Hi-MAX R-1700

A single-seat, high wing, strut-braced, single engine aircraft available in kit form for amateur construction. It first flew in 1987  and is a high wing development of the Mini-MAX, hence its model name.

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Predominantly constructed from wood truss with plywood gussets and covered with doped aircraft fabric. The windscreen is Lexan and the side windows are removable for warm weather operations.

The aircraft features a short-span wing of only 25 ft (7.6 m) and a fibreglass engine cowling. The wing and horizontal stabiliser are both strut-braced, the tail with struts above the horizontal tail surface to the fin.

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The aircraft has conventional landing gear, with wheel pants as an option. The company claims that a builder can complete the aircraft in 350–400 hours from the kit.

Originally intended to meet the requirements of the US FA 103 Ultra-light Vehicles category, including that category's maximum 115Kg empty weight. It was only able to achieve that low empty weight with the 28hp Rotax 277, which provided marginal performance.

The standard specified engine today is the 40hp Rotax 447 which results in a 149 kg empty weight and places the aircraft in the US Experimental/Amateur-built category.