Australian LightWing CEO Howie Hughes has received the Recreational Aviation Pioneer 2010 award from the RA-Aus.
The Recreational Aviation of Australia named Hughes in recognition of his achievements contributing to the Australian aviation industry over the last 25 years and presented the award at the recent National RA-Aus Temora Airshow.
Hughes’ colourful career began in architecture before moving onto boat building, hang gliding, and building trawlers in Ballina in the 80s. As the head of Ballina-based Australian LightWing (ALW), a company within the wider Hughes Group, Hughes has spent many years designing, developing and manufacturing the ALW Speed range, which includes the two-place low-wing SP-2000 LSA (pictured above) and the four-place SP-4000.
He is also currently working on the promising SP-6000, which you can read more about here.
Hughes has been involved, inspirational and eccentric and always focused on sharing his passions with fellow enthusiasts and local and international schools and university aeronautical programs. His more recent projects also include electric green cars, catamarans, and computer software.
Hughes thanks the RA-Aus for the award and gallantly raises a toast to the next 25 years.