With ESIME Ticomán’s Stamp, Aircraft Boosts Aviation in Mexico

Reporter: Rocío Castañeda / Photographs: Courtesy of Horizontec

IPN alumni contribute to the construction of Mexico’s first certified light sport aircraft

Technical expertise, design innovation, and passion converge in the Halcón 2.1, the first 100% Mexican light sport aircraft. Two graduates of the Instituto Politécnico Nacional (IPN) lent their skills and talent to this project, collaborating with the Horizontec team to mark a new milestone in Mexican aviation.

Humberto Montaño Valdez and José Uriel Vázquez Marín, graduates of Aeronautical Engineering from the Escuela Superior de Ingeniería Mecánica y Eléctrica (ESIME), Unidad Ticomán, were involved in nearly every phase of the design, manufacturing, and component production for the Halcón 2.1.

On September 10, 2025, Mexico’s Secretary of Economy, Marcelo Ebrard Casaubón, presented Certificate 0001, officially recognizing the aircraft’s compliance with the highest international safety and reliability standards.

“This registration is number 0001, signaling the return of aviation production in Mexico. The country is taking flight again, and we are headed far,” said the Secretary at the time.

The aircraft recently received Light Sport Aircraft (LSA) certification from the Federal Civil Aviation Agency (AFAC).

With this accreditation, issued by the decentralized body under the Ministry of Infrastructure, Communications, and Transportation, the aircraft can be used for flight schools, aerial surveillance, and recreational purposes, explained Montaño Valdez, who contributed from the initial sketches and CAD models of Halcón 2.0 and now Halcón 2.1, drawing on his nine years of experience at Horizontec, led by engineer Giovanni Angelucci Carrasco.

Key Milestone: The AFAC-issued LSA certification confirms that the Halcón 2.1, built by IPN-trained talent, meets the highest international standards.

“The certification is significant because we now have a Mexican aircraft flying that complies with international norms such as ASTM F2245, ensuring the aircraft is safe and stable while demonstrating our sector’s talent and commitment,” Montaño Valdez noted.

“This project began eleven years ago, faced numerous challenges, and today demonstrates that Mexico can innovate even in complex sectors like aviation,” he added.

The engineer outlined the Halcón 2.1’s specifications: it accommodates one pilot and one passenger, is powered by a Rotax 915iS engine delivering 141 horsepower, turbocharged and fuel-injected rather than carbureted.

“It uses premium gasoline, which reduces operating costs compared to other aviation fuels. This is very important, as Horizontec seeks to democratize aviation,” he explained.

Constructed from composite materials, the Halcón 2.1 required Vázquez Marín, as structural engineer, to define the mechanical properties of each section and conduct resistance tests to ensure the aircraft’s safety under its intended flight conditions. He also validates the aircraft’s tests and oversees resistance testing, confirming all is correct before preparing manufacturing plans.

“If there’s something I don’t understand, I read it over and over until I grasp it and apply it to the aircraft, while finding methods that guarantee a safe design,” he said.

Notable Feature: Unlike other aircraft, the Halcón 2.1 runs on premium gasoline, supporting the democratization of aviation.

The design builds on the Halcón 1 and 2 models, which also involved IPN engineers. “I was responsible for closing the aircraft—completing the fuselage, a critical component where all parts converge: wings, landing gear, engine, and tail assembly. It also requires accounting for various flight scenarios,” Vázquez Marín explained.

Passion for Aviation

Founded in 2014, Horizontec has opened its doors to IPN engineers who have contributed to aerodynamics, structural engineering, manufacturing, and, especially, design, including Edgar Martínez, Francisco Arreola, Luciano Valdez, Rigoberto Sánchez, and Rodrigo Pérez.

From Hangar 1W at Celaya Airport, Montaño Valdez shared the overwhelming emotions he felt the first time the Halcón 2.1 took flight—a culmination of years of work and technical and administrative challenges. He encouraged ESIME Ticomán students to go beyond academics and “invest time in projects that bring us closer to our goals, such as SAE competitions, applying theoretical knowledge in practice, which is what truly makes a difference in the industry.”

Vázquez Marín added that building an aircraft had always been his dream, and the opportunity at Horizontec allowed him to fulfill it. He urged students to follow their passions, confident that with determination and the technical foundation acquired at IPN, “great achievements are possible. Pursue your dreams—even if it seems difficult, solutions will emerge along the way.”

Proud to be the first IPN graduate in his family, Vázquez Marín expressed gratitude to his professors, who introduced him to the captivating world of aeronautics.

The IPN engineers concluded that the Halcón 2.1 is built from the same material as dreams themselves: discipline, effort, commitment, and passion.