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PZL-106 Kruk
| PZL-106 Kruk | |
|---|---|
| PZL-106A at the Polish Aviation Museum | |
| Type | Agricultural aircraft |
| Manufacturer | WSK-Okęcie |
| Maiden flight | April 17, 1973 |
| Status | in production |
| Primary users | Polish civilian aviation East Germany |
| Produced | 1976- |
| Number built | 266+ |
The PZL-106 Kruk (Raven) is a Polish agricultural aircraft designed and built by WSK-Okęcie (later PZL "Warszawa-Okęcie").
Contents
Design and development
The PZL-106 was developed as a modern agricultural aircraft for the Polish aviation, to replace less capable PZL-101 Gawron. There were several agricultural plane designs proposed in the 1960s, but not realized. The works upon the PZL-106 started in 1972, led by Andrzej Frydrychewicz, and the first prototype was flown on April 17, 1973. The designers chose a safe layout of a braced low-wing monoplane with a container for chemicals before a pilot, inspired by planes like Piper PA-25 Pawnee (in case of emergency landing, the container would not crush a pilot, sitting high).
The first prototype was powered by an imported 298 kW (400 hp) Lycoming O-720 flat engine and had a T-tail. There were several prototypes built, and the plane was finally fitted with a 441 kW (600 hp) PZL-3S radial engine and a conventional tail. The prototype with a final engine first flew 12 October 1974.
The final variant was accepted for a production and produced from 1976 under a designation PZL-106A. There were next developed variants PZL-106AR, with PZL-3SR engine and PZL-106AS with a stronger 736 kW ASz-62IR radial engine. By 1982, 144 PZL-106A were built. Several aircraft were modified in Africa to PZL-106AS variant.
On May 15, 1981 there was flown a prototype of an improved variant PZL-106B, with redesigned wings with shorter struts. It was powered with the same PZL-3SR engine and was produced from 1984. In 1982 there was flown a prototype of the PZL-106BS, with ASz-62IR engine. By 1988, 60 PZL-106B were built.
The next step was fitting Kruk with a turboprop engine. The first was the PZL-106AT Turbo Kruk prototype, with 566 kW (770 hp) Pratt & Whitney PT6A-34AG engine, from 1981. The next, basing upon the PZL-106B construction, was the PZL-106BT Turbo Kruk with 544 kW Walter M601D engine, from 1985. PZL-106BT was produced in limited numbers (10 in 1986-1988). The last variant is the PZL-106BTU-34 Turbo Kruk, with Pratt & Whitney PT6A-34AG engine, from 1998. Both turboprop variants have taller tailfin, BTU-34 differs with more pointed nose.
In total, 266 PZL-106s were produced. The production was renewed in 1995 and as of 2007, PZL-106BT (renamed PZL-106BT-601) with Walter M601 engine and PZL-106BTU-34 with PT6A-34AG engine are still in manufacturer's offer. Limited numbers of turboprop Kruks were produced so far.
Operational history
Main user of the PZL-106 was the Polish civilian aviation. At that time, Polish state aviation firms often caried out agricultural services abroad, especially in Egypt and Sudan. They were supplemented and partly superseded by PZL-Mielec M-18 Dromader. PZL-106A and B were exported to East Germany (major non-Polish user - 54), Czechoslovakia, Egypt, Hungary, Argentina, Spain, Brazil. Some PZL-106BT were sold to Egypt, Argentina (2 at least) and Brazil.
Kruk is considered very robust, reliable and safe plane [citation needed].
Variants
- PZL-106
- Prototypes, first flew on 17 April 1973.
- PZL-106A
- Basic production variant with 441 kW PZL-3S radial engine, produced 1976-1982
- PZL-106AR
- Prototype with PZL-3SR engine with a reduction gear, first flew on 15 November 1978
- PZL-106AT Turbo Kruk
- Prototype with PT6A-34AG turboprop engine, first flew on 22 June 1981
- PZL-106AS
- Variant with 736 kW PZL ASz-62IR engine, first flew on 19 August 1981
- PZL-106B
- Improved production variant with redesigned wings and shorter struts, PZL-3SR engine, first flew on 15 May 1981, produced in 1984-1988
- PZL-106BS
- Prototype with PZL ASz-62IR engine, first flew on 8 March 1982
- PZL-106BT Turbo Kruk (PZL-106 BT-601)
- Production variant with 544 kW Walter M601D turboprop engine, first flew on 18 September 1985
- PZL-106BTU-34 Turbo Kruk
- Production variant with PT6A-34AG turboprop engine, first flew in 1998
Operators
- Template:ARG
- Template:BRA
- Template:CZS
- Template:DDR received 54 aircraft.
- Template:EGY
- Template:HUN
- Template:ESP
Specifications (PZL-106B)
Description
Metal construction braced low-wing monoplane, conventional in layout. Fuselage of a steel frame, covered with duralumin (front) and canvas (tail). Wings duralumin and canvas covered, fitted with flaps and slats. Single seat cabin, placed high, with an emergency seat for a mechanic behind a pilot. Behind engine there is 1300-litre container in a fuselage for 1050 kg of chemicals, with exchangeable sets of equipment for spraying, cropdusting or fire extinguishing. The container might be replaced with and additional cab for an instructor, for pilot training. Conventional fixed landing gear with a tail wheel.
Single radial engine PZL-3S or SR (600 hp / 441 kW), four blade propeller or turboprop engine with three blade propeller (554 kW Walter M601D or PT6A-34AG). Fuel tanks for 540 l.
General characteristics
- Crew: 1, pilot
- Capacity: 1, mechanic (optional), 1300 l (1050 kg) of chemicals
- Payload: 1,330 kg (2,930 lb)
- Length: 9.1 m (29 ft 10 in)
- Wingspan: 14.90 m (48 ft 10½ in)
- Height: 3.3 m (10 ft 9⅞in)
- Wing area: 32.2 m² (346 m²)
- Empty weight: 1,670 kg (3,674 lb)
- Loaded weight: 3,000 kg (6,600 lb)
- Powerplant: 1× PZL-3SR air-cooled radial engine, 600 hp (441 kW)
Performance
- Maximum speed: 220 km/h (119 knots, 137 mph)
- Cruise speed: 194 km/h (105 knots , 120 mph)
- Stall speed: 90 km/h (49 knots, 56 mph)
- Range: 1100 km (594 nm, 683 mi)
- Service ceiling: 4,600 m (15,100 ft)
- Rate of climb: 4 m/s (790 ft/min)
- Wing loading: 93 kg/m² (19 lb/ft²)
- Power/mass: 0.147 kW/kg (0.091 hp/lb)
References
- Andrzej Glass: Samoloty'85, NOT-SIGMA, Warsaw 1986 (ISBN 83-85001-06-9)
- Andrzej Glass: Samoloty'90, NOT-SIGMA, Warsaw 1990 (ISBN 83-85001-54-9)
See also
Comparable aircraft
Designation sequence
PZL-101 -
PZL-102 -
PZL-104 -
PZL-105 -
PZL-106 -
PZL-110
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External links
Lists relating to aviation | |
|---|---|
| General | Timeline of aviation · Aircraft · Aircraft manufacturers · Aircraft engines · Aircraft engine manufacturers · Airports · Airlines |
| Military | Air forces · Aircraft weapons · Missiles · Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) · Experimental aircraft |
| Notable incidents and accidents | Military aviation · Airliners · General aviation · Famous aviation-related deaths |
| Records | Flight airspeed record · Flight distance record · Flight altitude record · Flight endurance record · Most produced aircraft |
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| This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article "PZL-106 Kruk". |
