Ugly duckling set to soar higher

If there was an aeronautical beauty pageant, the PAC 750XL might rank dead last. Pacific Aerospace's Brian Hare admits at least one buyer called the single engine aircraft the ugliest plane ever.

But what it lacks in looks it makes up for in substance.

The plane's roots go back 50 or so years to the Fletcher or the FU 24 agricultural aircraft. Under Pacific Aerospace's watch it evolved into the Cresco, an extremely rugged, bigger and better plane that the company still produces today.

Realising there were few aircraft designed specifically for skydiving, Pacific Aerospace continued to innovate, enlarging the Cresco to take skydiving teams.

Last March, the US Federal Aviation Administration certified the 750XL under the latest aviation rules, meaning it has a rubber stamp to run American skydivers.

Graeme Porter, managing editor of New Zealand Aviation News, says the aircraft can even give helicopters a run for their money with its low capital and maintenance costs. The 750XL's price tag is about $2 million.

Its most pronounced shortcoming is its sluggishness. It will cruise between 155 and 165 knots, which is slow, but good enough for skydiving. The plane has a short landing and takeoff capability, again perfect for skydiving and utility purposes that would require it to land on unprepared airstrips.

Development is under way to have the 750XL cleared for utility purposes, allowing it to gain new customers among aid agencies in Africa and small settlements in remote areas such as Alaska or the Australian Outback.