Air Parts FU-24 Utility

Air Parts FU-24 Utility

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08/31/2007. The all-metal FU-24 was designed by John Thorp (as Thorp T-15) for the top-dressing market in New Zealand. The prototype was built by the Sargent-Fletcher Company of El Monte, California and first flew as N6505C on June 14, 1954. The first eleven aircraft were completely built in the USA and shipped to New Zealand, thereafter they were delivered as kits to the Cable-Price Corporation at Rukuhea Airport at Hamilton, New Zealand, where they were assembled and test flown.

In 1962 Cable-Price became Air Parts (NZ) and bought the manufacturing rights in 1964 and from c/n 106 the aircraft were completely built in New Zealand. Air Part (NZ) merged with Aero Engine Services Ltd. into New Zealand Aerospace Industries Ltd in April 1973, and was reorganized as Pacific Aerospace Corporation on July 1, 1982. In all 298 aircraft were built.

The pictured aircraft was first flown in New Zealand as ZK-CYZ in July 1969, and used in Canada and the USA as a demonstrator. By March 1974 it had returned to New Zealand and was modified to a FU-24-954M. It crashed at Waingake in September 1975.


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08/31/2007. The all-metal FU-24 was designed by John Thorp (as Thorp T-15) for the top-dressing market in New Zealand. The prototype was built by the Sargent-Fletcher Company of El Monte, California and first flew as N6505C on June 14, 1954. The first eleven aircraft were completely built in the USA and shipped to New Zealand, thereafter they were delivered as kits to the Cable-Price Corporation at Rukuhea Airport at Hamilton, New Zealand, where they were assembled and test flown. In 1962 Cable-Price became Air Parts (NZ) and bought the manufacturing rights in 1964 and from c/n 106 the aircraft were completely built in New Zealand. Air Part (NZ) merged with Aero Engine Services Ltd. into New Zealand Aerospace Industries Ltd in April 1973, and was reorganized as Pacific Aerospace Corporation on July 1, 1982. In all 298 aircraft were built. The pictured aircraft was first flown in New Zealand as ZK-CYZ in July 1969, and used in Canada and the USA as a demonstrator. By March 1974 it had returned to New Zealand and was modified to a FU-24-954M. It crashed at Waingake in September 1975.