PZL W-3 Sokół
The PZL W-3 Sokół (Polish for "Falcon") is a Polish medium-size, twin-engine, multipurpose helicopter manufactured by PZL-Świdnik (now AgustaWestland Świdnik).
Development
The W-3 Sokół ('Falcon') is the first helicopter to be fully designed and serial-built in Poland.
Work on the project was started at WSK PZL Świdnik in 1973 by the team of Stanisław Kamiński. The Sokół made its first flight on November 16, 1979, and has since been certificated in Poland, Russia, the US and Germany. Design of W-3 was definitely inspired by soviet Mil Mi-2 Hoplite helicopter having a licensed production on the territory of Poland, on PZL facility, since 1962 during all the period when Poland was a participant of Eastern-European Communist block. Following a development program, low rate production of the Sokół commenced during 1985. Certification to US FAR Pt 29 standards was granted in May 1993, while German certification was granted in December of that year.
The Sokół is of conventional design and construction, with two PZL-10W turboshafts, which are based on the PZL-10S - licensed Russian designed TVD-10B turboprops that power the Polish-built An-28. Composites are used in the three-bladed tail and four-bladed main rotors.
The Sokół is offered in a number of variants and is capable of performing a typical range of helicopter missions, including passenger transport, VIP, cargo, EMS, medevac, firefighting and search and rescue.
The 100th Sokół was completed in June 1996.
Operational history
Since 2003, four W-3WA were used by the Independent Air Attack Group (Polish: Samodzielna Grupa Powietrzno-Szturmowa) of the Polish forces in Iraq. One of them (serial number 360902) crashed in an accident near Karbala on 15 December 2004. Three soldiers died, three were wounded.[1]
Variants
Civil Versions
Civil production versions.
- W-3 Sokół
- Basic civil multi-purpose version.
- W-3A Sokół
- Version with certificate FAR-29.
- W-3AS Sokół
- W-3 airframe converted to W-3A standard.
- W-3A2 Sokół
- Version with two-axsis Smith SN 350 autopilot.
- W-3AM Sokół
- Civil version with floats
Military Versions
Military production versions.
- W-3T Sokół
- Basic (unarmed) transport variant used by Polish, Czech and Myanmar Air Force.
- W-3P Sokół
- Military passenger version used by Polish Navy.
- W-3S Sokół
- VIP transport version used by Polish Air Force.
- W-3W / W-3WA Sokół
- Armed version, with twin 23mm GSz-23Ł cannon and four pylons for weapons used by Polish Land Forces. W-3WA is a variant with FAR-29 certificate.
- W-3R Sokół
- Medical evacuation version used by Polish and Czech Air Force.
- W-3RL Sokół
- Land search and rescue version used by Polish Air Force.
- W-3RM / W-3WARM Anakonda
- "Anakonda" (Polish for "Anaconda") Navalized search and rescue version used by Polish Navy. W-3WARM is a variant with FAR-29 certificate.
- W-3PSOT / W-3PPD Gipsówka
- "Gipsówka" (Polish for "Gypsophila") W-3PPD was a flying command centre variant (PPD stands for "Powietrzny Punkt Dowodzenia" - "Airborne Command Post"). In 2006 this variant received new digital battlefield (after modernization helicopter is able to guide artillery equipped with Topaz fire control system) and observation systems and was adopted by Polish Land Forces Aviation under new name W-3PSOT (PSOT stands for "Powietrzne Stanowisko Obserwacji Terenu" - "Airborne Observation Post"). This variant is equipped with pylons for weapons (same like in W-3W) but has no 23mm fixed cannon. Used by Polish Land Forces.
- W-3RR Procjon
- "Procjon" (Polish for "Procyon") is a radioelectronic reconnaissance version (RR stands for "Rozpoznanie Radioelektroniczne" - "Radioelectronic Reconnaissance"). Used by Polish Land Forces.
- W-3PL Głuszec
- "Głuszec" (Polish for "Capercaillie") is a PZL W-3 upgrade program to bring armed variant of Sokół up to 21st century standards by including advanced avionic systems (in Glass cockpit configuration) and other changes like FADEC-equipped engines or FLIR. The first prototype (s/n: 360901) was tested by the Land Forces aviation in 2009. At the beginning of 2010 four helicopters (including prototype) are undergoing testing and evaluation.
Prototypes and proposals
Prototypes and proposals that were not adopted by Armed Forces.
- W-3B Jastrząb
- Proposed armed version with tandem cabine (like AH-1 Cobra) and guided AT rockets.
