Extreme STOL: The SuperPac750XL-II can take off from runways of 200m and it’s touring Australia
August 8, 2025
A next-generation, ultra-short take-off aircraft is making its debut in Australia as part of a nationwide tour raising money for charity.
The SuperPac 750XL-II, manufactured by NZAero in New Zealand, is participating in the 2025 Outback Air Race, an event to generate funds for the Royal Flying Doctor Service (RFDS).
The race – an almost 3,000-mile-long aviation time trial – crosses some of the most remote parts of Australia and takes place between 22 August and 8 September.
NZAero has entered this year’s race as Team 27 – Kiwi Express, with pilot Dee Bond at the controls of the SuperPac.
“The Outback Air Race is not only an opportunity to demonstrate the SuperPac’s capabilities in its natural environment,” says NZAero, “but it’s also a way to stand in support of the RFDS and the critical work they do.”
Despite being a Kiwi company, NZAero has designed an aircraft that’s perfect for the Aussie environment. The large distances, remote landing zones and urgent medical needs are exactly what the SuperPac is designed for.
Extreme STOL for the toughest environments
Launched in 2023, the SuperPac 750XL-II is dubbed the world’s first commercial Extremely Short Take-Off and Landing (XSTOL) aircraft.
It requires only 200 metres to get airborne and is also capable of landing on steep gradients, rugged landscapes and unsealed surfaces.
Powered by the Pratt & Whitney PT6A-140A 900 SHP (Shaft Horsepower) capable engine and Hartzell 4-blade 108 propeller, the SuperPac 750XL-II has a touch screen glass cockpit and Garmin G600 TXi EFIS and GTN 650 avionics.
The model is a redevelopment of the earlier 750XL, with NZAero taking seven long years to refine the design. The result is a more powerful and fuel-efficient platform.
The SuperPac II delivers a quieter operation than the 750XL, achieving a 10% reduction in fuel consumption while maintaining its short take-off and landing capabilities.
Climb rates have seen a notable improvement, with the aircraft able to reach 13,000 feet in just 10 minutes at maximum take-off weight, and an operational ceiling of 20,000 feet. Low-speed handling has been maintained, with a stall speed of under 60 knots.
Its rugged design allows operation from semi-prepared strips, hillsides and other challenging terrains, enabling rapid deployment for post-disaster evacuations, supply drops and medical transport.
The aircraft’s performance and flying characteristics have already attracted customers from humanitarian operators in 28 countries, including the United Nations, for missions in disaster zones and hard-to-reach regions.
“Proven in some of the most challenging operating environments, the FAA Single Pilot IFR approved 750XL sets the benchmark for single-engine turboprop aircraft,” NZAero says. “In STOL operations, it is unsurpassed in its ability to access more strips, more often, with more payload; even in hot and high conditions.”
Taking the SuperPac XSTOL on a tour of Australia
Around the 2025 Outback Air Race, the SuperPac 750XL-II will undertake a series of public demonstrations.
Throughout August and September, the aircraft will visit 22 locations across Australia: Queensland, northern New South Wales, the Northern Territory, Western Australia, South Australia, Victoria, Tasmania, Canberra and Sydney.
The itinerary includes stops at Port Macquarie, Toowoomba, Rockhampton, Cairns, Mt Isa, Yulara, Alice Springs, Katherine, Broome, Carnarvon, Perth, Albany, Adelaide, Melbourne, Hobart, Canberra, Sydney and Newcastle.
The NZAero team will be offering static displays and short demo presentations at selected locations. They welcome expressions of interest on the tour registration page.
