< PreviousKiwiFlyer Magazine Issue 96 10 and construction of this sturdy and purposeful workhorse. Add to that number another 30 or so Cresco aircraft, the factory- built Pratt and Whitney PT6-powered turbine variant. And then add another 120+ 750XL aircraft - a further development of the Cresco, used in smaller numbers as a topdresser but very popular as a parachute jump aircraft and as a rugged bush plane, capable of transporting nine passengers and/or cargo into remote airstrips. Whilst getting increasingly larger, more powerful and more capable, the recognisable profile of the original John Thorp design remains. (Some readers may also be aware with his other famous design, the Thorp T-18 amateur-built pocket-rocket.) Whilst the Fletcher, Cresco and 750XL have been mainly built in Hamilton, the name and ownership of the manufacturing company has changed a few times over the years. Originally James Aviation then Air Parts (NZ), most would be familiar with the Pacific Aerospace Corporation name (PAC), which later became Pacific Aerospace Limited (PAL) and very recently has re-branded as NZAero, under the new ownership of Neil Young and Dee Bond. SuperPac genesis Time moves on, competition arrives, and customers desire more - more efficiency, more payload, and more utility. Hence, the SuperPac 750XL-II (let’s just call it the SuperPac from here on) was conceived in 2017, utilising the increased power and efficiency of a Pratt and Whitney PT6A-140A, a 900 hp gas-turbine to replace the 750 hp PT6A-34 of the 750XL. A slightly larger 4-bladed Hartzell 108” propellor is fitted, which turns 100 rpm slower than the previous 106” diameter 3-bladed propellor installed on the PAC 750XL and is a major contributor to the efficiency and noise improvements. Whilst essentially the same weight and dimensions, the new engine/propellor combination offers improvements in fuel efficiency (8% for the same mission), reduced noise (4 db quieter at take-off) and of course, more power for everything. This enables the either-or of greater performance (shorter take-offs, better climb rates) for a given payload, or greater payloads for the same performance. A test mule – an older 750XL – was originally modified and flown for more than 140 hours as a proof-of-concept aircraft, before the design and engineering team embarked on the production of the first new-build SuperPac airframe, which you see in this article. Most of the modifications necessitated by the larger engine are from the firewall forward – new engine cowls and beneath-the-skin strengthening - but additional modifications taken from lessons learnt over previous generations and versions of the aircraft have also been incorporated to make this the best of breed. In the cockpit Access to the cockpit is easiest through the cabin from the rear fuselage door, although the two gullwing doors also provide good access – so long as you have long legs – from the leading edge of the wing, and great ventilation too. The view down either side of the narrow PT6 is excellent, although you are very aware of the possibility of getting scorched from the heat of the elbow-level exhaust-stacks, should you depart with the engine still running. As expected for an ag-based aircraft, the windows are huge and everywhere, and headroom is not an issue, to accommodate the obligatory helmet that ag-pilots wear. A suitably beefy control stick is perfectly positioned, the fixed rudder pedals and brakes are also well angled (vitally important), and the seating position is upright, purposeful, and very comfortable, much like driving a van. Considering the many hours a pilot would spend in this seat 900 hp demands a suitable propeller. 108” 4-bladed Hartzell is larger than for the 750XL. SuperPac 750XL-II A big view for ag flying. New Garmin touchscreen avionics on the panel. Change from seats to cargo in minutes with all seats stowed in a rear compartment. Throttle, propeller control, fuel condition and flap levers are all together here.KiwiFlyer Magazine Issue 96 12 SuperPac 750XL-II NZAero marked the official launch of the SuperPac 750XL II at their base in Hamilton on 22 nd November 2023 to a wide contingent of media, staff and invited guests. The event opened with a brief history of the site’s military development at Hamilton during WWII, followed by a summary of the various aircraft produced at the site since. NZAero CEO Stephen Burrows then took the stage to talk about the origin of the new SuperPac 750XL-II - a 100% New Zealand designed and manufactured aircraft. “2023 marks the 20 th anniversary of the 750XL (the predecessor of the SuperPac)”, said Stephen, “which has been certified in 28 countries and operated in more than 55 countries.” Stephen went on to detail just how much utility there is in this aircraft - originally designed as a topdressing plane, the SuperPac can be adapted into many configurations including passenger operations, cargo, humanitarian aid, medivac, agricultural, photo survey and reconnaissance, and sky-diving. The SuperPac is now also promoted for use in fighting the impacts of climate change, for example by controlling wildfires and for rain-making (dispensing silver-iodide particles). All of this happens with a take-off roll of under 800 feet and a MAUW climb to 13000’ in just 10 minutes. NZAero Director and part owner (with Neil Young) Dee Bond then continued the presentation speaking of her and Neil’s enthusiasm for aviation and the origins of NZ Aero. She expressed gratitude to the two staff members who had been there since day one of their involvement: Stephen Burrows and Sebastian Apers and outlined their key roles in developing the company to its present complement of 60 staff. Dee also thanked many others involved in the building of the new company, particularly including Brad Gray, Leigh Mossop, Ray Long and Margaret Batters. Chief Pilot Ray Long was next to present. As the Flight Test Programme Manager, Ray described the development of the programme along with the process of pushing the aircraft ‘to the limits’, and he enthused about its exceptional performance. The presentation concluded with Stephen presenting two recognitions of achievement to Brian Hare and Andy Stevenson. Brian was recognised for being integral to the development of the SuperPac during his tenure as owner of Pacific Aerospace Corporation from 1995 to 2006. Andy, as one of the country’s most significant topdressing operators, was recognised for his commitment across the decades in the development of the SuperFalco which is based on the PAC750XL airframe. The event concluded with video footage, refreshments and networking opportunities for the large number of attendees. SuperPac 750XL-II Launch Event Factory engines cylinder Kits genuine spare parts autHorised distriButors For lycoMing and continental aerospace tecHnologies CONTACT US AT AVIATIONPOWERSUPPLY.COM.AU or by email to: bob@aviationpowersupply.com.au NEW ZEALAND Contact our NZ Agent Superior Air Parts NZ on 09 298 8992 for a quotationgot underway with test flying. One of the few CAA-approved pilots in NZ capable of flight-testing production aircraft for the purposes of certification, Ray started off with PAC in 1992 as an engineer, but with some arm-twisting slowly moved into flying, initially moving aircraft around the country but eventually doing some ag-flying too. He was also involved with earlier engineering efforts to put a V8 piston-engine on the Fletcher (fail!) and the various re-engining modifications converting Lycoming O-720 Fletchers to turbine Fletchers during the 2000s. The process of flight testing a new design, or even a modification to an existing design in this case, is long and expensive. Certifying the SuperPac under FAA/ESA/CAA Rule Part 23 meant around 50 hours of flight testing over 12 months, with various modifications and design revisits required. In some instances, the SuperPac was unable to meet a particular requirement, if only for the reason it had too much power (such a terrible problem to have!), and thus workarounds or rule exemptions were required. To confirm Vne (the maximum speed of the aircraft), and using the factory demonstrator CT-4E Airtrainer as the chase plane, the SuperPac was nudged up to its design Vd (maximum dive speed) of 235 kts to check for flutter, surely the most nerve-racking part of any flight test regime. Flight testing also showed up some interesting and counter- intuitive results, such as reducing the maximum flap deflection from 40 degrees on the PAC 750XL to 30 degrees on the SuperPac, to decrease the stall speed(!). On October 6th, 2023, NZCAA issued the SuperPac with its type certificate, with Papua New Guinea certification received shortly after and FAA/EASA/CASA certification now underway. 13 2023 #9 each day, this is critical to reducing fatigue and based on my 60 minutes in the seat on our longer photo-op flight, I would judge the seating ergonomics a success. Less successful, IMHO, is the slightly cramped layout of the throttle quadrant area, which also contains the propeller control lever, fuel condition lever, and flap lever. One less lever would be ideal – perhaps the flap lever could be repositioned elsewhere – as there is little room between these critical levers, although I suspect the familiarity that would come from regular use would make for seamless operation. Taking advantage of the relentless march of avionic improvements, the SuperPac is fitted with the current state-of- the-art Garmin touch-screen instrumentation, navigation and communication kit. The standard setup consists of a G600TXi main primary flight display, a G750Xi navigation/comm unit and G650Xi secondary nav/com unit too. Whilst I have my reservations about touchscreen displays (especially in turbulence), these work well, have great brightness and resolution, and are very easy and intuitive to use. The engine parameters are displayed in a separate EI MVP-50T display screen, also very clear and bright. One thing I really like (take note, Cirrus) is the operation of the electric pitch trim, from the top-hat switch atop the stick. This is a pet peeve of mine when not appropriately geared and can really make some aircraft more difficult to fly than they need to be, but in the SuperPac the gearing is excellent. Certification When serial number 501 rolled out