Let’s cut right to the chase. Flying the Hornet for the second time in a couple of years (the second flight was in April ’96), I experienced a most disconcerting quality: flutter. While I have many good things to say about the Hornet, this one experience elbows its way to the front of the line. Easing into the “Pilot’s Report” on the Hornet simply isn’t possible when such an experience dominates my thinking.
Published in Light Sport and Ultralight Flying
Seating
2, tandem
Empty weight
475 pounds
Gross weight
1,000 pounds
Wingspan
27 feet 6 inches
Wing area
138 square feet
Wing loading
7.2 pounds/sq ft
Length
20 feet
Height
6 feet
Fuel Capacity
9 gallons
Kit type
Construction
Build time
250-400 hours
Standard engine
Hirth 2703
Power
55 horsepower
Power loading
18.2 pounds/hp
Cruise speed
100 mph
Never exceed speed
140 mph
Rate of climb at gross
500 fpm
Takeoff distance at gross
400 feet
Landing distance at gross
250 feet
Standard Features
Electric start, steerable nosewheel, pneumatic suspension on all wheels, hydraulic brakes, aluminum wheels, large tires, electric flaps, electric horizontal stabilizer trim, dual aileron control circuits, dual elevator control circuits, adjustable seats, disassembles for trailering; wings, fuselage and empennage factory-assembled.