TRAINING AIRCRAFT

PZL-130 ORLIK

 

A PZL 130 Orlik turboprop of the Polish Orlik Aerobatic Team

PZL 130 Orlik (Eaglet) is a Polish turboprop, single engine, two seat trainer.

It was designed in PZL Warszawa-Okecie as a trainer for the Polish Air Force. The project was designed under supervision of Andrzej Frydrychewicz, head engineer of PZL Warszawa-Okecie. The plane was originally designed with the Russian Vedeneyev M-14Pm piston engine but, since PZL-130 was thought to have some attributes of a jet plane, it was replaced by a turboprop engine.

The first prototype Orlik flew October 24 1984. In 1985, while waiting for supplies of M14Pm powerplants, P.Z.L. re-engined the third prototype with a Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A-25A turboprop and this flew on 13 July 1986, was provisionally certificated in January 1987 but crashed later the same month. Three more pre-production aircraft were built, all with different powerplants and ratings. These were the 560kW Motorlet M601D (P.Z.L. 130TM), the 410kW PT6A-25A (P.Z.L. 130T), and the 708kW PT6A-62 (P.Z.L. 130TP), and all flew in 1989/90. In 1991, following the powerplant tests, the Polish air force placed an order for 48 P.Z.L. 130TBs powered by the Czech M601E engine and the first production Turbo-Orlik was delivered at the end of 1992. Export sales are now being sought for the PT6A-62-engined P.Z.L. 130TC, the PT6A-25C-equipped P.Z.L. 130TD, and the PT6A-25A-engined P.Z.L. 130TE 'economy' version, with a limited equipment fit and minus ejection seats.

Deliveries of PZL-130TBs to the Polish started in 1994, with the aircraft equipping the Military Pilot Academy at Dęblin and the 60th Training Air Regiment at Radom. All of Poland's PZL-130TBs were upgraded to TC-1 standard, with better ejection seats and avionics.
 

PZL-130 ORLIK Specifications
Type Basic Trainer
Manufacturer Pilatus Aircraft
Accommodation Two (student and instructor)
Armament Six hard points for bombs and rockets
Performance

Max speed 290 mph (460 km/h)

Wing Span 33ft (10m)
Length 33ft (10m)
Height 10ft 10in (3.3m)
Weight empty weight 3,680lb (1,670kg), max take off weight 5,900lb(2,500kg)
Powerplant One Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A-25C, producing 700 shp (522 kW)