of the NZAero factory in 2022, factory test pilot Ray Long and the engineering team Independent Contractor Company & Provider of EASA Part-66 Examinations in New Zealand At Rotor & Aero Services, our mission is to provide a pathway for Kiwis to complete their EASA Part-66 examinations in New Zealand. We are dedicated to helping you achieve your goals and are committed to providing you with the highest quality training and support. Register now for our next EASA Part-66 Exam dates in August 2024 B1.1 Turbine Aeroplanes | B1.2 Piston Aerplanes | B1.3 Helicopters | B2 Avionics Our exam packages give you the chance to sit all the required modules for the EASA Part-66 licence in an 11-day session Live consultation before each exam All exam training material is provided in an online training format Build your future in aviation with Rotor & Aero Services | 027 974 0000 | kendall@ras.nz www.ras.nzKiwiFlyer Magazine Issue 96 14 There are 5 SuperPac 750XL-IIs in production which will appear at a rate of about one every two months. NZAero expects to have grown to 80 full-time employees by mid-2024. | +61 3 9735 5655Helicopter Maintenance Aeroplane Maintenance Maintenance Control Services Light Sport Aircraft Maintenance Amateur Built Aircraft Maintenance Microlight and Autogyro Maintenance Rotax Maintenance Balloon Inspections Avionics Checks Propeller Balancing Airworthiness Reviews Digital Vibration Analysis Advice and support for all things aviation or visit centralaero.nz for more information KEEPING YOU FLYING Now distributing Stewart Systems waterborne products for covering and painting aircraft 07 843 1200 1 Ingram Rd, Rukuhia, Hamilton 021 743 033 paul@centralaero.nz 027 278 8765 stephen@centralaero.nz Office Paul Stephen 15 2023 #9 Flying How lucky am I... again? This time, I am the first pilot - after the factory pilots - to fly the NZAero SuperPac, but under Ray’s watchful eye, of-course. Somehow, I skipped ‘single-engine turbo-prop’ in my aviation career, and except for a ferry flight in an Embraer Bandeirante, this is only my second time at the controls of a PT6 too. Ray quickly and efficiently starts the PT6 (gotta love the sound of a PT6 starting!) and I am off, with very little break-away power and the use of a little ‘Beta’ (zero prop pitch) and even a touch of reverse to control the taxi speed. Half-way along the Mercer Airport runway, we spin around and prepare for takeoff. Flaps set to take-off position (there is only Up, Take-off and Landing positions), we will be using ‘just’ 32 psi torque, which equates to around 700 hp, given the light weight we are at. With an empty weight of 3680 and a maximum weight of 7500 lbs (with a significant overload available for topdressing or fire-bombing rolls), today’s flight with just the two of us and a full fuel load of 1250 litres / 1980 lbs (to give a take-off weight of 6000 lbs) should be a breeze. I hold the aircraft on the brakes until 12 psi of torque is reached, let them go then apply the reduced take-off power to ‘unleash the beast’! I was going to count the take-off roll time, but forgot that in the rush/excitement, then suddenly we are airborne, with little input from me - that big slab wing and half flap produces a tonne of lift. Actually, about 2.7 tonnes, to be exact. The engine feels smooth like only a turbine can, and quiet too. We climb out at 80 kts initially, which has the nose well above the horizon, so I take Ray’s advice/recommendation and aim for 100 kts. Our first exercise is a climb demo, this being the prime mode for the parachute jump-ship many of the SuperPacs will become. We start at 500 feet, increase torque to 40 psi (800 hp) and target 100 kts for the climb. At this speed, the spinner is above the horizon but the exhaust stacks line up nicely with the horizon, so this becomes my reference pitch indicator. The VSI steadies around 2200 fpm after an initial zoom, and about 100 seconds later we are at 4500’, the top of uncontrolled airspace in this area. In flight testing at high weights, Ray reckons on about 18 minutes to 20,000’ (with oxygen, of-course) and about three minutes to get back on the ground, using idle and the Vne of 170 kts. I suspect that would mean the aircraft arrives about the same time as the parachutists, depending on the height they pop their chutes. Wow! I can see why the 750XL and now the SuperPac are so popular for parachute operations. Being at a reasonable altitude now means time for my favorite part of a flight test – slow speed handling and stalls. This really shows up the effectiveness of the controls, the design choices made, and the manners of an aircraft at and beyond the edge of the envelope. In this regard, the SuperPac is a big pussycat – with no flap she gently rumbles into a stall, with little wing drop, at around 58 kts. Put out full/landing flap and the same again but with the lowest speed being around 48 kts before the ‘break’. Bear in mind this is at light weights – at the maximum weight, flight testing has demonstrated a full flap stall of 57 kts. If you don’t apply forward stick to recover, but instead (using two hands!) hold the stick all the way back on the stop, the