PZL-101 Gawron
| PZL-101 Gawron | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| PZL-101A utility variant in a typical livery | |
| Role | Agricultural and utility aircraft |
| Manufacturer | WSK-Okęcie |
| First flight | 14 April 1958 |
| Primary users |
Poland Bulgaria Hungary Austria |
| Produced | 1960-1968 |
| Number built | 325 |
| Developed from | Yakovlev Yak-12 |
The PZL-101 Gawron (rook) is a Polish agricultural and utility aircraft designed and built by WSK-Okęcie (later PZL "Warszawa-Okęcie").
The PZL-101 was a development of the Yakovlev Yak-12M, manufactured in Poland under licence from 1956. The main goal was to create an agricultural aircraft with increased useful load. Works were carried out by a team led by Stanisław Lassota. Behind two crew seats there was installed a container for 500 kg of chemicals, with a "hump" above a fuselage. Because a center of gravity moved rearwards, the plane was fitted with new, swept wings, with significant vertical end plates to improve air flow. Later, in most of the aircraft they were removed, because they increased side surface, making landing very tricky in crosswind. Main landing gear was also shifted rearwards, comparing with Yak-12. An equipment was simplified and lightened to increase useful load more, e.g. a right door was removed.
The first prototype flew on April 14, 1958, and the production of the PZL-101 started in 1960. From 1962 the PZL-101A variant was produced, with improved equipment, pilot's seat raised and a right-side door added. From 1965 a further improved PZL-101B was produced. Visible changes were: lack of "hump" above the fuselage and a bigger air intake below engine. Apart from agricultural planes, there were made four-seater utility planes and air ambulances. Until production end in 1968, 325 planes were manufactured, including 215 agricultural ones, 78 utility ones and 32 air ambulances.
The main user of the PZL-101 was the Polish civilian aviation. Polish agricultural planes were used in Poland and in services abroad (Austria, Libya, Egypt). They were mostly replaced in this role in the late 1970s by the PZL-106 Kruk and PZL-Mielec M-18 Dromader. Air ambulances were used in the Polish civilian aviation. Utility Gawrons were used in aero clubs in the country, also for glider towing and parachute training (with removed right doors). In 2006 there remained 40 Gawrons in the Polish registry, including 4 private owned.
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Wikipedia