Aviation Composites New Zealand (ACNZ) has unveiled a new all-composite aircraft aimed at replacing the world’s ageing regional feeder cargo fleet, targeting a market of more than 3,200 aircraft where operators currently have few modern alternatives.

The New Zealand manufacturer said its ‘AC-2 AveniQ’ has been designed primarily for regional cargo operations, addressing a replacement market where many aircraft are between 20 and 35 years old and only one newly certified aluminium competitor, the Cessna SkyCourier, is currently available.

The single-engine turboprop features a 6,000 lb payload, 22-metre wingspan and 4,000-litre fuel capacity, but has been designed as a modular platform that can also be configured for passenger transport, MEDEVAC and humanitarian missions, maritime surveillance, aerial firefighting, and military operations.

The aircraft has reached the ready-to-prototype stage, with ACNZ saying a flight-ready demonstrator could be completed within 12-14 months of construction beginning.

Designed around an all-composite airframe, the AC-2 AveniQ has also been developed with future propulsion technologies in mind, retaining compatibility with hybrid, hydrogen and electric powertrains as they mature. The platform is also designed to support UAV integration.

Certification of the piloted turboprop variant will be pursued through the New Zealand Civil Aviation Authority’s Part 23 process before seeking Federal Aviation Authority (FAA) validation under the bilateral agreement between New Zealand and the US.

ACNZ estimates the US cargo replacement market alone could require 500-800 aircraft over the next decade, representing potential revenue of US$3-4.8 billion, excluding demand for surveillance, firefighting, UAV and defence variants.

Lapo Ancillotti, chief executive and head designer of ACNZ, said: “The potential market is substantial, and the AC-2 AveniQ has been specifically designed to address it.

“Three global shifts are converging: autonomous systems, increasing regional logistics demand, and pressure for lower operating cost.

“With our modular design approach we have created a platform suited to current and emerging technologies – a solution for now and into the future.”