The Company

About us

In 1991 a team of aviation specialists formed what is now called HORTEN Aircraft®. From the beginning we have set out to design a flying wing for the general aviation public. It has been our intention to apply the most advanced and innovative technology to our flying wing designs.

Under a rigorous program, we have successfully test flown several prototypes that we have built. We owe our success to Dr. Reimar Horten, who is considered the father of the flying wing. He was with us from the beginning and we have named our company HORTEN Aircraft® in his honor. 

Before and during the Second World War, Reimar Horten and his brother Walter were considered the top secret "men of hope" of the German Luftwaffe. Now for the first time, we have built a viable company to market the flying wing.

 

Review

STARTING IN 1987
We first contacted Dr. Horten in Argentina in 1988. Under his direction, we designed, built and flight tested three radio controlled scale model flying wings. 

We were so exited by the flight test results that we decided to build our first manned aircraft, based on Dr. Horten`s blueprints. Construction of the single seat PUL 9 with a wing span of 9 meters was completed by NIKE Aeronautica in 1991 just outside Bologna, Italy. Flight testing began immediately on the company owned airfield. These tests further demonstrated the unique flying of characteristics of this design: it was very forgiving and easy to fly, it was very stable and quite efficient.

THE FIRST EXPERIMENTAL AIRPLANES
In 1991, the business was officially founded by Bernhard Mattlener. Market research conducted in 1992 indicated little demand for a single seat aircraft. Therefore, under the direction of Dr. Horten, we began working on a two seat flying wing. A mock-up was built in Argentina. The first prototype PUL 10 was built in Europe using composite construction. Flight testing began in Italy in 1993. After reports from several professional test pilots from Italy and France were published in the press, a flood of inquiries arrived from interested buyers.

THE SECOND PUL 10
Encouraged by this success, we built the second PUL 10, this one with retractable landing gear.

It`s test flights began in Italy in 1994, and were continued on Sarrebourg Airfield in France. In 1995 a flight to test the stall characteristics with a centre of gravity too far aft resulted in loss of control. The firing of an emergency parachute saved the pilot from injury but the aircraft was demaged beyond repair.

TESTING IN GERMANY
Construction of the third PUL 10 began in 1996 and in 1997 flight testing began at Breitscheid Airfield under German registration. It was reported in the press and it was featured on television and in radio news. A review of what we learned from the PUL 10 has led to the design of the next generation flying wing, the H 3000. New calculations and aerodynamic optimization of the cabin design resulted in a five meter wing span radio controlled model.

DEVELOPMENT OF THE H 3000
This aircraft will be quiter, better performing, and it will have improved passenger location in relation to the aircrafts centre of gravity so as to assure proper loading in every day use. Flight testing is scheduled to begin in the Fall of 2005. 

 

Objectives

OUR TASKS
HORTEN Aircraft`s® objectives are to produce Flying Wing aircraft which meet educated people's demands for safety, efficiency, economy and minimal impact on the environment.

These are our objectives:

  1. Fundamental research for aerodynamic optimization
  2. Marketing research
  3. Development and construction of prototypes
  4. Test flying
  5. Finding suitable manufacturers to produce flying wing aircraft and parts
  6. Marketing and distribution of flying wing aircraft

 

THE STRATEGY
To keep initial expenses as low as possible HORTEN Aircraft® will develope aircraft kits for kitplane builders in America and Europe. There is a growing demand for safe easy to build and operate alternatives to the more expensive factory built aircraft such as Cessna, Piper and Beechcraft.

 

ENTRANCE
The H 3000 is designed for people who want safe, simple and inexpensive private air travel. (For the American market we will offer a fixed gear version of he H 3000 that can be certified under the Light-Sport Aircraft category.)If the kit version of the H 3000 succeeds it will be mass produced and offered as a completed aircraft. 

 

FURTHER APPLICATIONS
Four and six seat versions may be built in the future. There may even be a turboprop powered pressurized business plane. Future possibilities include models, unmanned drones, light aircraft, gliders, power gliders, monitoring aircrafts, agriculture and forestry aircrafts and civil or military aircrafts for passenger and cargo transport.

 

NEXT STEPS
HORTEN Aircraft® is financed by it`s founder Bernhard Mattlener. The success of the flying wings we have built was mainly due to the independence of the founder and the unshelfish efforts by everyone on the team that built the prototypes. We succeeded in spite of limited resources. It is time to form partnerships as we build our company while aiming to achieve our objectives.

 

The Team

COMPETENT AND INNOVATIVE
Without the contributions from the following experts who have committed themselves to the idea of the flying wing over the past years, we would never have made the progress that we have made.

  • Dr. Reimar Horten
  • Dr. Reinhold Stadler
  • Aeronautical Engineer Hermann Stützle
  • Aeronautical Engineer Otto Bartsch
  • Siegried Panek
  • Andre Panek

 

The Team:

  • Dr. Giampiero Fabbri
  • Dr. Robert Vincelette
  • Aeronautical Engineer Oscar Carriero
  • Aeronautical Engineer Gottfried Hilscher
  • Fausto Coletti
  • Stefano Gherardi
  • Klaus Handtke
  • Mathis Esser
  • Eva Vettel (Graphics)
  • Bernhard Mattlener

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