For somebody who insists on being able to hear the sounds of waves crashing when he goes to bed at night, engineer, Howie Hughes, knows an awful lot about covering vast distances in the outback in the most cost-effective way.
The man behind the State’s only fixed-wing aircraft manufacturing company has built his successful rural enterprise on the back of serving those on the land.
Mr Hughes, his daughter, Shelly, son, Nick, and staff of 10, have built more than 160 aircraft in the 22 years they have run their business, Australian Light Wing, based in Ballina, on the Far North Coast.
While on-farm transport has been their focus to date, the innovative company is also becoming known for its low-wing aircraft and is in the process of developing a larger version to cater to corporate rural businesses and bigger farming families.
The SP 2000 has a range of 2000 kilometres and a top speed of 290km per hour.
“Point to point, it will invariably be faster and more economical than commercial airlines,” said Mr Hughes.
The soon-to-be-released twin engined six-seater, called an SP 6000, will be all about taking that advantage one step further and offering affordable flying to the outback, he said.
Meanwhile, interest in the mainstay of the company’s ag-aircraft, the high wing GR 912 (pictured above with Mr Hughes and his son, Nick), is growing at phenomenal rates.
From The Land, March 27, 2008.