PZL-Świdnik
 | |
| Formerly |
|
|---|---|
| Industry | Aerospace |
| Founded | 1951 |
| Headquarters | , |
Key people | Jacek Libucha (Chairman) |
| Parent |
|
| Website | pzl |
PZL-Świdnik S.A. (Wytwórnia Sprzętu Komunikacyjnego PZL-Świdnik S.A.) is the biggest helicopter manufacturer in Poland. Its main products are PZL W-3 Sokół and PZL SW-4 Puszczyk helicopters. In early 2010 the factory was acquired by AgustaWestland,[1] today Leonardo.
History
[edit]History of plant establishment dating back to 1920, when in Lublin opened the first aircraft factory "Plage i Laśkiewicz". After World War II, part of the senior instructors staff incorporated into the newly formed "Wytwórnia Sprzętu Komunikacyjnego".[2] In 1951 a third national aerospace factory, WSK-Świdnik, was built in Świdnik, and in 1957 it was renamed to WSK PZL-Świdnik. Since 1956 it has become one of the world's major helicopter manufacturers, producing helicopters under the Soviet licence, starting with the SM-1 (Mil Mi-1). Świdnik was the main producer of the Mi-1 and exclusive producer of the widely used in the world Mil Mi-2. Since the late 1980s, Świdnik has been producing a Polish-designed medium helicopter PZL W-3 Sokół. It also produces a light helicopter, the PZL SW-4 Puszczyk. After 1991 the state factory became a state-owned corporation (WSK "PZL-Świdnik" SA). It also produced the Pirat, PW-5 and PW-6 gliders and cooperates widely with other nations' manufacturers, e.g., in the manufacture of Agusta A109 fuselages.
In early 2010 the factory was acquired by AgustaWestland, today Leonardo.
Motorcycles
[edit]From 1954 until 1980 the WSK PZL-Świdnik was also a manufacturer of motorcycles, branded as the WSK. Some 2,000,000 motorcycles of the WSK M06 125 cc and WSK M21 175 cc families were made in that period.[3]
Aircraft
[edit]| Model name | First flight | Number built | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| PZL SM-1 | 1956 | 1,594 | License built single piston engine utility helicopter |
| PZL SM-2 | 1959 | 89 | Single piston engine utility helicopter |
| PZL Mi-2 | 1965[4] | 5,400+ | License built two turboshaft engine utility helicopter |
| PZL SM-4 Łątka | N/A | 1 | Single piston engine utility helicopter |
| PZL Kania | 1979 | 19 | Two turboshaft engine utility helicopter |
| PZL W-3 Sokół | 1979 | 149 | Two turboshaft engine utility helicopter |
| PZL SW-4 Puszczyk | 1996 | 40 | Single turboshaft engine utility helicopter |
| PZL PW-5 | 1993 | Glider | |
| PZL PW-6 | 1998 | ~26 | Glider |
| PZL I-23 Manager | 1999 | 2 | Single piston engine monoplane sport airplane |
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ Gazeta Wyborcza article from Feb. 2, 2010 [1] Archived 2014-03-12 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ "Zakłady Mechaniczne E. Plage i T. Laśkiewicz w Lublinie". OldTimery.com (in Polish). Archived from the original on 16 November 2013. Retrieved 22 March 2021.
- ^ (in Polish) Adam Zakrzewski, Auto-moto PRL: władcy dróg i poboczy, Demart, Warsaw 2010, ISBN 978-83-7427-484-5, p.158
- ^ Luto, Krzysztof. "PZL Mi-2, 1965 (SM-3)". SamolotyPolskie.pl (in Polish). Retrieved 14 March 2021.
External links
[edit]
- PZL-Świdnik official webpage (in English)
