PZL W-3 Sokół
| PZL W-3A | |
|---|---|
|
|
| Type: | Medium-weight multipurpose helicopter |
| Design country: | |
| Manufacturer: | |
| First flight: |
November 16, 1979 |
| Number of pieces: |
> 150 |
The PZL W-3 Sokół (German: Falcon ) is a Polish multi-purpose helicopter manufactured by PZL Świdnik . The PZL-3 is the first helicopter to be completely developed and manufactured in Poland. Except for the main and tail rotor blades, the machine is conventionally made of metal. The landing gear is not retractable. The machine has two gas turbines as drive of the vierblätterigen from glass fiber - composite material manufactured rotor . The rotor has a de-icing system. The permissible temperature range for the PZL W-3 is between −40 and +43 ° C. The current version is W-3A.
The passenger cabin for twelve people can be entered from both sides via two sliding doors. The luggage compartment is located behind the cabin and is accessible during the flight.
With an additional lower fuselage tank, the W-3 can also be used as a fire fighting aircraft.
development
In 1970 the cooperation agreement for the construction and development of a multipurpose helicopter between Poland and the USSR was signed. Development work began in 1973 under the direction of Stanisław Kamiński and continued into the 1970s. In 1976 a mock-up was ready. The first flight of the prototype took place on November 16, 1979, a total of six prototypes were produced. Production initially ran in small numbers until 1985.
commitment
With the dissolution of the Warsaw Pact , PZL opened up to the West and in 1989 construction work began for a new variant. This PZL W-3A, also approved by the FAA (US FAR Pt 29, May 1993), which took off on its maiden flight on July 30, 1992, is the civilian version currently in production. The military variant is also exported.
The current version W-3A2, which received the Polish approval on March 7, 2003, has an EFIS , a 4-axis autopilot which , together with the GPS , is able to independently fly a planned route. Automatic flying on the spot is also possible for rescue and transport tasks.
By September 13, 2005, a total of 146 machines and five cabs of the W-3 had been built in eight series.
The machine is used both civilly and militarily in the Czech Republic , Spain , Myanmar , Poland ( Siły Powietrzne Rzeczypospolitej Polskiej ), Portugal , South Korea , Russia , the United Arab Emirates and formerly in Germany (two helicopters with the registration D-HSNA and D -HSNB used by the Saxony police ). D-HSNB was lost in an accident on January 17, 2005, D-HSNA was replaced by a Eurocopter EC135 in 2012 .
On February 11, 2011, the Polish Army received four modernized helicopters of the W-3PL version, which were equipped with new avionics and deployment systems, including a FADEC for the engine and a cockpit suitable for night vision devices. The armament includes a 12.7 mm machine gun in the bow and unguided rockets or 23 mm cannon containers at external load stations .
Military users
-
Iraq
- Iraqi Air Force - Two W-3A's (370912 and 370914) were delivered for evaluation in 2006. However, the contract did not materialize, so the two helicopters were returned to PZL
-
Myanmar
- twelve W-3s and one W-3UT.
-
Philippines
- Philippine Air Force - eight machines
-
Poland
- Polish Air Force
- Polish army
- Polish Navy
-
Czech Republic
- Czech Air Force - in exchange for ten MiG-29s , Poland received eleven W-3As from Poland
-
Vietnam
- Vietnamese Air Force - four W-3S and four W-3RM
-
People's Republic of China
- China wants to purchase 150 helicopters from Poland by 2018, including W-3 Sokół
Technical specifications
| Parameter | Data |
|---|---|
| crew | 2 |
| Passengers | 12 |
| length | 18.985 m |
| Hull length | 15.03 m |
| Main rotor diameter | 15.07 m |
| Tail rotor diameter | 3.30 m |
| height | 4.2 m |
| Empty mass | 3300 kg |
| Max. Takeoff mass | 6400 kg |
| Top speed | 260 km / h |
| Cruising speed | 235 km / h |
| Service ceiling | 4520 m |
| Normal range | 734 km |
| Maximum range | 1244 km |
| Initial rate of climb | 8.5 m / s |
| Engines | 2 PZL-10W gas turbines each with 662 kW (900 PS) |
Armament
Armament can be adapted for the light attack helicopters W-3W and W-3PL.
movably installed armament in chin mount (only W-3PL)
- 1 × 12.7 mm ZMT Tarnow WKM-Bz machine gun with 350 rounds of ammunition in a drum magazine
Fixed armament on starboard side (only W-3WA)
- 1 × double-23 mm automatic cannon Grjasew-Schipunow GSh-23L with 250 rounds of ammunition
- Armament in door, window and gates
- 6 × 7.62 mm machine gun Kalashnikov PKB mounted on ball bearing mounts in the windows
- Armament up to 2,000 kg at four external load stations on one frame
- Air-to-air guided missile
- 2 × GAD double starters each with 2 × 9K32 Strela-2 M - infrared-guided for short distances
- Unguided air-to-surface missiles
- 4 × MARS-2M rocket tube launch container with 16 unguided air-to-ground missiles S-5 each ; Caliber 57 mm
- 4 × W8-10 rocket tube launch containers for 10 unguided air-to-ground missiles S-8 in caliber 80 mm
- External container
- 2 × UPK-23-250 automatic cannon container (double-barreled 23 mm automatic cannon GSch-23 with 250 rounds of ammunition)
- 2 × Platan air mine dispenser for 36 bomblets
- 2 × ZR-8 submunition containers for 120 (8 × 15) bomblets
Self-defense systems
- Active measures
- 1 × Artem ASO-2W decoys launcher with 32 × 26 mm decoys
- 1 × Adros KT-01 infrared interference emitter (IRCM)
- Passive action
Web links
Individual evidence
- ↑ Police Saxony: Technical equipment of the Sokol W-3A
- ↑ Fliegerrevue: Poland receives four W-3PL , April 2011, p. 8
- ^ Department of Defense of the Republic of the Philippine Notice of Award to PZL Swidnik ( Memento of December 29, 2009 in the Internet Archive )
- ↑ Air Forces Monthly April 2010 Issue, Philippines to buy 8 W-3A Sokols , p. 27.
- ↑ Flugzeugforum.de - China receives 150 helicopters from Poland
- ↑ Flugzeuginfo.net | [1]
- ↑ http://www.kamov.net/aviation/w-3-sokol-medium-helicopters/