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SZD-10 Czapla
Role	Glider
National origin	Poland
Manufacturer	PZL Bielsko
Designed by	Roman Zatwarnicki, Irena Kaniewska and Marian Gracz.
First flight	23th November 1953
Number built	157

The SZD-10 Czapla (Heron) (Szybowcowym Zakladzie Doświadczalnym - Glider experimental department) was a two-seat training glider designed and built in Poland from 1952.

[edit] Development

The Czapla was a tandem two-seat training glider, with a strut supported, swept forward, high set wing and a welded steel tube fuselage with fabric covering. Design of the Czapla commenced in 1952 to the order of the Friends of Soldiers League, to enable aeroclubs to train glider pilots with a two seat trainee/instructor system. The 'