Howard Hughes Engineering

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Howard Hughes Engineering Pty Ltd is an Australian privately owned company based in Ballina, New South Wales. They design and manufacture aircraft, boats, and general engineering products, and also build cars. The firm started in the mid-1970s as a boat builder in West Ballina. In 1985 they shifted into aircraft design after ultralight rules changed in Australia. Their first aircraft, the Australian LightWing GR532, was approved by the Civil Aviation Safety Authority on 29 September 1986. They used welded 4130 steel tubing as an alternative to aluminum sailcloth ultralights.

In 1995 the company moved to the Ballina Byron Gateway Airport industrial park. They have produced many aircraft, including the GR532, GR582, GR912, Pocket Rocket, ALW Sport, Tapis, SP-2000 Speed (two-seat), SP-4000 Speed (four-seat), SP-6000 (low or high wing), PR BiPe (biplane) and PR Breeze (parasol wing). The SP-2000 is approved by the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration as a light-sport aircraft. The company has also designed an electric car, the Hughes Engineering Road-e, which seats three. Other products include a flight simulator, a 30-foot Hughes Engineering Cunning Cat sailboat, and a CAD/CAM cutting table. They have developed software such as a telephone messaging system and a costing and payroll program. Australian LightWing is the aircraft brand of Howard Hughes Engineering. The company’s website is lightwing.com.au.