History:

The PAC 750 XLA was a development of the XL series for agricultural work, the initials XLA standing for Xtreme Lift Advantage.  In about October 1979 Farmers Air, a Gisborne-based agricultural operator, was interested in obtaining new-build aircraft but was not interested in American-designed aircraft with a tailwheel; and indicated it needed something with the capacity of the Cresco.  A couple of PAC 750s had been converted for agricultural work but Farmers Air required more performance and contracted Flight Structures to build the Farmers Air 3000 XL with a Supplementary Type Certificate.

To achieve this end, the prototype PAC 750 XL ZK-XLA was modified, all unnecessary weight (100 kg – 220 lb) being removed, with installation of a lightweight high-strength 85 kg (187 lb) carbon fibre hopper and a new streamlined filter. Other lightening work to meet requirements was also carried out.  Rudder travel was increased to assist in cross-wind performance, and a Cresco elevator trim tab to reduce pilot fatigue was fitted.

This work meant the new aircraft hopper had a 3,000 litre (660 Imp gal) capacity and a payload of 2,200 kg (4,850 lb). Power plant was the 559 kw (750 shp) Pratt & Whitney PT6-34AG turboprop contained in a new streamlined lightweight cowling. The hopper was electro-hydraulically operated.  Flight Structures completed all design, project management and flight testing to meet Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) requirements. By early 2011 the aircraft was being operated by Farmers Air of Gisborne.

ZK-JPU (c/n 117) was built as a PSC 750XL and registered to Pacific Aerospace Corporation of Hamilton on 8 March 2005.  The first flight was made on 8 April 2005. It was re-designated a PAC 750SP on 25 July 2005 but later reverted to 750XL on 23 September 2005.  It was the first agricultural variant of the PAC 750XL. Ownership was transferred to Taumarunui Aerial Co-operative Society on 21 October 2005 and on 22 June 2009 ownership was transferred to Flight Leasing of Napier.  It was then leased to Farmers Air of Gisborne, the latter Company purchasing the aircraft on 24 June 2011, and it was then modified to the Falco 3000 specification.  However, ZK-JPU was cancelled from the register on 1 February 2017 after suffering a wire strike accident near Wairoa on 12 December 2016, the fatal accident cutting power to the town of Gisborne for a number of days. 

Four other Falco 3000s were completed, being ZK-JBC (c/n 119), ZK-SWA (c/n 130), ZK-XLA (c/n 101) and ZK-XLB (c/n 140), the latter two operated by Kiwi Air.