Last year, the 60-hp HKS 700E 4-cycle engine burst on the ultralight scene with more impact than I've noted since Rotax established itself as the engine of choice for ultralight enthusiasts. Among those embracing the new designed-for-light-aircraft powerplant was HY-TEK Hurricane, manufacturer of the Hurricane brand. In the years since Mike Kern took over the Hurricane, he has shown savvy about the ultralight marketplace. He was able to see where he could enlarge his potential customer base, and his quick acceptance of the newly-available engine proves this. Despite years of good success with high power-to-weight ratio 2-stroke engines, lots of would-be ultralight buyers remain unconvinced. A Hurricane with a 4-stroke gives HY-TEK the chance to appeal to those buyers and more. In addition to ultralight enthusiasts looking for more, Kern sees a market in those hordes of Cessna drivers who want something different. A new Hurricane with the HKS 700E fitted is priced below all but the most worn-out general aviation planes, and can be more fun than operating a heavier aircraft that was built as a transportation device rather than a joy machine. The HKS-powered Hurricane Hauler will not qualify as a Part 103 ultralight by a fairly wide margin (our test plane was more than 100 pounds heavier than the 254-pound Part 103 single-seater weight limit, Kern indicates). Reinventing the Powerplant I looked at five companies fitting the HKS 700E engine; all described the installation as challenging. Of course, they were breaking new ground, and followers now benefit from their early trials. No doubt exists, however, that the 50-hp Rotax 503 dual carb 2-stroke that comes standard with the Hurricane Hauler model is simpler in many ways. A Rotax 503 has no liquid-cooling system, is usually ordered without electric start, and is lighter. The HKS 700E has cooling systems, has electric start, and is heavier. Every 4-stroke engine has more parts in it than a 2-stroke. Parts cost money to fabricate, and they demand more attention to maintenance. As compensation, the maintenance cycles of 4-stroke engines are longer. When contrasted to a Rotax 503, the HKS 700E indeed offers more power. "You may see a couple miles an hour more speed, but possibly not as much climb," reports Kern. These observations relate to the evaluation plane before modifications (see "Postflight HKS Evaluation" sidebar). Kern recognized the extra weight - compared to a Rotax 503 with pull starting - uses up some of the extra power the HKS engine offers. Like the popular 81-hp Rotax 912 4-stroke, an HKS 700E will sip fuel more sparingly, and makes a lot less racket. Not only does total noise seem less, the 700E does not express itself with the higher-pitched whine of a 2-stroke. And since the broad torque band encourages lower engine speeds, even total noise is lower. As I did with other HKS-powered planes, I removed my ear protection for a listen in the Hurricane Hauler. I was surprised at the relative quiet. Of course, hearing protection is still recommended, but the HKS takes a good step toward significant noise reduction. "The HKS produces a lot more torque than the 503," observes Kern. "This engine will pull [the Hurricane] at only 4,500 rpm." For ultralight enthusiasts with an eye to frequent cross-country flights, the Hurricane Hauler may be highly appropriate. Those who concentrate on local flying may find the 50-hp Rotax 503 or 65-hp Rotax 582 aircraft satisfy their needs amply, and the price tag will be lower. Big Boy Toy Closely comparing the Hurricane Hauler fuselage with the "standard" Hurricanes, you'll note the two tubes that triangulate aft from the nosewheel are bent outward toward the point where your hips are located. In the Hauler cockpit, this creates a large seating area. I had lots of room on each side, and this affected the seats and seat belts. I used up most of the adjustment in the 4-point pilot restraint system. And I found myself wanting to push against both rudder pedals simultaneously in order to better shove myself back into the seat, which lacks adequate lumbar support for my body. I felt kind of tiny in the big cockpit. Many ultralight pilots will rejoice in finally having some literal elbow room. Since some ultralighters evidently enjoy big meals on regular occasions, HY-TEK is right on the money with the bigger Hurricane Hauler cockpit. Securely positioned for flight, it was time to see how the 4-stroke magic affected actual operations. The electric start HKS 700E fires up easily with the push of a button (or turn of a switch). Instantly, the engine sounded like it had been running for a comfortable period. It revealed none of the protesting after start-up that is often associated with 2-strokes. Taxiing the Hauler is identical to the 503- or 582-powered versions, and this is good. Hurricanes all boast highly effective nosewheel steering, and the heavier HKS engine up front assures the nosewheel has good traction. Since this Hurricane Hauler did not have the sewn-in skylight windows, I had to spin around at the end of the runway in order to check thoroughly for incoming traffic. I encourage getting the skylight windows; for a paltry $200, your world opens up significantly in the Hurricane. The plastic inserts have been used for years without problems, and the only way to get them is to have them sewn-in at the time the wing sails are manufactured. Fire-walling the HKS didn't produce the instant revs of a 2-stroke, so I didn't bolt down the runway like a 582-powered Hauler would have. Nonetheless, the power felt like a luxury car with a hefty engine. The acceleration was smooth and convincing, and it just kept going, it seemed. I left the ground in a very controlled fashion, and I was tempted to keep pulling aft on the stick. (I did not do this, of course, but I'm describing the feel of all that additional torque.) Flying the HKS-Hauler "You won't like it!" isn't the way I start off many of my "Ultralight Flying! Pilot Reports," especially not when it's the company owner telling it to me. However, that's what Hurricane boss Mike Kern said. He knows I like very lightly loaded ultralights, and this machine wouldn't feel nimble like most of his Hurricanes. He was right and he was wrong. True, the HKS-powered Hurricane felt more ponderous in all flight regimes, but it's still lighter than a Piper Cub. In return for less-agile response, I found the usual 4-stroke values comforting: lower noise, less vibration and better fuel economy. To many buyers, these advantages far outweigh the slight reduction in engine and control response. Hurricanes follow the long-time tradition established by the Phantom when it was produced by a Connecticut company back in the early days of ultralights. That brand popularized full-span ailerons to our segment of flying, and it won admiration for its aerial agility. You should understand that those were times when the ultralight sales leader, Quicksilver, used spoilers on the wings that were operated by the rudder pedals. The spoilers didn't do much, and working them by pedals made conventional pilots screw up their faces in looks of confusion. Most ultralight designs today make good use of ailerons, and the lead enjoyed by Phantom - and therefore Hurricane - is not as significant as it once was. Nonetheless, Hurricanes haven't lost a thing in the handling department; it's merely that other brands have caught up. In the air on a typical day with some convective movement, I was also reminded why I don't mind cable-braced aircraft. The Hurricane - any Hurricane - feels solid as a rock. Without wing struts, the design actually has less drag and it can be kept lighter. While struts may be the better choice on a Cessna and many other general aviation designs, pilots who frown at cable-bracing should reconsider. Struts on very light aircraft add unnecessary weight and impart a more flexible feel. Yes, you read that correctly. Cable-bracing has long remained a highly satisfactory way to construct an ultralight, even if they visually look "busy." The standard Hurricane is rated at +7 and -5 Gs, the Hurricane HP Clipwing is +8 and -6 Gs, while the Hurricane Hauler is +6 and -4 Gs. These are some very tough airframes. Nonetheless, some buyers seem to prefer the look of struts - hence the ultralight brands that now use them. But cables will do more work for less weight and less drag. This has been patiently explained to me enough times by aero engineers that I am a believer. You'll spend your dollars for the ultralight of your choice, but try not to look down your nose at the cable-rigged Hurricane. Broad-Shouldered Performance As I'd done in the other planes equipped with the 700E,1 I set the Hurricane Hauler to trimmed cruise flight at low engine revs. Then, without adjusting power, I slowly pulled back on the stick. With most 2-strokes - even the more potent 65-hp Rotax 582 - I've noticed the prop increasingly laboring with such control action. With the HKS 700E, I noticed hardly any change, handy when you want to adjust altitude gradually. Even for those who don't fly cross-country flights often, the HKS 700E's climb ability is noticeable on takeoffs and landings. During climbout, you may not require full power all the way to your chosen altitude. Backing off on the throttle may make your neighbors happier, as well as saving fuel and your own hearing. During a go-around, the HKS can't jump to maximum engine speed as rapidly as a Rotax 503, but it will haul the plane aloft in much the same way a 4-wheel drive vehicle pulls out of mud or snow: steadily and powerfully. Down at 4,500 rpm, Kern says he sees speeds close to 60 mph. Yet, when he gooses the 700E all the way, he finds top speeds above 90 mph. Sink rate in the Hauler is on the higher side of average among all ultralights I've flown, at about 600 fpm, I estimated. This may be a bit worse than the 503-powered Hauler, but here the HKS engine can't be assigned much blame. Solutions often come later (see "Postflight HKS Evaluation"). Given that the Hauler won't make FAR Part 103 weight anyway, lots of cross-country enthusiasts are likely to select the $150 upgrade to dual 6.5-gallon fuel tanks. With 13 gallons on board and a cruise consumption of under 2.5 gallons per hour (gph), you could travel for 5 hours and have a tiny reserve left. If this lower power setting produced 65 mph, it equates to a more than 300-mile range. At the base price of $14,899, the HKS-powered Hurricane Hauler will set you back further than other Hurricane models. Partly, that's true due to the excellent value afforded by the lower-powered Hurricane models. For example, their single-seat Hurricane Ultra 103 - which HY-TEK says does make Part 103 definitions - sells for a modest $8,999 with a 40-hp Rotax 447 engine and prop. If you doll your personal Hauler like our test plane, you'll be in close to $18,500, before assembly. The Hauler airframe, with 750-pound gross weight limit, goes for $7,799 without engine. Add $7,100 for the HKS 700E and $2,000 for the BRS parachute. Even at $16,899, the HKS-powered Hurricane Hauler may be reasonably priced for 4-stroke performance, based on other available models - you won't find many at this price. Other options I recommend include the wing windows ($200), instruments (about $1,000), in-flight trim ($100), plus many pilots will prefer the extended windscreen ($60). For those with somewhat thinner wallets, a 503-powered Hurricane will bring most of the joy at a far smaller cost (roughly half). Yet pilots uncomfortable with 2-strokes can have the HKS 700E and claim a fairly economical purchase. We're describing two rather different pilots, each of whom enjoys ultralight flight in his or her own way. You'll have to decide which type you are, but HY-TEK no doubt has something you'll like. Notes: 1 "Pilot's Report: The Aerotrike Safari From South Africa," February '99 Ultralight Flying! magazine