Fighting fires: NZAero’s workhorse SuperPac aircraft aimed at growing market

Kiwi company NZAero has released the new version of its rugged short take-off and landing aircraft aimed partly at the firefighting market. The company hopes to sell five of the new model planes for about $5 million each next year.

The SuperPac Xstol (Extremely Short Take-Off and Landing) aircraft, does not require a sealed runway and is capable of taking off in as little as 200m and landing on a wide variety of rugged terrains, including hillsides.

The Hamilton-based company is the country’s only aircraft manufacturer and one of a dwindling number of general aviation aircraft in the world.

The new model aircraft, which cost over $10m and took seven years to develop, is a next-generation, more powerful and fuel-efficient version of the best-seller 750XL, the world’s first commercial Xstol aircraft. It will sell for about $5m a plane, depending on the configuration. The new plane can climb faster than its predecessor models, making it ideal for firefighting.

“Having a single-engine aircraft that can climb much better than previously makes it a good candidate for firefighting and that’s an area that we’re going after,” NZAero chief executive Stephen Burrows said.

There was “significant” global potential for versatile utility aircraft like the SuperPac 750XL-II and the firm expects to manufacture five of this model for its international customer base in 2024.

“This equates to $25m in aircraft sales for the first year, however, this could increase to $60m by 2026 if full capacity was realised. We have enquiries for firefighting for the purchase of up to 30 aircraft - which suggests there is significant interest from this market segment alone,” Burrows said. Staff numbers could climb from about 60 now to 80.

NZAero’s previous owners’ company was put into liquidation owing about $42 million in 2021.

Pukekohe and Mercer property investor/developer Neil Young and his partner Dee Bond, both pilots, beat off more than 20 competitors to buy the assets of the former New Zealand-Chinese-owned entity, for more than $5 million. Their company NZSkydive also secured the Pacific Aerospace name.

NZAero and its forerunner companies - including James Aviation and Pacific Aerospace - dates back to the 1940s and it has sold more than 700 aircraft around the world. Its aircraft now operate in 55 countries and on six continents including Turkey, Syria, Bangladesh, Malaysia, Indonesia, Australia, Papua New Guinea, Thailand, Uruguay, Singapore, Switzerland, England, the United States, and Nepal.

NZAero, is the country’s only commercial aircraft maker, and says the design adaption of the aircraft to New Zealand’s variable terrain and weather conditions has made it suitable for a wide range of applications to help mitigate the impact of climate change.

Burrows said their engineers had developed a series of modular accessories for the utility aircraft that allows it to be rapidly converted within minutes to disperse fire retardant during wildfires or release rainmaking silver iodide particles above drought-stricken areas.

“We know that the effect of climate change is accelerating across the world and it is now more devastating to human health, economies and the environment than ever before.”

Smaller aircraft require less training to fly and less time to refuel and take on more retardant.

“The planes can now be equipped with Light Detection and Ranging (Lidar), which scientists are using to map New Zealand in 3D to help with flood modelling, measuring post-climatic event land movements, as well as identifying the optimal location for forestry tracks, rail and our power industry. This equipment is also used by researchers in other nations to detect the remains of ancient civilisations.”

The aircraft are manufactured at the 5ha Waikato site first used by the RNZAF in 1942.

Grant Bradley has been working at the Herald since 1993. He is the Business Herald’s deputy editor and covers aviation and tourism.