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PZL-106 Kruk

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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]

ThePZL-106 Kruk(English:Raven) is a Polishagricultural aircraftdesigned and built byWSK PZL Warszawa-Okęcie(later PZL "Warszawa-Okęcie" and now EADS-PZL).

PZL-106A at the oldtimer aircraft meeting, 2013, airfield Hahnweide, Germany, at a spray flight.

Design and development

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The PZL-106 was developed as a modern agricultural aircraft for Poland andComeconcountries to replace the less-capablePZL-101 Gawronand aging PZLAntonov An-2.(According to Comecon decisions, Polish industry was responsible for developing agricultural aircraft). There were several agricultural plane designs proposed in the early 1960s by a group of young designers from WSK PZL Warszawa-Okęcie, led by Andrzej Frydrychewicz. These proposals were made on their own initiative, but they were never realized because the USSR was content with the An-2 and was planning to replace it with a jet aircraft (laterPZL M-15 Belphegor). The first was the PZL-101M Kruk 63 of 1963. That remained a paper airplane, but it did give its name to later designs. Next were the PZL-106 Kruk 65 (1965), PZL-110 Kruk-2T (1969), and PZL M-14 Kruk (1970, which was planned to produce this variant inPZL-Mielec). Only in 1971 did the authorities decide to start development of new agricultural design such as the PZL-106 Kruk 71. Despite this decision, its development was quite protracted due to economic and political factors. The work, led by Andrzej Frydrychewicz, started in1972and was based on earlier designs. The first prototype was flown on April 17,1973.The designers chose a safe layout of a braced low-wingmonoplanewith a container for chemicals in front of the pilot, a design inspired by planes likePiper PA-25 Pawnee(in case of an emergency landing, the container would not crush the higher-sitting pilot).

PZL-106A in flight

The first prototype was powered by an imported 298 kW (400 hp)Lycoming IO-720flat-eight-cylinder engine and had aT-tailwith wings of wooden construction. There were several prototypes built, and the plane was finally fitted with a 441 kW (600 hp)PZL-3S radial engine, a conventional tail and metal wings. The prototype with the final engine first flew on 25 October,1974.

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 kWASz-62IRradial engine. By 1982, 144 PZL-106As had been built. Several aircraft were modified in Africa to PZL-106AS standards.

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 from1984.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 aturbopropengine. The first was the PZL-106AT Turbo Kruk prototype, with a 566 kW (770 hp)Pratt & Whitney PT6A-34AGengine, in1981.The next version, based upon the PZL-106B, was the PZL-106BT Turbo Kruk with a 544 kWWalter M601D-1engine. 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 in1995,and, as of2007,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

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The PZL-106 is a metal construction braced low-wingmonoplanethat is conventional in layout. The fuselage is a steel frame covered withduraluminfront and canvas tail. Wings are duralumin and canvas covered, fitted withflapsandslats.It has a single-seat cabin, placed high, with an emergency seat for a mechanic behind the pilot. Behind the engine is a 1300-litre container for 1050 kg of chemicals, with interchangeable equipment sets for spraying, cropdusting or fire-fighting. The container might be replaced with an additional cab for an instructor for pilot training. It has conventional fixedlanding gearwith a tail wheel.

The PZL-106 has a singleradial enginePZL-3Sor SR (600 hp / 441 kW), four-blade propeller orturbopropengine with three-blade propeller (554 kW Walter M601D-1 or PT6A-34AG). Fuel tanks for 540 L, or from serial number 260 onwards, 760 L.

Operational history

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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 thePZL-Mielec M-18 Dromader. PZL-106As and Bs were exported toEast Germany(major non-Polish user – 54),Czechoslovakia,Egypt,Hungary,Argentina,Brazil,andEcuador.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

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PZL-106A with an additional cab in front
PZL-106BT Turbo Kruk
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 withPZL-3SRengine with a reduction gear, first flew on 15 November 1978
PZL-106AT Turbo Kruk
Prototype withPratt & 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 withPZL 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

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Specifications (PZL-106BR)

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Data fromJane'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

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Aircraft of comparable role, configuration, and era

References

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  1. ^Polska Technika Lotnicza: Powstanie i rozwj samolotu TS-8 BIESArchived2011-10-03 at theWayback Machine
  2. ^Taylor 1988, pp. 192–193.
  • Andrzej Glass:Samoloty'85,NOT-SIGMA, Warsaw 1986 (ISBN83-85001-06-9)
  • Andrzej Glass:Samoloty'90,NOT-SIGMA, Warsaw 1990 (ISBN83-85001-54-9)
  • 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)
  • Taylor, John W. R.Jane's All The World's Aircraft 1982–83.London:Jane's Yearbooks, 1982.ISBN0-7106-0748-2.
  • Taylor, John W. R.Jane's All The World's Aircraft 1988–89.Coulsdon, UK:Jane's Defence Data, 1988.ISBN0-7106-0867-5.
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