SuperPac just waffles down with a small, gentle rocking motion from side-to- side, and little pitch change. Selecting take-off flap, deliberately flying it at the point of stall through some steepening turns is easy (when electrically trimmed) and benign – when the stall-in-the-turn arrived, the SuperPac SuperPac 750XL-II Aircraft and Helicopter Painters From touch-ups to full strip & repaint Light corrosion removal 30+ years experience Aircraft approved materials Computer controlled spray booths 12x12m prep room Josh Adams 027 913 7530 Tony Antonievich 027 290 5400 autoandaerorefinishers@gmail.com 600 metre airstrip at Waiau Pa site GPS: 37°08’S 174°45.9’E CPL Helicopter and PPL Fixed wing pilot on staffKiwiFlyer Magazine Issue 96 16 generally roll wings level in either turn direction, which is a great behaviour to exhibit. Mounted above the pilot’s instrument coaming is an angle of attack gauge, progressively indicating green then orange chevrons in the ‘direction to recover’ orientation, as the stall angle-of attack is approached. This works very well, in both 1’G’ and loaded turns, and coupled with natural stall buffet sensations through the stick, makes slow speed flight very predictable and safe. Well done, team. I would wager a low time, relatively inexperienced pilot could pick up flying the SuperPac quite quickly, if you could find an insurance company to agree. Of course, flying the aircraft at light weights versus ‘working’ it at high weights and in challenging conditions, as is typical in ag-work, is a totally different proposition – hats off to the ag-pilots who do this day-in and day-out. At this point I ask Ray if I can try an ag-manoeuvre I love doing in aerobatic aircraft, but not something I would normally consider doing in a large turboprop with a wingspan of 14m – a ‘wing over’. Yippee! Dive to 140 kts, pull towards the vertical and start banking to 90+ degrees, relax the back pressure, keep it in balance as the nose cuts the horizon then let the nose drop and look for the vertical again, then PULL! A couple of these and I realise, a) people get paid to do this (lucky souls), and b) you need to use the electric trim on the pull-out. In fact, in discussing this with Ray, he says that is a constant for manoeuvring during ag-flying, to reduce the workload. But then again ag-pilots do seem to be much stronger and fitter than airline pilots… Fun-time over, so we embark on a quick 150 kt trip back to Mercer for some circuits. I choose 100 kts or so as a good downwind speed. Turning base, speed back to 80 kts and half flap, turning finals (close and high) with speed at 70 kts and full flap. Over the fence with speed decaying through 60 kts, reducing the power to idle produces a noticeable deceleration as the big Hartzell ‘discs-up’ and then after touch- down I apply a bit of reverse and brakes resulting in an unfeasibly short landing roll. After one more of my own, I ask Ray to demo an ‘ag-pilot’ approach and landing, which he obliges and is probably half as short than my valiant effort, on both counts! NZAero’s Production Facilities at Hamilton SuperPac 750XL-II Part of the NZAero Stores facilty. Thousands of drawings follow behind this one. Comprehensive ERP systems are in use. SuperPac 750XL-II #4 - will be a Utility version. #3 off the producion line is also a Utility version. # 2 (a Skydive version) will fly by Christmas. Except for obvious components such as the engine and avionics, virtually the entire SuperPac 750XL-II is manufactured from raw materials at NZAero’s sprawling (around 12 acre) facility at Hamilton Airport. Early in December, KiwiFlyer enjoyed a tour of the premises with NZAero CEO Stephen Burrows. Stephen is a 30 year veteran of the various company iterations (and his Dad was there in the ’60s) and has an encyclopedic knowledge of the processes involved - seemingly able to recognise any part or jig for any of the company’s legacy aircraft, from ten metres away. The history is evident almost everywhere you look; walking through the window manufacturing area Stephen points out CT4 window molds from the 1970s and numerous components currently in production to meet parts order requirements for around 400 aircraft operating all over the world which the company supports. In parallel to the mix of old and new parts in production, there is an equally interesting mix of modern and traditional processes too. We see CNC machining and laser cutting centres, alongside manually operated mills, lathes and sheet metal forming equipment – the skills for which to operate are in high demand. Many of the NZAero staff are like Stephen and have spent much of their career building aircraft between these walls at Hamilton, but over time these skills will need to be passed on and Stephen talks enthusiastically of bringing in younger people via apprenticeships and internships. Dozens of small parts were in the (12m long) spray booth when we visited – there are more than 6000 parts in the 750. Stephen says there are some economies of scale in play with many smaller components being produced in batches of around four. QA is of course a near continuous process, with inspections