PZL M26 Iskierka

M26 Iskierka
Role Trainer aircraft
Manufacturer PZL Mielec
First flight July 15, 1986
Status in production
Primary users US civilian aviation
Poland
Venezuela
Number built 14


PZL M26 Iskierka (English: Little Spark) or M26 Airwolf is a Polish trainer and aerobatic aircraft, designed at WSK PZL-Mielec (later PZL Mielec).

Design and development

The M26 Iskierka was conceived as an economical plane for civilian pilot training and primary selection of military pilots. It offers training in both VFR and IFR flying and aerobatics. Its construction is partly based upon the twin-engine PZL M-20 Mewa utility plane (Piper Seneca II, built under licence in WSK-Mielec). It shares the vertical stabilizer, rudder and main landing gear with the Mewa, while the wings and tail part of fuselage are unified to some degree. The plane is constructed according to FAR-23 rules. The main designer was Krzysztof Piwek.

The first prototype M26-00, powered by a PZL-Franklin 6A-350C1 air-cooled flat-six engine rated at 153 kilowatts (205 hp), flew first on July 15, 1986.[1] The second prototype was the more powerful M26-01 variant, powered by a 220 kilowatts (300 hp) Lycoming AEIO-540-L1B5D engine, and first flew on June 24, 1987.[2] It was tested in a military aviation school in Dęblin in 1992.

Only a short series of 14 aircraft have been manufactured, of which four remain in Poland. The plane is still offered by the PZL Mielec and is certified in the USA, Australia and Europe (EASA). In the USA it is offered under the name Airwolf or Air Wolf, and 8 were exported there, starting from 1996. In 1998 two were delivered to the Venezuelan National Guard. There are plans to fit a Walter M601 turboprop engine, for eventual customers' demand.

Description

Metal construction low-wing monoplane, conventional in layout, metal covered. Semi-monocoque fuselage. Rectangular single-spar wings. Crew of two, sitting in tandem, under a common canopy, with double controls (student in front, instructor in rear). The rear seat is raised. The canopy is dropped in emergency. Retractable tricycle landing gear. Three-blade propeller (1.9 m diameter). Fuel tanks in wings (377 l). The plane may be fitted with a camera gun and racks for two small bombs.

Operators

Specifications (M26)

Data from Jane's All The World's Aircraft 1993-94[3]

General characteristics

Performance

See also

Related development
Aircraft of comparable role, configuration and era

References

  1. Air International May 1987, p. 229.
  2. Lambert 1992, p. 180.
  3. Lambert 1993, pp. 235–236.

External links

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