Romania SMURD receives first PZL Mielec S-70M Black Hawks

On the 11th November 2023 PZL Mielec delivered the first example of a S-70M Black Hawk helicopter to SMURD in Romania. SMURD (Serviciul Mobil de Urgență, Reanimare și Descarcerare) provide an emergency medical service across the country and already operates a mixed fleet of air ambulance helicopters ( EC135 ) and aircraft ( eg Piper Pa-42 Cheyenne, Cessna 560 Citation, Learjet 75 ).

The first S-70 was delivered with its Polish test registration SP-YVW ( S/N 705344 registered on 1st September 2023 ) in an attractive red and yellow colour scheme and features a nose weather radar and a nose mounted searchlight. This S-70M was also wearing its new SMURD serial "276".

A second S-70M was delivered on 14.11.23 - this was SP-YVP ( S/N 705339 registered on 29th May 2023 ) with SMURD serial "271"

On the 19.11.23 S-70M SP-YVO was delivered to SMURD with local serial 270, see photo below.

Photo via PZL Mielec

Seven S-70M will be delivered by the end of 2023. 

A local news report with photos can be found on this link

 

  

New M28 Skytruck on delivery to USA 1.4.11 - SP-DGW to be N324HA

The latest PZL Mielec M28 Skytruck registered SP-DGW departed from Mielec on delivery to the USAF AFSOC on 1st April 2011 - this aircraft is c/n AJE003-24. The aircraft is painted white and blue.

For more photos by Andrzej Rak and Marcin Kołacz follow the link below

http://epmlspotters.pl/1/3/2229/



The aircraft routed to Luxembourg for an overnight stay before departing on 2nd April 2011 to Wick, Scotland before heading across the Atlantic.

The aircraft will be re-registered as N324HA once it arrives with the Sierra Nevada Corp in the USA for final mission fitting.


Steve

S-70i Black Hawk - first flight in Poland

On 15th November 2010 the first flight of the second Polish built S-70i Black Hawk took place at Mielec in Poland. This helicopter is registered as SP-YVA and is the second example built at Mielec but the first to fly in Poland.

Photo courtesy of Sikorsky UTC

The first prototype was rolled out at Mielec in March 2010 before being shipped to the USA, where it first flew as N4905N in July 2010.

Photo link to S-70i N4905N, built at Mielec but now test fling in the USA

http://www.flickr.com/photos/24526864@N03/5191864581/in/photostream/




Saudi Arabia are the launch customer with three S-70i Black Hawks on order for the Ministry of Interior  ( MOI ) and due for delivery during 2011.

More info on the Sikorsky press release via the link below


Sikorsky Press Release


Steve in UK

New M-28 Skytruck on delivery to the USA

The latest M-28 Skytruck ( Alfa ) for the US AFSOC departed the PZL Mielec factory in Poland on Saturday 25th September 2010.

The aircraft was marked as N322PW - all previous AFSOC M-28 deliveries to the USA have used Polish "SP-D....." aircraft registrations for their delivery flight. 

This latest aircraft is c/n AJE003-22 - it first flew on 14th September 2010 marked as SP-DGT. The American registration N322PW was registered on 23rd September 2010 - the aircraft is painted white/blue.

After departing Mielec the aircraft landed at Copenhagen, Denmark en route to the USA - after this it flew via Keflavik Iceland, Narsarsuaq, Greenland and onto Goose Bay in Canada. On the 28th September 2010 it continued to Sept airport in Quebec, Canada and then onto Bangor, ME, USA - then onto Elmira - Corning airport NY, USA, then Willard, Champaign, IL and then Centennial, Denver, CO.


The link below shows the aircraft at Copenhagen on 25.9.10


http://forum.scramble.nl/viewtopic.php?p=442449


Steve

First flight of S-70i Black Hawk built PZL Mielec

Sikorsky have announced the first test flight of the S-70i Black Hawk helicopter on 1st July 2010.  This helicopter was built at PZL Mielec in Poland and rolled out to the press on 15th March 2010. The helicopter was then shipped to the Sikorsky facility at   in Florida, USA.


More details via the official Sikorsky press release below



http://www.sikorsky.com/About+Sikorsky/News/Press+Details?pressvcmid=71ffc46734e89210VgnVCM1000004f62529fRCRD

SP-DGS - M28 Skytruck on delivery to USA via Prestwick

On Saturday 3rd April 2010 M28 Skytruck SP-DGS passed through Prestwick airport on the west coast of Scotland on delivery to the USA. The aircraft was built at PZL Mielec and is painted white and blue with the under fuselage luggage carrier.


See photo link below for images of this aircraft at Prestwick


http://forums.airshows.co.uk/viewtopic.php?f=11&t=21420



This Skytruck will eventually join the USAF AFSOC - Air Force Special Operations Command.

Update - SP-DGS c/n AJE003-21 was re-registered as N279DH on 28th April 2010 registered to Sierra Nevada Corporation of Sparks, Nevada, USA.

Others delivered to the USA in 2008 / 2009 have been

SP-DGN c/n AJE 003-10 became N310MV

SP-DGO c/n AJE 003-19 became N319TW

SP-DGP c/n AJE 003-17 became N317JG

SP-DGR c/n AJE 003-20 became N824KD


All were initially registered to Sierra Nevada Corporation of Sparks, Nevada, USA.

Note that N310MV is now shown as owned by

AIR FORCE SPECIAL OPERATIONS COMMAND HQ at Hurlburt Field, Florida.


The M28 Skytruck will operate with the 27 SOW based at Cannon AFB New Mexico - their website shown below suggests they will operate with the 318 SOS alongside their PC-12 aircraft

""The 318th SOS, located at Cannon AFB, N.M., is one of three flying squadrons within the 27th Special Operations Group. The squadron flies the Pilatus PC-12, and will soon acquire light and medium twin engine aircraft variants. The unit utilizes these aircraft to accomplish global special operations taskings as an Air Force component member of United States Special Operations Command""


Link to Cannon AFB website below

http://www.cannon.af.mil/units/index.asp



Good photo of AFSOC Skytruck N310MV on Flickr - see link below

http://www.flickr.com/photos/7903090@N06/4151865356/



External Link to Sierra Nevada Corporation of Sparks, Nevada, USA

http://www.sncorp.com/index.shtml




Steve

First S-70i Black Hawk shown at PZL Mielec

The PZL Mielec factory unveiled the first S-70i Black Hawk to be built in Poland on March 15th - Sikorsky bought the PZL mielec factory back in 2007.

The S-70i is an "International" version of the well known Black Hawk helicopter and Sikorsky plan to build 20 airframes per year from 2012.

This first example will be taken to the USA to undergo flight tests at a Sikorsky facility in Florida soon.


More details via the official Sikorsky press release

http://www.sikorsky.com/vgn-ext-templating-SIK/v/index.jsp?vgnextoid=00de6eb78fa78110VgnVCM1000001382000aRCRD&vgnextchannel=162f45d57ef68110VgnVCM1000001382000aRCRD&vgnextfmt=default&pressvcmid=ec821075c9257210VgnVCM1000004f62529fRCRD



See link below for rollout ceremony photos


http://www.skrzydla.org/showphoto.php?photo_id=21840


Steve