Opegieka - Survey P68 SP-GEO visits Britain

In early April 2021 the Polish registered P68 TC Observer SP-GEO arrived in the UK. This aircraft is one of three survey aircraft operated by Opegieka. The company is based at Elbląg but often have an aircraft detached at Warsaw-Bemowo airfield.

SP-GEO was built new in 2011 by Vulcanair in Italy ( the P68 design was originally built by Partenavia ) with serial number 461-13-OTC and was registered in Poland in June 2011. This P68 has a transparent acrylic nose to help the crew see directly ahead during survey flights. 

On Sunday 4th April 2021 SP-GEO flew from Gloucester airport up to Leeds-East ( formerly RAF Church Fenton ) from where it has operated a number of survey flights over northern England. On Tuesday 13th April SP-GEO flew on to Hawarden airfield near Chester. The aircraft has used its registration as its radio callsign. 

Opegieka also operate two other survey aircraft - SP-OPG P68C ( solid nose ) and Beech C90A King Air  SP-ISS.

 

More info on this web link to the Opegieka website

 

 

More Bushcats arrive in Poland

Skysport Poland have recently imported several more examples of the South African built Skyreach Bushcat ultralight aircraft into Poland. 

Aircraft number 254 is shown in the photo below being delivered to a customer in Poland in March 2021. 

The first Bushcat to be registered in Poland was SP-SSKY S/N 180 registered in September 2017 - this example is blue and black and is fitted with nose gear.  Most other Bushcats in Poland are operated as taildraggers including the second example SP-SMOW S/N 208 registered in January 2019. 

 

Other Bushcats in Poland include SP-SMON and SP-SZKY plus more in build. 

 

Photos courtesy Skysport Poland

 

 

A new type of ultralight aircraft in Poland is the ANG-01 Patriot 600RG - this aircraft is built in Ukraine and the first example arrived in Poland in November 2020, seen here with test registration SP-ZAAA

New Pipistrel Virus for Poland

Skydream of Bielsko-Biala have announced the imminent delivery of another brand new Pipistrel Virus SW from the factory in Slovenia - this aircraft will be registered as SP-SAMG - over 40 examples of the Pipistrel Virus ultralight aircraft have been registered in Poland. 

 

Virus SP-SAMG at the factory pre-delivery  - S/N 1045

Update - March 2021 - Another new Pipistrel Virus SW in Poland is SP-SRMC imported via agents Skydream, photo below

Two new Diamond DA-20 aircraft delivered to Deblin

The Lotnicza Akademia Wojskowa ( LAW - military flight academy ) at Deblin airbase took delivery of two further examples of the Diamond DA-20 C1 Eclipse on 27th November 2020 registered as SP-NTB and SP-NTC. The aircraft are fitted with glass cockpits and are used for basic flight training.  The LAW fleet now has ten examples of the Eclipse and also operate other types including the DA-40, the twin engine DA-42 plus Robinson R44 and Guimbal Cabri helicopters.

DA-20 C1 Eclipse SP-NTC on delivery to the Lotnicza Akademia Wojskowa at Deblin 

 

Other examples of the DA-20 C1 Eclipse operated by the Lotnicza Akademia Wojskowa include,

SP-NDA, NDI, NKN, NKT, NLN, NPT, NTA, TEC,  

Photo courtesy Lotnicza Akademia Wojskowa

 

 

 

Ekolot fly new Topaz SW

At the end of October Ekolot test flew their new version of the Topaz, the Topaz SW. This version features a wing span reduced from the previous standard of 10.52m span to 9.52m. The wing fuel tanks have been removed and placed inside the fuselage.

 

 Photo courtesy of Ekolot 

This allows the wings to be disassembled for easier transport inside a trailer or to store the aircraft in a building. The first flight took place at Krosno airfield in late October 2020 with the aircraft wearing the test registration SP-ZARA.

Latest Air Res T-131 Jungmann

Air Res Aviation have released images of their latest new build T-131PA Jungmann - this example is serial number 104 and has been painted in period colours to represent Luftwaffe use by unit Jg 54. The Jungmann is available for sale at their Rzeszow site.  

