A Mexican aircraft manufacturer is investing more than US $10 million in a new plant at the Celaya airport.

Horizontec will make its Halcón 2 two-seater light plane at its new manufacturing facility in the southeastern Guanajuato municipality. The news website AM said the light sport category aircraft is  “the first completely Mexican plane.”

“Having a home means being able to continue with our development,” said Horizontec CEO Giovanni Angelucci Carrasco at an event Wednesday to mark the start of construction.

“It hasn’t been easy to get here … but I believe we’re an example of resilience and that’s what is needed to achieve projects of this magnitude,” he said.

Angelucci began discussions with the Guanajuato government about building a manufacturing plant as part of an aviation complex more than three years ago.

He said Wednesday that the 100% Mexican built and designed Halcón 2, which measures seven meters in length and has a wingspan of 9.4 meters, is apt for pilot training, recreational flights and aerial surveillance.

Guanajuato Governor Diego Sinhue said the installation of Horizontec at the Celaya airport will strengthen the aerospace industry in the Bajío region state, where parts for companies such as Boeing, Airbus, Bombardier and Gulfstream are made. Aerospace exports from Guanajuato were worth US $5.8 million in 2020, he said.

Horizontec is one of 13 companies that belong to a group known as the Bajío Aerospace Cluster, of which Angelucci is vice president.

“Guanajuato’s aerospace industry continues to strengthen and grow, we’re making progress. Our thanks to Horizontec for making history in Guanajuato,” Sinhue said.

With reports from AM and El Economista