Flaps and Trim

This standard feature on the Hornet is not an extravagant toy! The electrically actuated flaps and trim assemblies are extremely valuable devices that aid the pilot in controlling the aircraft with minimum distraction so that the pilot can pay attention to the more important aspects of flying. (i.e.: other traffic, airspeed and the ground)

Electrically actuated flaps are user friendly. The flip of a switch lowers or raises the flaps automatically as opposed to operating cumbersome levers or cranks. When they reach their full position, they shut off automatically. The flaps can also be jogged to any setting with ease. Fully deploying the flaps for landing requires no adjustment to the trim setting and causes a slight nose down pitch angle change which improves landing visibility.

Electrically actuated trim on the Hornet is very effective and convenient because the angle of attack of the entire horizontal stabilizer is adjusted rather that a smaller trim tab which always imposes additional drag. "Hands-off" control is easily adjusted with a touch of the switch by typically holding it up or down for one or two seconds. Trimming the aircraft with the horizontal stabilizer is also much more effective and produces much less drag than flaperon trim systems or trim tabs. Since the aircraft pivots about the wing during flight, trimming the aircraft with "flaperons" at the rear of the wing requires more force and therefore more drag because the lever arm (distance to the pivot point) is very short. Trimming at the tail, because of the longer lever arm, requires minimum force and therefore virtually no drag. This trim system is so effective that the Hornet can be flown by the trim switch as a third backup system to the dual elevator controls.

Dual Flight Controls

Full 3-axis control is provided to both seats. Additionally, aileron and elevator controls have double cable systems for redundancy. All cables are 3/32" diameter stainless steel terminated with aircraft quality AN turnbuckle hardware.

Seats

Lightweight foam/glass custom molded composite seats, which adjust forward and back 6", provide comfortable support and are standard (custom seat covers are optional). The seats rise as they are moved forward in order to help shorter pilots maintain visibility over the dash. Aircraft quality 4-point shoulder harness seat belts are also included in the kit.

Fuel Tank

The Hornet fuel tanks are roto molded in proprietary tooling and are uniquely different than other fuel tanks. Typical gas tanks, used on many aircraft, are roto molded from standard polypropylene, a thermo-plastic material which will re-melt in a fire. Hornet fuel tanks are made from cross linked polypropylene, a thermo-setting fire resistant material designed for fuel. This material will not re-melt and is stronger than aluminum, fiberglass or standard polypropylene. The Hornet tanks are centrally located in the wing between the bridge-section spars, further protecting them from failure by impact.

Propulsion System

The hornet powered by one of two options with the most reliable LSA engines:

ROTAX 912UL 80hp
ROTAX 100ULS 100hp

ROTAX Aircraft Engines

The Hornet kit is a complete kit. It contains many items that would be optional on other kits and several features that are not even available on many kits. The Hornet kit includes the following Standard Features:

Dual Spar Wings with single low drag struts.

Electrically Actuated Flaps to reduce stall speed by 8 Mph.

Electrically Actuated Horizontal Stabilizer for touch of a button trim.

Pneumatic Suspension on all three wheels.

Custom Hydraulic Brakes and hub assemblies w/ alum wheels & large tires.

Dual Flight Controls for redundancy and built-in safety.

Adjustable Seats molded of light weight composite w/ 6 " travel.

Propeller.

Aircraft Quality Four Point shoulder harness/seat belt restraint system.

In addition to the standard features listed above and included in your Hornet kit, we offer Several Options to Enhance Your Hornet.

A characteristic of pusher type aircraft is that their tail sets on the ground when the pilot exits the forward seat because the weight of the forward pilot is the counter balance for the rear mounted engine. To make entry and exit to the front seat easier, we designed the optional tail stand which, when extended, prevents the tail from coming down to the ground. The tail stand is controlled from the front seat by a cable and handle that clips into the left rudder pedal so that you cannot taxi with the stand down. Most customers find this feature very convenient.

The Hornet comes standard with 2 9-gallon fuel tanks

Instrument Package with Wire Harness

The picture below shows our standard instrument package mounted in the standard panel.

The Hornet Dash - Flight instruments: TACH, CHT/EGT, SLIP, ALT, ASI, FUEL,COMPAS.

We consider these to be the most useful instruments in a Hornet. The standard panel supplied with the kit is pre-cut for these instruments. A blank panel can be supplied if you wish to install other instruments

The standard instruments, shown in the panel above, from left to the right are:
(Top row) 3" Tach/Hour Meter; 3" Quad CHT/CHT/EGT/EGT; Flight Envelope Placard with Ball Slip Indicator above (center); 3" 20,000 ft 3 point Altimeter; 3" 0-150mph ASI.
(Bottom row) 5 position Mag Switch (Off, LH, RH, Boh, Start); Main Switch, Flap Switch & Trim Switch in 3 hole placard; 2" Dual Fuel Gage; 3 Fuses (vertical at center); 2" Magnetic Compass.

The following are custom instruments packages designed our customers;

The Whelen Strobe/Running Light Set is a complete F.A.A. legal lighting system. Custom mounting brackets for attaching these lights to the wing tips are included in the kit when this option is ordered.

Door Kit

For pilots who want to fly in cold or inclement weather, we offer a door kit which encloses the cockpit. Both sides open with the assistance of a gas spring, similar to the hood of your car. The doors are quickly removable when the weather warms up.

The door kit is designed so that it can be added after the plane is completed. It is not necessary to order the door kit before completing your Hornet kit.

The BRS parachute system fits neatly into the wing

making it aerodynamic and inconspicuous.

Custom seat covers can be made to your pattern and material selection. Pricing for this option includes two colors. Normally, these are not ordered until the customer decides on the finished paint scheme.