1700R Hi-MAX
1700R Hi-Max
Mini-MAX fun with an unbeatable view!
The Mini-MAX USA Hi-Max is not just a single plane design; it's a series of planes sharing a few common features: single place, high wing, enclosed cabin and wood & fabric construction. What do we mean by a "series of planes"? Our entire lineup of mid-wing designs is also available in the Hi-Max. Do you want a very simple ultralight powered by a 1-cylinder engine? You can build the Hi-Max to be FAR Part 103 compatible. Are you more interested in something a little fancier, with pretty curves and a little more power? We can provide a Hi-Max kit equivalent to the Sport models or the Eros. Do you prefer a 4-stroke VW-based powerplant? Then you'd love the Hi-Max version of our V-Max.
What are the advantages of the Hi-Max over our mid-wing lineup? Some people love the great "look-down" visibility. The enclosed cabin is more comfortable on cold days. The high wing provides shade on hot days (whether you're flying or just need a cool place to set up a lawn chair). You have the choice of installing the standard truss landing gear or an optional spring gear. The Hi-Max is a little more stable; you can take your hand off the joystick to fold a sectional or check your i-Pad. And finally, many of us learned to fly in a Cessna, Cub or Champ; a high wing plane "just looks right".
The Hi-Max shares the wings, empennage and most of the fuselage parts with our mid-wing aircraft, and just like them it's fun to build and a blast to fly!
1700R Hi-MAX Features
High wing provides excellent downward visibility
Stable, forgiving handling
Outstanding short field performance
Great slow-speed manners
Ideal for back-country strips or small private fields
Enclosed cabin = comfortable cool-weather flying
Truss landing gear standard; Optional spring steel landing gear
Easily removable wings
Optional removable side windows for summer open-air flying
Options for One 6 gallon wing tank, Optional 2nd wing tank, or Ultralight 5G tank available.
Optional Electronic elevator trim
Optional removable side windows for summer open-air flying
1700R Hi-MAX Statistics
1700R Hi-MAX Performance
What Comes in a Kit?
Full Kit Contents:
Your full kit includes every pre-cut (2 of 3 dimensions) wood piece, brackets, hardware, landing gear, control system components, and complete builder plans.
You supply the engine, propeller, avionics, and paint.
No prior aircraft experience needed — basic woodworking tools and attention to detail are the only requirements.
Mini Kits & Their Contents:
Aircraft Plan Sets: From $299.99
Blueprint Drawings – Precision prints for accurate construction.
Assembly Instructions – Step-by-step guides to walk you through each phase of the build.
Material Lists – Comprehensive lists to ensure you have exactly what you need.
Hardware Specifications – Clearly outlined to match Mini-Max standards.
Model-Specific Notes & Updates – Includes any design revisions or builder tips relevant to your chosen model.
Wing Rib Kit: From $999.99
Includes all pre-cut rib material and gussets needed to build the full set of wings ribs.
All wood has 2 of 3 dimensions pre-cut ready for you to trim to length.
Comes with all required material for the famous Mini-Max airfoil, saving hours of shop time and ensuring every rib matches perfectly.
Also Available completely Pre-Fabbed for an additional cost.
Wing Assembly Kit: From $4,329.99
Everything required to turn completed ribs into full wings: spar materials, strut mount material, leading and trailing edge stock, compression members, hardware, and reinforcement pieces.
Designed so your wings go together cleanly with minimal fitting or shaping.
Fuselage Kit: From $3,499.99
All material for fuselage sides, formers, longerons, firewall components, and structural pieces.
The kit is designed to fit together smoothly on a flat build table, giving you a straight, square fuselage without complex jigging.
Landing Gear Kit: From $999.99
Main gear leg material, axle material, hinges, support material, and hardware.
Includes the full landing gear assembly unique to the Hi-Max, built for strength, proper geometry, and reliable ground handling.
Empennage (Tail) Kit: From $789.99
All required material to construct vertical and horizontal stabilizer components, elevator and rudder, hinge hardware, and all reinforcement pieces.
This kit gives you a light, true, and perfectly matched tail group ready for covering.
Metal & Hardware Kit: From $2,679.99
Every remaining metal bracket, hinge, control horn, strap, and specialty piece used throughout the aircraft, all fiberglass parts, plus the exact hardware required for each assembly step.
All parts match Mini-Max factory standards so you never have to track down odd sizes.
FAQs
Can the 1700R meet Part 103 and be flown as an Ultralight.
The 1700R as the plans are written is not a Part 103 ultralight. It is too large and uses a heavier engine than we would suggest for Part 103. The 1700R is usually an Experimental Amateur-Built aircraft and would be registered with an N-number. With that said, If you want a Part 103 legal Hi-Max, we can help you build a 1030R/1700R Hybrid where you would end up with a 22” wide (rather than 24” wide) Hi-Max with a single cylinder engine and a lite tail to keep you within Part 103 Regs.
How long does it take to build the 1700R?
Most builders finish in 350 to 400 hours.
If you work about 8–10 hours per week, that usually means 7–10 months from start to finish. Builders with previous woodworking experience sometimes finish faster.
Is the 1700R a good choice for a first-time builder?
Yes. Many first-timers choose the 1700R because the wood-and-fabric construction is straightforward and forgiving. The instructions walk you through every step, and the build sequence is simple to follow.
What covering system do you recommend?
You can use any of the popular fabric systems:
Poly-Fiber
Stewart Systems
Oratex
Most builders choose Poly-Fiber due to cost and availability.
What engine do you recommend for the 1700R?
Most builders choose a 40 hp Rotax 447 or an equivalent two-stroke in the same power range. You can also run similar-power Hirth or Polini options. The design is optimized for lightweight engines in the 40 hp class to maintain proper CG, performance, and handling. We also have a new engine in development for the Hi-Max series coming soon.
What’s the useful load of the 1700R?
Typical empty weight is around 328 lb, with a 560 lb gross, giving you roughly 230 lb of useful load.
That includes fuel, pilot, and any gear you carry.
What does it cost to operate?
Typical empty weight is around 328 lb, with a 560 lb gross, giving you roughly 230 lb of useful load.
That includes fuel, pilot, and any gear you carry.
Can I customize the cockpit or add avionics?
Yes. Builders commonly add small EFIS screens, radios, GPS units, USB power, and custom switch panels. The 1700R airframe has enough space for simple VFR avionics without affecting weight or balance.
What’s the difference between the Mini Kits and the full kit?
Mini Kits break the aircraft into smaller, affordable sections — Wing Rib Kit, Wing Assembly Kit, Fuselage Kit, Landing Gear Kit, etc.
Each Mini Kit includes all pre-cut parts for that section and hardware where required. Buying the full kit upfront gives you the 20% full-kit discount and saves the most money long term.
Do you ship kits internationally?
Absolutely. We regularly ship both full kits and Mini Kits worldwide. We crate everything for safe transport and handle all paperwork with you.
How does your pricing work?
All Mini-Max kits are priced at the ideal retail value of the materials with zero waste, then discounted 10%. If you purchase the full aircraft kit upfront, you receive a 20% discount, and all full kits on the site already reflect that lower price.
Because everything is pre-cut on 2 of 3 dimensions, builders save significant time and avoid buying extra lumber or hardware.
