Koliber G-BVAI returns to Poland

PZL 110 Koliber 150 registration G-BVAI has just returned to Poland after a ferry flight by Plane4You from its home base in Ireland. 

This Koliber is S/N 03900040 ( ie Koliber #40 ) and was built at the PZL factory at Okecie in Warsaw and had its first flight on 29th June 1990. The aircraft was delivered new to a customer in Denmark as OY-CYJ in August 1990. In July 1993 this Koliber was imported into the UK taking up the registration G-BVAI and since then has had ten registered owners in the UK. By August 2018 it had flown 1,004 flight hours.

The aircraft is now with the Aeroklub at Swidnik having departed its home base of Birr, Ireland and routing via Waterford Ireland, Bristol UK, Biggin Hill UK, Antwerp Belgium, Kassel Germany, Berlin Schönhagen, Leszno Poland, Warsaw-Bemowo Poland and finally to Swidnik. G-BVAI was cancelled by the UK CAA on 20th October 2021.

The aircraft was registered in Poland on 30th May 2022 as SP-ASW(3).

Note that SP-ASW(1) was a CSS-13 biplane from 1954 to 1965 - SP-ASW(2) was a Mil Mi-2 from 1998 to 2011. 

 

30 Years ago - PZL Swidnik at Paris Air Show 1991

Thirty years ago back in summer 1991 PZL Swidnik exhibited W-3 Sokol SP-SUD at the Paris Air Show. The helicopter was painted white and red and carried the Show Code H340. This Sokol was registered with the GILC ( ULC ) on 29th May 1991 with c/n 310413. 

The photo below is sourced from the Polish National Photo Archive ( NAC ) and shows SP-SUD at Le Bourget airport in June 1991 during the Paris Air Show.

 

After the show SP-SUD returned to PZL Swidnik in Poland and was re-painted in a white and blue colour scheme ( same pattern as above ) with Okada titles. It passed through Stuttgart, Germany on delivery in October 1991.

This Sokol was delivered to Nigeria in late 1991 and was registered on 3rd December 1991 as 5N-UYI with local operator Okada. Okada Air ceased operations in 1997. By 2008 Sokol 5N-UYI was parked withdrawn from use in the long grass at Benin City airport, Nigeria. 

Link to photo of W-3 Sokol 5N-UYI at Benin City, Nigeria 

 

 

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

Philippine Air Force - W-3 Sokol test flying

PZL Swidnik are currently test flying W-3 Sokol helicopters getting ready for delivery to the Philippine Air Force.

At least four examples are currently at Rzeszow airport in the south of Poland - they are painted overall olive drab with full Philippine Air Force titles and markings.

Seen flying this week at Rzeszow was W-3 Sokol serial 310921 also wearing the Polish test registration SP-SWP.

Three more examples are hangared and appear ready to delivery, serials 310919, 310920 and 310922.

The Philippine Air Force ordered eight examples of the W-3 Sokol for a utility helicopter role. The remaining four Sokols will be delivered in late 2012 ( maybe November ).


LINK to  more great photos by Maciej Goclon of Philippine AF W-3 Sokol helicopters


UPDATE 14.2.12 - These four Philippine Air Force W-3 Sokol helicopters were airfreighted out of Rzeszow inside Volga Dnepr An-124-100 RA-82044 on 13.2.12 - it is believed that they will be based at Clark Air Force Base. 



Steve

PZL Swidnik announces new W-3A Sokol order

January 2012 - PZL Swidnik ( part of the AgustaWestland group ) have announced that five new build W-3A Sokol helicopters have been ordered by the Polish Air Force for VIP use. The new helicopters will be delivered by the end of 2013 and will replace the remaining Mil Mi-8 currently used in the VIP role.

The Polish Air Force already operate two W-3A Sokols in the VIP role, serials 0915 and 0916 - these two are painted in a VIP white/red colour scheme and were delivered in 2008/2009.

More details on the PZL Swidnik press release on the link below,

PZL Swidnik Press Release January 2012


Steve