The Harmening High Flyer is an American
powered parachute
A powered parachute, often abbreviated PPC, and also called a motorized parachute or paraplane, is a type of aircraft that consists of a parafoil with a motor and wheels.
The FAA defines a powered parachute as ''a powered aircraft a flexible o ...
that was designed and produced by
Harmening's High Flyers of
Genoa, Illinois
Genoa is a city in the north-east corner of DeKalb County, Illinois, DeKalb County, Illinois, United States. It is located on the historic Galena-Chicago trail, Galena-Chicago stagecoach route. At the 2020 census the city had a population of 5,29 ...
.
[Cliche, Andre: ''Ultralight Aircraft Shopper's Guide'' 8th Edition, page D-7. Cybair Limited Publishing, 2001. ][Downey, Julia: ''2000 Trike and 'Chute Directory'', Kitplanes, Volume 17, Number 2, February 2000, page 50. Kitplanes Acquisition Company. ISSN 0891-1851][Downey, Julia: ''2005 Trikes 'Chutes and Rotorcraft Directory'', Kitplanes, Volume 22, Number 2, February 2005, page 50. Belvoir Publications. ISSN 0891-1851][Purdy, Don: ''AeroCrafter - Homebuilt Aircraft Sourcebook, Fifth Edition'', page 337. BAI Communications, 15 July 1998. ][Bertrand, Noel; Rene Coulon; et al: ''World Directory of Leisure Aviation 2003-04'', page 82. Pagefast Ltd, Lancaster UK, 2003. ISSN 1368-485X]
The aircraft was introduced in 1988 and production ended when the company went out of business in circa 2008.
Design and development
The aircraft was designed to comply with the US
FAR 103 Ultralight Vehicles
Ultralight aircraft in the United States are much smaller and lighter than ultralight aircraft as defined by all other countries.
In the United States, ultralights are described as "ultralight vehicles" and not as aircraft. They are not req ...
rules, including the category's maximum empty weight of .
The aircraft has a standard empty weight of . The aircraft was designed to be a single-place or optionally two-seater. The base model High Flyer features an MK Superfit rip-stop
nylon
Nylon is a generic designation for a family of synthetic polymers composed of polyamides ( repeating units linked by amide links).The polyamides may be aliphatic or semi-aromatic.
Nylon is a silk-like thermoplastic, generally made from petro ...
parachute
A parachute is a device used to slow the motion of an object through an atmosphere by creating drag or, in a ram-air parachute, aerodynamic lift. A major application is to support people, for recreation or as a safety device for aviators, who ...
-style
high-wing
A monoplane is a fixed-wing aircraft configuration with a single mainplane, in contrast to a biplane or other types of multiplanes, which have multiple planes.
A monoplane has inherently the highest efficiency and lowest drag of any wing co ...
,
tricycle landing gear
Tricycle gear is a type of aircraft undercarriage, or ''landing gear'', arranged in a tricycle fashion. The tricycle arrangement has a single nose wheel in the front, and two or more main wheels slightly aft of the center of gravity. Tricycle g ...
and a single
2si 460-F engine in
pusher configuration
In an aircraft with a pusher configuration (as opposed to a tractor configuration), the propeller(s) are mounted behind their respective engine(s). Since a pusher propeller is mounted behind the engine, the drive shaft is in compression in nor ...
. Variants use other engines.
The aircraft is built from a combination of bolted
6061-T6 aluminium, welded
4130 steel
41xx steel is a family of SAE steel grades, as specified by the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE). Alloying elements include chromium and molybdenum, and as a result these materials are often informally referred to as chromoly steel (common ...
tubing and
mild steel
Carbon steel is a steel with carbon content from about 0.05 up to 2.1 percent by weight. The definition of carbon steel from the American Iron and Steel Institute (AISI) states:
* no minimum content is specified or required for chromium, cobalt ...
. In flight steering is accomplished via foot pedals that actuate the canopy brakes, creating roll and yaw. On the ground the aircraft has lever-controlled nosewheel steering. The main landing gear incorporates sprung steel suspension. The aircraft was factory supplied in the form of an assembly kit that requires 30–40 hours to complete.
Reviewer Andre Cliche described the aircraft as "a proven design".
Operational history
By 1998 the company reported that 75 kits had been sold and 75 aircraft were completed and flying.
Variants
;High Flyer
:Base model with
two-stroke
A two-stroke (or two-stroke cycle) engine is a type of internal combustion engine that completes a Thermodynamic power cycle, power cycle with two strokes (up and down movements) of the piston during one power cycle, this power cycle being comple ...
2si 460-F engine. Cost was
US$
The United States dollar (symbol: $; code: USD; also abbreviated US$ or U.S. Dollar, to distinguish it from other dollar-denominated currencies; referred to as the dollar, U.S. dollar, American dollar, or colloquially buck) is the official ...
9,500 in 2001.
;High Flyer Standard
:Model with two stroke
Rotax 503
The Rotax 503 is a , inline 2-cylinder, two-stroke aircraft engine, built by BRP-Rotax GmbH & Co. KG of Austria for use in ultralight aircraft.Raisner, William: ''LEAF catlog'', pages 6-105. Leading Edge Airfoils, 1995.
As of 2011 the Rot ...
engine. Cost was US$9,395 in 2000. Twenty-five completed and flown by early 2000.
;High Flyer Deluxe
:Model with Rotax 503 engine and larger fuel tank. Cost was US$9,895 in 2000. Twenty-five completed and flown by early 2000.
;High Flyer Premiere
:Model with
four-stroke
A four-stroke (also four-cycle) engine is an internal combustion (IC) engine in which the piston completes four separate strokes while turning the crankshaft. A stroke refers to the full travel of the piston along the cylinder, in either directio ...
HKS 700E
The HKS 700E is a twin-cylinder, horizontally opposed, four stroke, carburetted aircraft engine, designed for use on ultralight aircraft, powered parachutes and ultralight trikes. The engine is manufactured by HKS, a Japanese company noted f ...
engine. Cost was US$14,980 in 2000. Thirty completed and flown by early 2000.
;High Flyer Executive
:Model with two-stroke
Hirth 2706
The Hirth 2704 and 2706 are a family of in-line twin cylinder, two stroke, carburetted aircraft engines, with optional fuel injection, designed for use on ultralight aircraft and especially two seat ultralight trainers, single seat gyroco ...
engine. Cost was US$11,999 in 2000. Thirty completed and flown by early 2000.
;High Five
:Model with two-stroke
Rotax 582
The Rotax 582 is a two-stroke, two-cylinder, rotary intake valve, oil-in-fuel or oil injection pump, liquid-cooled, gear reduction-drive aircraft engine manufactured by BRP-Rotax GmbH & Co. KG. It is for use in non-certified aircraft operating ...
engine. Cost was US$12,250 in 2005. Ten completed and flown by early 2005.
Specifications (High Flyer Executive)
References
{{reflist, 30em
External links
Company website archiveson
Archive.org
The Internet Archive is an American digital library with the stated mission of "universal access to all knowledge". It provides free public access to collections of digitized materials, including websites, software applications/games, music, ...
Harmening High Flyer
The Harmening High Flyer is an American powered parachute that was designed and produced by Harmening's High Flyers of Genoa, Illinois.Cliche, Andre: ''Ultralight Aircraft Shopper's Guide'' 8th Edition, page D-7. Cybair Limited Publishing, 200 ...
1980s United States ultralight aircraft
Single-engined pusher aircraft
Powered parachutes