Hungarian aircraft company Magnus has begun the assembly of its first Fusion 213 training plane at its factory near the airport of Pécs in south-western Hungary.
The twin-seater, single engine aircraft is an entirely domestic development, with a composite body and capable of aerobatic flights.
Magnus CEO László Boros said they have signed the contract for domestic delivery of the first aircraft and production is expected to ramp up to 80-90 units per year by the end of 2020, with mostly foreign customers.
By the end of this year the plant will have 110-120 employees and about 150 by the second half of 2020. The Hungarian budget contributed HUF 5.16 billion (EUR 15.7 million) to the establishment of the plant.
Rmx.news points out that while Hungarian media headlines tout it as the “first Hungarian aircraft”, in fact the first Hungarian aircraft, the Magyar Lloyd was assembled at a converted metalworking workshop of the correctional institute in Aszód, some 20 miles northeast of Budapest in what were literally the last days of peace before World War I broke out.
That plane, piloted by first lieutenant Heinrich Bier – who was also director of the company – achieved an altitude world record of 6,170 meters in June 27, 1914. That and subsequent models of the Magyar Lloyd were widely used during WWI for reconnaissance and bombing missions.
Photo credit: airportal.hu