This new Jungmann is currently advertised for sale on the link below

New Jungmann for sale at PlaneCheck

RWD-8 Replica nears completion

 

A replica RWD-8 basic two seat tandem trainer is nearing completion - the project has been built by Henryk Wicki of TZL Aviation at Swidnik in Poland. The RWD-8 high wing single engine aircraft was used extensively in Poland during the 1930s by both the Polish Air Force and local aeroclubs. Over 500 examples were built although none are known to exist today.

 

 photo courtesy Warsztat Lotniczy TZL

 

The replica is expected to have its first flight in late September 2020 and is registered on the Ultralight register as SP-STZL

 

Cessna 175C Skylark - a rare machine

 A recent visit to Warsaw-Bemowo airfield found Cessna 175C Skylark SP-FYZ - the aircraft looks in excellent condition. This example was built in 1962,  the 175 Skylark was only in production between 1958-1962. 

 

 

SP-FYZ was registered in Poland in July 2001 having been imported from Sweden as SE-CXO. It was initially based at Suwalki. I saw FYZ at Lisie Katy in 2008 and at Bemowo in 2019 and 2020. The Skylark features a geared Continental GO-300C engine. Approx 2,100 Skylarks were built before Cessna ceased production. 

One other Skylark in Poland is SP-KYM a Cessna 175B variant built in 1961. 

 

LINK - More info about the Cessna 175 Skylark here

 

JK-2 Nano - Ultralight gyrocopter

Manufactured by Fusioncopter the JK-2 Nano is a very light weight gyrocopter, designed for the UL 115 Kg class ( MTOW 200 kg ). Aircraft in this category can be flown without a pilots licence. The Nano is powered by a Polini Thor 250DS engine producing 36 HP ( Polini engines are often used on powered paragliders PPG )

The prototype Nano ( SP-NANO ) first flew in September 2019 with early production examples ( SP-ZNAN and SP-ZNAX ) flying by Spring 2020 - the first customer delivery is said to be imminent.

New Aero AT-3 R100 - SP-AVA

June 2020 - The latest AT-3 to be completed at the Aero AT facility at Mielec, Poland is aircraft number 110, now registered as SP-AVA.

This AT-3 R100 has a MTOW of 630kg and is fitted with a Garmin glass cockpit - the aircraft also has additional wing fuel tanks each holding a further 50 litres.

The registration SP-AVA was previously used on a Cirrus SR22 from 2008-2012.   

New SZD 55-1 Neo from Allstar

Glider manufacturer Allstar SZD test flew their new SZD 55-1 Neo in December 2019 - the glider is registered as SP-4076 and is painted white/blue with a sharksmouth too. This is the 12th example of the 55-1 built by Allstar ( with a further 110 production examples built during the 1990s by the original SZD ).

Photo courtesy Allstar SZD


Production continues with at least two further new build examples for completion in 2020.

Air-Res - Jungmann

Air-Res accquired the rights to produce the T-131 Jungmann ( Czech plans for the Bucker Bu-131 Jungmann ) in 2011 from Serwis Samolotow Historycznych ( SSH ). SSH themselves had built approx 30 examples between 1994-2011.

The first Air-Res built example flew in January 2013 with serial number 200. This was exhibited at Aero 2013 and went on to be registered as SP-YFB.  The aircraft features Olympic rings on the engine cowling and was delivered to a customer in Germany during 2015 marked to represent the 1936 era "D-EGSY".

SP-YFB departs to Germany as D-EGSY - photo courtesy Air-Res

A second Jungmann serial number 201 was registered as SP-YPS in 2014, this is also belivered to have been delivered to a German customer.

The third example to be built by Air-Res (serial number 202 ) was exhibited at Aero 2015 in April 2015. This machine first flew in October 2015 registered as SP-YIN.


Steve

G-CGGJ Schweizer 269C-1 - sold to Poland

The latest UK CAA data shows that Schweizer 269C-1 G-CGGJ was cancelled as "transferred to Poland" on 27th November 2015.

This helicopter was built in 2008 and came new to the UK being registered in Sept 2009 as G-CGGJ, operated by Patriot Aviation based at Coventry airport.

In December 2015 this helicopter was registered in Poland as SP-AYA ( Note that SP-AYA was originally a Lockheed 10A Electra back in the 1930s )

Visit to Aviation Artur Trendak - AAT

I recently had the opportunity to visit the Aviation Artur Trendak ( AAT ) factory at Jaktorow-Kolonia which is approx 35 miles SW of Warsaw, Poland.

