PZL-106 Kruk
PZL-106 Kruk | |
---|---|
PZL-106A at the oldtimer aircraft meeting, 2013, Hahnweide, Germany | |
Role | Agricultural aircraft |
National origin | Poland |
Manufacturer | WSK PZL Warszawa-Okęcie |
First flight | April 17, 1973 |
Status | in production |
Primary users | Polish civilian aviation East Germany Argentina |
Produced | 1976– |
Number built | 275+[1] |
The PZL-106 Kruk (English: Raven) is a Polish agricultural aircraft designed and built by WSK PZL Warszawa-Okęcie (later PZL "Warszawa-Okęcie" and now EADS-PZL).
Design and development
The PZL-106 was developed as a modern agricultural aircraft for Poland and
The first prototype was powered by an imported 298 kW (400 hp)
Production started in 1976 under the designation PZL-106A. Successive variants were the PZL-106AR, with PZL-3SR engine, and the PZL-106AS, with a stronger 736 kW
On May 15, 1981, the prototype of an improved variant PZL-106B was flown with redesigned wings using shorter struts. It was powered by the same PZL-3SR engine and was produced from 1984. In 1982, the prototype of the PZL-106BS flew powered by the ASz-62IR engine. By 1988, 60 PZL-106Bs had been built.
The next step was fitting the Kruk with a turboprop engine. The first was the PZL-106AT Turbo Kruk prototype, with a 566 kW (770 hp) Pratt & Whitney PT6A-34AG engine, in 1981. The next version, based upon the PZL-106B, was the PZL-106BT Turbo Kruk with a 544 kW Walter M601D-1 engine. The PZL-106BT first flew in 1985 and was only produced in limited numbers (10 in 1986–1988). The last variant, in 1998, was the PZL-106BTU-34 Turbo Kruk, with a Pratt & Whitney PT6A-34AG engine. Both turboprop variants have a taller tailfin, and the BTU-34 differs again with a restyled nose, a bigger fuel tank (780 L), a revised cockpit layout, and improved performance.
In total, 266 PZL-106s were produced. Production was restarted in 1995, and, as of 2007, the PZL-106BT (renamed PZL-106BT-601) with the Walter M601-D1, and the PZL-106BTU-34, with the PT6A-34AG engine, are currently being offered by the manufacturer EADS-PZL. Limited numbers of turbo-Kruks have been produced so far.
Description
The PZL-106 is a metal construction braced low-wing
The PZL-106 has a single
Operational history
The main user of the PZL-106 was the Polish civilian aviation. At that time, Polish state aviation firms often carried out agricultural services abroad, especially in Egypt and Sudan. They were supplemented and partly superseded by the PZL-Mielec M-18 Dromader. PZL-106As and Bs were exported to East Germany (major non-Polish user – 54), Czechoslovakia, Egypt, Hungary, Argentina, Brazil, and Ecuador. Some PZL-106BT-601s were sold to Egypt, Ecuador (2 Operational till 2008), Argentina (30 operational till 2008), and Brazil (4 operational till 2008). The PZL 106BT-34 is still flying in Argentina.
Variants
- PZL-106
- Prototypes, first flew on 17 April 1973.
- PZL-106A
- Basic production variant with 441 kW (591 hp) PZL-3Sradial engine, produced 1976–1982
- PZL-106AR
- Prototype with PZL-3SRengine with a reduction gear, first flew on 15 November 1978
- PZL-106AT Turbo Kruk
- Prototype with Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A-34AGturboprop engine, first flew on 22 June 1981
- PZL-106AS
- Variant with 736 kW (987 hp) PZL ASz-62IRengine, first flew on 19 August 1981
- PZL-106B
- Improved production variant with redesigned wings and shorter struts, PZL-3SRengine, first flew on 15 May 1981, produced in 1984–1988
- PZL-106BS
- Prototype with PZL ASz-62IRengine, first flew on 8 March 1982
- PZL-106BT-601 Turbo Kruk
- Production variant with 544 kW (730 hp) Walter M601D-1turboprop engine, first flew on 18 September 1985
- PZL-106BTU-34 Turbo Kruk
- Production variant with 560 kW (750 shp) Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A-34AGturboprop engine, first flew in 1998. Still flying in Argentina
Operators
- Australia With 1 PZL 106BT-601s
- Argentina With 30 PZL 106-BT-601 Turbo Kruks and one PZL 106BT-34
- Brazil With 4 PZL 106BT-601s
- Ecuador With 2 PZL 106BT-601s
- Czechoslovakia
- East Germany received 54 aircraft
- Egypt
- Hungary With 2 PZL 106As, entered service in 1977
- Venezuela One PZL 106 in service with the Venezuelan National Guard.
Specifications (PZL-106BR)
Data from Jane's All The World's Aircraft 1988–89[2]
General characteristics
- Crew: 1, pilot
- Capacity: 1 seat for mechanic (optional) / 1,300 kg (2,900 lb) / 1,400 L (370 US gal; 310 imp gal) hopper for chemicals
- Length: 9.25 m (30 ft 4 in)
- Wingspan: 14.9 m (48 ft 11 in)
- Height: 3.32 m (10 ft 11 in)
- Wing area: 31.69 m2 (341.1 sq ft)
- Airfoil: NACA 2415
- Empty weight: 1,790 kg (3,946 lb)
- Max takeoff weight: 3,000 kg (6,614 lb) and max landing weight
- 3,450 kg (7,610 lb) (restricted category)
- Fuel capacity: 560 L (150 US gal; 120 imp gal) in two integral wing tanks with an optional 390 L (100 US gal; 86 imp gal) auxiliary tank in the hopper compartment
- Powerplant: 1 × PZL-3SR7-cylinder air-cooled geared and supercharged radial piston engine, 450 kW (600 hp)
- Propellers: 4-bladed PZL US-133000 constant-speed propeller
Performance
- Maximum speed: 215 km/h (134 mph, 116 kn) at sea level
- Operating speed: 150–160 km/h (93–99 mph; 81–86 kn) with max chemical load
- Stall speed: 100 km/h (62 mph, 54 kn)
- Never exceed speed: 245 km/h (152 mph, 132 kn)
- Range: 900 km (560 mi, 490 nmi) with max standard fuel
- Rate of climb: 3.8 m/s (750 ft/min)
- Wing loading: 108.86 kg/m2 (22.30 lb/sq ft) (restricted category)
- Power/mass: 0.0777 hp/lb (0.1277 kW/kg) (restricted category)
- Take-off run: 250 m (820 ft) (with agricultural equipment)
- Landing run: 200 m (660 ft) (with agricultural equipment)
See also
Aircraft of comparable role, configuration, and era
- Aero Boero 260AG
- Air Tractor AT-502
- Ayres Thrush
- Cessna 188
- Piper PA-25 Pawnee
- Piper PA-36 Pawnee Brave
- PZL-Mielec M-18 Dromader
- Zlín Z-37 Čmelák/ LET Z-137T Agro Turbo
References
- ^ Polska Technika Lotnicza: Powstanie i rozwj samolotu TS-8 BIES Archived 2011-10-03 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ Taylor 1988, pp. 192–193.
- 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)
- Andrzej Glass, Andrzej Frydrychewicz: Problemy rozwoju samolotu PZL-106 Kruk – Polska Technika Lotnicza – Materiały Historyczne 4/2004 – based on a lecture in Muzeum Techniki, Warsaw (in Polish)
- ISBN 0-7106-0748-2.
- Taylor, John W. R. Jane's All The World's Aircraft 1988–89. Coulsdon, UK:Jane's Defence Data, 1988. ISBN 0-7106-0867-5.