PZL M-20 Mewa
| M-20 Mewa | |
|---|---|
| 300px | |
| PZL M 20 Mewa -licence version of Piper PA-34 Seneca | |
| Role | Utility aircraft |
| Manufacturer | PZL-Mielec |
| Designer | WSK PZL Mielec |
| First flight | 25 July 1979 |
| Primary user | Polish Air Ambulance Service |
| Number built | 20 |
| Developed from | Piper PA-34 Seneca |
The PZL-Mielec M-20 Mewa (Polish: Gull) is a licence-built version of the Piper PA-34 Seneca II manufactured in Poland by WSK PZL Mielec in a limited series from the 1980s.
Contents
Development
A licence to build the PA-34-200T was purchased in 1978, when WSK-Mielec started to co-operate with Western manufacturers. The Polish aircraft were to be fitted with PZL-Franklin F6A-350 220 hp (164 kW) engines. The first Mewa, assembled partly from US-delivered parts, flew on July 25, 1979. However, the Polish communist authorities were reluctant to produce civil aircraft of this class as there was no civil aircraft free market in Poland at that time. As a result, the second prototype, built in Poland, was not flown until 1982 and the third M-20 02, being the basis for serial production, on October 10, 1985. In 1988, an air ambulance version M-20 03 was developed, with Teledyne Continental TSIO/LTSIO-360-KB engines.
After 1990 production of the Mewa commenced for the civilian market. Despite the fact that it won the Teraz Polska award in 1993, interest was very limited and only 33 had been built by the end of 1998.[1]
Operational history
Four M-20s were used by the Polish Air Ambulance Service. As of 2006, there were still 14 M-20s on the Polish civilian registry. One is used by the Polish Border Guard.
Operators
- Lotnicze Pogotowie Ratunkowe (Polish: Air Ambulance Service) operates 4 aircraft.
- Polish Border Guard received 1 aircraft.
- Polish Civil Defence Aviation received 2 aircraft, in service from 1995 to 2000.
Specifications (PZL M-20 Mewa)
Data from Brassey's World Aircraft & Systems Directory 1999/2000[1]
General characteristics
- Crew: One, pilot
- Capacity: 5 passengers
- Length: 8.72 m (28 ft 7 in)
- Wingspan: 11.86 m (38 ft 11 in)
- Height: 3.02 m (9 ft 11 in)
- Wing area: 19.18 m² (206.4 ft²)
- Empty weight: 1,320 kg (2,910 lb)
- Max. takeoff weight: 2,070 kg (4,554 lb)
- Powerplant: 2 × Teledyne Continental TSIO-360-KB/LTSIO-360-KB air-cooled flat-six piston engines, 220 hp (164 kW) each
Performance
- Maximum speed: 360 km/h (194 knots, 224 mph)
- Cruise speed: 311 km/h (168 knots, 193 mph)
- Stall speed: 112 km/h (61 knots, 70 mph) (flaps down)
- Range: 1,240 km (669 nmi, 770 mi)
- Service ceiling: 7,620 m (25,000 ft)
- Rate of climb: 7.6 m/s (1,500 ft/min)
See also
- Related development
References
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- Poser page (Polish)
External links
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