New South Wales family business takes on new Isuzu aircraft loader for farming

A family-owned aircraft maintenance and aerial agriculture company has utilised the versatility of Isuzu’s new aircraft loader truck to improve their on-farm performance. Hazair, which was first opened in 1960, is based at Albury Airport, New South Wales, and is owned and operated by the Death family. The family have been operating a specialised Isuzu FVD 165-300 auto with dual operator controls at opposite ends of the vehicle. This loader replaced an older cab chassis truck that Hazair outfitted nearly 25 years ago. In an extremely rare truck set-up, the front-end control is relatively standard, allowing for everyday on-road use. At the rear end, controls have been engineered to allow the operator to backload the aircraft using the on-board mechanical dipper and bucket, as well manoeuvre the truck concurrently from the same control point. “When we looked at all the truck brands on the market, Isuzu was the easiest for us to modify because they already build dual-control waste trucks,” Hazair managing director Stephen Death said. “It has an electronic interface with everything we wanted: remote steering, remote throttle, remote braking and remote hydraulics in the back. “Blacklocks Isuzu were able to organise the interface and all the special parts and modifications we needed with the broader Isuzu engineering team.” Isuzu’s F Series models are used in a variety of end-uses across the country. With a GVM of 16,500kg and GCM of 32,000kg, the FVD model slots comfortably into the mid-weight category. “The comfort, speed and power of the truck are awesome,” Mr Death said. “It’s quick, it’s efficient and it’s comfortable to drive for Dave Funnell (ground support equipment manager), so his fatigue levels have dropped off. “Most importantly he can get to-and-from the job efficiently, which is what we need because our work operates on an hourly basis. “For example, we’ve got 42 tonnes of super to spread here and then we’ll move on to another farm about 100km further up the Murray River, so the actual saving in time getting from one job to another is immense.”