throughout the manufacture of all components. A comprehensive ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning) system manages materials, workflow, shop floor control, cost feedback and more. There is far more to NZAero’s operations than can ever be covered on this page, so look out for a feature article later in 2024 that will follow some of the parts and people involved in turning aluminium sheets and steel tubes into SuperPacs, and likely by then some of the other legacy aircraft on the company’s books too.17 2023 #9 Reflections Let’s be honest, the SuperPac isn’t the world’s most pretty airplane. But that is not it’s point. It’s obviously not the fastest, either. But as with all utility planes, they are built for... utility. And from what I can see, the SuperPac has that by the wheelbarrow full. 17 or so parachutists to 20,000’, 9 passengers into a short, rough strip on the side of a hill, a 2500 litre hopper to spread fertiliser onto crops, hour after hour, day after day. This is the true definition of utility – a safe, reliable, economical, and dependable workhorse. Two more brand new airframes are now rumbling down the production line in Hamilton – another jump-ship and a passenger/cargo variant - to customers who have he need and see the value in the exceptional utility the SuperPac offers. As history has proven, the fantastic engineers in the big Hamilton production hangar of PAC/PAL/NZAero have built robust, productive aircraft for decades, in little old New Zealand, and we should all be proud of their efforts, as they are rightly so of their new SuperPac 750XL-II. Grant Benns Grant’s first landing at Mercer. 800 feet is more than enough for take-off. Ray Long and Grant Benns.Dee Bond, Stephen Burrows and Neil Young.F KAvcraft Engineering NZ Ltd Feilding Aerodrome (NZFI) 06 212 0920 mat@avcraft.co.nz avionics@avcraft.co.nz www.avcraft.co.nz Facebook.com/AvcraftEngineering *All pricing excl. GST and Freight Buy online www.avcraft.co.nz19 2023 #9 Aviation Insurance contributed by Bill Beard Specialist Aviation Insurance Brokers Connect with us for more information: P: 0800 322 206 or 09 298 8206 E: aviation@ajg.co.nz NZ Warbirds Hangar 1 140 De Havilland Lane Ardmore Airport INCORPORATING CROMBIE LOCKWOOD BOSTON MARKS AVSURE All aviation insurance policies contain deductibles of some sort, however the nature and applications of these are not always well understood. Bill Beard from Gallagher’s continues his series of insurance related articles, here explaining some common terms and how the process of calculating deductibles in the event of an accident is usually applied. All aviation insurance policies contain deductibles of some sort, however the nature and applications of these are not always well understood. Bill Beard from Gallagher’s continues his series of insurance related articles, here explaining some common terms and how the process of calculating deductibles in the event of an accident is usually applied. Policy Deductibles A hull deductible (sometimes referred to as an excess), applies to all aviation policies involving repairs but may on occasions not be applied in the event of a Total or Constructive Total Loss. Hull deductibles are predominately applied as a percentage of the agreed total value. For the majority of fixed wing aircraft, the deductible is usually 1% of the hull value subject to a minimum dollar value (usually $1000) on lower valued hulls. For aviation uses involving abnormal hazards such as agriculture and for the majority of helicopters, a hull excess of 5% is usually applied and this is sometimes increased to 10% in the case of inexperienced pilots or extremely hazardous uses. The important thing to understand is that in the case of repair claims, the hull deductible/excess is calculated on the total hull value - not the amount of repairs. Third party liability property damage claims however are not usually subject to an excess or deductible. Pro-Rata/Time-Life Component Adjustments Another deduction made from a claim can be a Pro-Rata/Time-Life Component Adjustment. Particularly all helicopters and fixed- wing turbo-props (other than total or constructive total loss) are subject to contribution by the policy holder for the proportion of the overhaul or replacement cost of any unit or component in relation to the TBO or ‘life’ of the replaced unit or component. The insurer will deduct the appropriate amount on the application of the following formula: Used Time or Hours Flown divided by Overhaul TBO, multiplied by Overhaul or Replacement Cost. This can have a major impact on the eventual proceeds of a claim following Insurance Policy Deductibles Explained say a main or tail rotor blade strike on components nearing the end of their TBO. Depending on circumstances, some Insurers agree to delete the clause relating to pro-rata contribution on Time-Life components (also known as Betterment) To obtain further information on this subject we invite owners to contact our office. To discuss this topic or any other aviation insurance questions, or to seek quotations, contact Bill Beard or Jenni Hellyer at Gallagher’s Ardmore Office on 0800 322206.Next >