- W-3K Huzar
- Proposed armed version with guided AT rockets. Modification by Kentron company tested in South Africa in early 1990s. Some elements like hardpoint were used in serial W-3W/W-3WA variant.
- W-3L Sokół Long
- Proposed stretched version seating up to 14 passengers, mockup only.
- W-3MS Sokół
- Proposed gunship version
- W-3U Salamandra
- Armed version, with avionics and armament from Mi-24W. Only one built, later converted into transport variant and sold to Myanmar.
- W-3U-1 Aligator
- Proposed anti-submarine version.
- W-3WB Huzar
- Proposed armed version with guided AT rockets.
- W-3WS Sokół
- Proposed gunship version.
Operators
Military operators
- Czech Republic
- Iraq
- Iraqi Air Force received two W-3A (serialled 370912 and 370914) aircraft in 2006 but contract was rejected and both helicopters were returned to PZL Świdnik.
- Myanmar
- Poland
- Polish Air Force
- 36. Specjalny Pułk Lotnictwa Transportowego
- Polish Land Forces Aviation
- 47. Szkolny Pułk Śmigłowców
- 66. Dywizjon Lotniczy
- 3. Eskadra Lotnictwa Transportowo-Łącznikowego
- Samodzielna Grupa Powietrzno-Szturmowa operating in Iraq.
- GROM special forces operated one W-3SP (serial 390510) aircraft.
- Polish Navy
- 1. Dywizjon Lotnictwa Marynarki Wojennej
- 28. Eskadra Lotnictwa Marynarki Wojennej
- 29. Eskadra Lotnictwa Marynarki Wojennej
- Philippines
- Philippine Air Force ordered 8 W-3A units for its Combat Utility Helicopter (CUH) requirement, 4 units scheduled for delivery 4th quarter of 2011.[2][3][4]
- Vietnam
Law Enforcement operators
- Germany
- Police of Saxony bought two W-3A (serialled 370503 and 370708 and registered respectively D-HSNA and D-HSNB) aircraft.
- Poland
- Ras al-Khaimah
- Ras Al Khaimah Police operated W-3A (serial 370515) aircraft.
- South Korea
- Daegu Fire Department operated W-3A (serial 370802) aircraft.
- Choong Nam Fire Department received W-3AM (serial 370814) aircraft.
- Indonesia
- POLRI Indonesian Police Department.
Civil operators
- Chile
- Italy
- Eliwork bought one W-3AM (serial 370705, I-SOKL)and one W-3AS (serial 310314, I-SOKO) aircraft.
- Nigeria
- Okada Air bought one W-3 (serial 310413) aircraft registered as 5N-UYI.
- Poland
- Heliseco
- Lotnicze Górskie Pogotowie Ratunkowe received W-3RL (serial 370502) aircraft.
- Petrobaltic Gdańsk bought W-3RM (serial 390513) aircraft.
- Polish Civil Defence Aviation
- PZL Świdnik owns several aircraft for test duties.
- Tatrzańskie Ochotnicze Pogotowie Ratunkowe received W-3A (serial 370507) aircraft.
- Portugal
- Helibravo operated one W-3AM aircraft registered as CS-HFA.
- Russia
- PANH Company bought W-3 (serial 310801) aircraft.
- South Africa
- Denel operated one W-3K aircraft registered as ZU-AGU.
- South Korea
- Helikorea bought W-3A (serial 370509) aircraft.
- Citi Air bought W-3AM (serial 370514) aircraft.
- Soviet Union
- Aeroflot operated 20 aircraft, most were transferred to Heliseco company.
- Spain
- Helibravo bought W-3A2 (serial 370508) and W-3AM (370705) aircraft.
- Hispánica de Aviación bought nine aircraft - five W-3AS, three W-3AM and one W-3A.
- Vietnam
Specifications (W-3A)
General characteristics
- Crew: 1 or 2 (pilots or pilot and flight engineer)
- Capacity: 12 passengers
- SAR: three medical attendants and eight rescued survivors
- Air Ambulance: four stretchers and one medical attendant
- EMS: one stretcher and medical attendants
- Executive: five or six passengers
- Length: 14.21 m (46 ft 8 in)
- Rotor diameter: 15.70 m (51 ft 6 in)
- Height: 5.14 m (16 ft 10 in)
- Disc area: 193.6 m² (2,034 ft²)
- Empty weight: 3,850 kg (8,488 lb)
- Useful load: kg (kg)
- Max takeoff weight: 6,400 kg (14,110 lb)
- Powerplant: 2 × WSKPZL Rzeszów PZL-10W turboshaft, 670 kW (900 shp) each
Performance
See also
References
External links
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