Fletcher FU-24 & Cresco Family
Compiled by David Wise

Part 2 - FU-24 Turbine Prototypes, Cresco & XL-750

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NOTES

This production list was compiled from old registers published by Air Britain and LAAS, AB Archive & AB News, various current registration websites including those provided by the Australian and NZ CAA's, and some queries resolved with thanks to Dave Partington. Also background from Rod Simpson's Airlife's General Aviation.

A primary reason for publishing this list is to provoke feedback. Any additions or corrections would be very welcome. Please e-mail me: dave.wise@btinternet.com.

You may copy information from this web-site only for your own personal use.

Please contact me if you want to exploit this information commercially or re-publish any of it in any book, magazine, or electronic medium.

For current technical information, see the Pacific Aerospace Corp website: http://www.aerospace.co.nz/

BACKGROUND

Pacific Aircraft/Aerospace Corporation of Hamilton continued development of the Fletcher FU-24 agricultural aircraft with some turbine-engined prototypes. The design was also strengthened for a bigger payload and this culminated in the Cresco. This is still in production, with a few converted to utility configuration for parachuting or survey.

The prototype of the 750XL flew in 2001. This is marketed as the first purpose-designed sky-diving aircraft. It looks superficially like a Cresco with a passenger cabin, and with a PT6 turbine engine.

FU-24 Turbine Prototypes
Fletcher 1060
prototype with P&W PT6A 500 shp
C/n Model Reg Date History
1001 1060 7/67 ZK-CTZ ex c/n 120 wfu 8/79 to airfield gate at Hamilton marked ‘QP-RPR’. To Mystery Creek Show-ground nr Hamilton 99. To PAC factory, Hamilton 4/03. To MoTaT, Auckland by 3/06
       
Fletcher 1160 & 1284
protypes with Garrett TPE331 665 shp
C/n Model Reg Date History
2001 1160 12/67 ZK-BHQ reb from c/n 19 also incorporating c/n 130 cr 8/68 cx
2002 1284 11/69 ZK-CYY built by Air Parts cr Ohaupo 4/74 cx 4/77
       
PAC Cresco 08-600
Redesign with 2-ton payload
Some utility versions primarily for parachute dropping and for survey.
Cresco 08-600 Lycoming LTP-101-700A-1A 600 hp Turboprop
Cresco 08-750 Pratt & Whitney PT6A-34 750 hp Turboprop
       
C/n Model Reg Date History
001 Cresco 08-600 2/79 ZK-LTP (1) cr Maramarua 12/79 cx 1/80
002 Cresco 08-600 7/80 ZK-LTQ (cr Omarama 3/93 cx 8/95 rest 6/96) (1/98) (9M-SBE ntu) (?/??) ZK-LTQ (?/??) to export (1/99) ZK-LTQ (8/99) 9M-LTQ current
003 Cresco 08-600 12/80 ZK-LTR (c4/93) TC-? (11/00) ZK-PDZ (para-dropping Queenstown 2/02) current
004 Cresco 08-600 9/82 (ZK-LTS ntu) ZK-JAD (1/98) (9M-SBD ntu) (?/??) ZK-JAD (?/??) to export (1/99) ZK-JAD (8/99) 9M-JAD cr 9/01 cx reb & rest 9/03 as ZK-LTG current
005 Cresco 08-600 9/87 ZK-LTS cr Piopio 5/02 but current
006 Cresco 08-600 12/89 ZK-FVV to S2-AAB 3/90 current
007 Cresco 08-600 4/90 ZK-FWL to S2-AAC 10/90 current
008 Cresco 08-600 4/90 ZK-FWM to S2-AAE 10/90 current
009 Cresco 08-600 10/92 ZK-LTP (2) (para-dropping Taupo 2/02-1/03) current
010 Cresco 08-600 12/92 ZK-TMN (1) ex (ZK-OIO) (7/99) ZK-PWT current
011 Cresco 08-600 10/94 ZK-LTT current
012 Cresco 08-600 12/95 ZK-TMO cr Rere dbf 6/01 cx 7/01
013 not used    
014 Cresco 08-600 5/96 ZK-LTU current
015 Cresco 08-600 7/96 ZK-LTV (dgd Taihape 3/02) current
016 Cresco 08-600 10/96 ZK-PNX (7/98) 9M-?? (7/98) VH-PGE current
017 Cresco 08-600 4/97 ZK-LTW (1) (?/??) to export (1/99) ZK-LTW (8/99) 9M-LTW cr 9/01 cx
018 Cresco 08-600 2/97 ZK-EEL current
019 Cresco 08-600 7/97 ZK-WAT current
020 Cresco 08-600 10/97 ZK-TMM (8/01) ZK-LTC current
021 Cresco 08-600 12/97 ZK-KPY (op in W Australia 1/98) (8/98) VH-KPY (survey version) (op Lanseria, RSA 10/05) current
022 Cresco 08-600 3/98 ZK-PKB current
023 Cresco 08-600 11/98 ZK-LTX current
024 Cresco 08-600 9/99 ZK-EFS (9/99) ZK-LTH (10/99) VH-END (10/02) ZK-LTH current
025 Cresco 08-600 12/99 ZK-LTY current
026 Cresco 08-600 1/00 ZK-LTZ current
027 Cresco 08-600 3/00 ZK-LTA current
028 Cresco 08-600 8/00 ZK-TMN (2) (6/03) VH-UFI current
029 Cresco 08-600 10/01 ZK-LTE current
030 Cresco 08-600 1/02 ZK-TML current
031 Cresco 08-600 4/02 ZK-LTW (2) (4/02) ZK-LTN current
032 Cresco 08-750 7/02 ZK-JOF (para dropping Taupo 1/03) current
033 Cresco 08-600 8/02 ZK-ROK (2) (para dropping Wanaka 9/02) current
034 Cresco 08-600 11/02 ZK-JOH (12/02) VH-MOS (12/06) ZK-SDT current
035 Cresco 08-600 8/02 ZK-LTL current
036 Cresco 08-600 11/02 ZK-TTS (2) (7/04) VH-XMN current
037 Cresco 08-600 2/03 ZK-TMM (2) current
038 Cresco 08-600 5/03 ZK-JOQ (7/03) VH-WKD current
039 Cresco 08-600 8/03 ZK-JPJ (11/03) ZK-NZO (para dropping Queenstown) current
       