The factory here has been building gyrocopters since 2007, initially as Celier Aviation building the Xenon. In late 2011 the business partners split leaving Artur Trendak to establish his own company AAT and further develop this gyro as the Zen1 and now as the Tercel. The three seat version is also in production now known as the Taurus. AAT have delivered approximately 60 gyrocopters since 2012.

At the time of my visit several three seat Taurus gyrocopters were being prepared for delivery to China as quick build kits.

 

AAT is also providing some support for the new Fusioncopter FC-4 four seat twinned engined gyrocopter. The first prototype is shown below being prepared for its initial flight.

I'd like to thank Artur Trendak and Michal Trendak for their help with this visit.


Steve

FK Lighplanes FK-51/SW-51 Mustang update

FK Lightplanes have started ground trials with their new Mustang - a joint venture between FK and Scalewings. The photo below shows the first flying prototype outside at the FK facility in Krosno Poland. This is a 70% scale replica of the famous American WW2 P-51 Mustang fighter designed to be capable of aerobatic flights with a maximum load of +8g or -4g.

photo courtesy FK Lightplanes

The aircraft appears to have the German registration D-MSWX underwing. The aircraft will be transported to Germany for flight trials. If all goes well then first flight could be next week. The type was originally marked as the FK-51 Mustang but now appears to known as the SW-51 Mustang.



Steve

G-CIEV Lindstrand balloon sold to Poland

The latest UK CAA register changes show that Lindstrand LBL 77X hot air balloon G-CIEV was cancelled from the UK register on 8th May 2014 as "sold to Poland".

This balloon c/n 1471 is almost new, built in 2014 and first registered in the UK in March 2014.

UPDATE - this balloon was registered as SP-BPV in June 2014.


Steve

W-3A Sokol helicopter for Algerian Air Force

PZL Swidnik continues to build and test flying W-3A Sokol helicopters for the Algerian AF. The most recent example noted in April 2014 wears the Polish registration SP-SIN as well as the Algerian AF serial AT-36. Algeria are thought to have ordered 8 Sokol helicopters.

These helicopters wear a sand and brown camouflage colour scheme which also features several dayglo orange parts. The first example was test flying in early 2013.

The following table shows details of the first seven examples known to date - updates welcomed

AT-12 c/n 371001 - test flown as SP-SWL - delivered 31.4 via Karlsruhe, Germany
AT-14 c/n 371002 - test flown as SP-SIC
AT-18 c/n 371003 - test flown as SP-SIE
AT-22 c/n 371004 - test flown as SP-SIF
AT-28 c/n 371005 - test flown as SP-SII - delivered 3.14 via Lyon, France
AT-32 c/n 371006 - test flown as SP-SIL - delivered 31.4 via Karlsruhe, Germany
AT-36 c/n 371007 - test flown as SP-SIN

Note the non sequential Algerian AF serial numbers.

photo copyright Jacques Lienard - click here to see original

more photos of Algerian AF W-3A Sokols here

Steve

G-CJFK Schleicher ASW 20L glider sold to Poland

On the 5th December 2013 the UK CAA cancelled glider registration G-CJFK as "sold to Poland".

G-CJFK is a Schleicher ASW 20L glider, built in 1979 with construction number 20201 - it originally operated in the UK registered as BGA 4477 and prior to that in Germany as D-5979.  It will now take up a Polish glider registration likely to be in the sequence "SP-38......"

UPDATE - this glider became SP-3880


Photo link to glider ASW 20L G-CJFK

Steve

Zen1 gyrocopter 560kg testing

Earlier in 2013 the EASA increased the maximum take off weight for two seater gyrocopters from 450kg to 560kg.

To meet the new standards Aviation Artur Trendak ( AAT ) have been working with the Czech CAA - back in Feb 2013 Czech engineers visited the AAT factory to perform load and stress tests , see link below


http://www.autogyro.eu/news/proby_obciazeniowe_3

On the 19th June AAT flew a new Zen1 gyro to the Czech Republic for flight testing by the Czech CAA - the revised undercarriage has been tested to 600kg.

Flight trials took place at Milovice, Czech Rep.

More images on the link below


http://www.autogyro.eu/news/milovice_czech_republic_type_certificate




Steve