Photograph:
Hughes Lightwing Truck general arrangement drawing (ALW)
Country of origin:
Australia
Description:
Four-seat light touring monoplane
Power Plant:
One 86 kw (115 hp) Rotax 914 four-cylinder, four-stroke, turbocharged liquid-and-air-cooled engine
Specifications:
- Not available
History:
In late 1999 Hughes Engineering of Ballina, NSW, announced it proposed to put into production a four-seat kit aircraft designed by students from the University of New South Wales Engineering School, the latter having been commissioned to design the aircraft earlier that year. The project was made possible by a $14.5 million injection of funds by Re-Engineering Australia and Concentric Asia Pacific. First flight was projected for 2000, with the eventual aim of four aircraft being completed each month.
The new model, known as the Lightwing Truck, used the same wing as other variants in the Lightwing series but had a 45 cm (1 ft 5¾ in) longer fuselage with extra space to accommodate two extra seats or luggage. Cockpit width was increased by 15 cm (6 in) and power initially was to be provided by an 86 kw (115 hp) Rotax 914 turbocharged electronic ignition engine. It was initially offered with a tailwheel configuration but it was expected a nosewheel version would become available later. Work at about that time proceeded also on a new four- seater series known as the Lightwing Speed and the prototype of this model flew during 2005.
The initial proposal was for two basic variants, the 2000T four-seater with a tailwheel undercarriage, and the Speed 4000, these models drawing on a number of existing Lightwing features, including a similar control system, seats and Rotax 912 or 914 engines. These were low-wing aircraft with a higher wing loading. The highest performing model was to have an in-flight adjustable propeller and was expected to achieve a cruising speed of 278 km/h (173 mph) at 2,048 m (10,000 ft) with the turbo-boosted Rotax 914 engine. Aircraft built for the Experimental Category and seating four were to have a fibreglass covered fuselage, whereas those built to be registered in the ultralight category would have some fabric covering.
Further engines were considered for the Truck series, including the 90 kw (120 hp) Jabiru six-cylinder and 134 kw (180 hp) eight-cylinder units; the 186 kw (250 hp) Isuzu V-6 quad-cam motor, and the 134 kw (180 hp) DeltaHawk V-4 four-cylinder two-stroke diesel unit, the latter being available for the Speed series of the Lightwing Truck.