       
       
       
PAC-750XL
Primarily purpose-designed skydiving aircraft with Pratt & Whitney PT6A-34 750 hp Turboprop
Also used in utility, passenger and survey configurations. Freight pannier option available from 2007.
17 parachutists or 9 seated passengers.
Topdressing version with 1.9 tonne urea hopper.
C/n Model Reg Date History
101 750XL 7/01 ZK-XLA prototype (to Mali & S Africa) current
102 750XL 8/03 ZK-FNZ (at Taupo) current
103 750XL 11/03 ZK-UAC (for Utility Acft Corp, Woodland, Ca, USA) ditched nr Hawaii on dely 12/03 cx 11/04
104 750XL 1/04 ZK-TTL (at Taupo) current
105 750XL 3/04 ZK-JPV 3/04 to VH-XLS 5/04 (para-club at Nagambie, Vic 07) current
106 750XL 5/04 ZK-JPP (to Geneva 5/04 then based Beromunster, Switzerland) current
107 750XL 6/04 ZK-KAY current (based Cark, UK from 6/04 also to SBAC Farnborough 7/04) dgd 12/07 at East Midlands, UK following midair coll. with Luscombe G-AKUI still current
108 750XL 6/04 ZK-JPH (7/04) N750DZ current
109 750XL 8/04 ZK-JQA (10/04) N750XL current
110 750XL 10/04 ZK-JQE (PAC demonstrator in 4/07) (11/07) VH-EAK current
111 750XL 10/04 ZK-JQF (12/04) N750SD current
112 750XL 2/05 ZK-JPQ (false marks N750XL at Oshkosh 7/05) (10/05) N750DV current
113 750XL 11/04 ZK-JGI (res as SE-LYZ 4/07) current
114 750XL 9/05 ZK-JNV (2/06) N216PK current
115 750XL 1/05 ZK-JGJ (3/05) N750SS current
116 750XL 11/05 ZK-JQP (4/06) N820AB current
117 750XL >(7/05) 750SP > 750XL 3/05 ZK-JPU (topdressing) current
118 750XL 4/05 ZK-JQK (b Hinton-in-the-Hedges, UK from 6/05) current
119 750XL 6/05 ZK-JBC (survey to Canada/SE Asia) current
120 750XL 5/05 ZK-JAY (10/05) VH-XLC (Sydney Skydivers, Picton 07) current
121 750XL 6/05 ZK-JBD (not completed cannibalised reworked as c/n 128) cx 12/05
122 750XL 6/05 ZK-JAD (11/06) ZK-XLG (topdressing) current
123 750XL 5/05 ZK-JQO(1) (6-8/06) ZS-BLU current
124 750XL 1/07 ZK-JOA (2/07) (pax/utility with pannier) P2-SDB current
125 750XL 8/05 ZK-LAQ (11/05) ZS-POZ (utility) current
126 750XL 2/06 ZK-JQR (11/06) VH-ZVM (with pannier Macquarie-Lord Howe Island freight + Cessnock Skydiving weekends) current
127 750XL 9/06 ZK-JQV (12/06) (pax/utility with pannier) ZS-MIZ (b Pemba, Mozambique 9/07) current
128 750XL 2/06 ZK-JQQ (used some major components of c/n 121) (6/06) OK-SKW current
129 750XL 2/07 ZK-JRB current
130 750XL 5/07 ZK-JNV (5/07) ZK-SWA current
131 750XL 4/07 ZK-JNH (6/07) ZS-AIL current
132 750XL 6/07 ZK-JRQ (8/07) VH-EAJ current
133 750XL 7/07 ZK-JNA (9/07) ZS-BDZ current
134 750XL 8/07 ZK-JQO(2) (9/07) export current
135 750XL 9/07 ZK-JNF current
136 750XL 10/07 ZK-JQQ (11/07) export current
137 750XL 11/07 ZK-JPR current
       
       

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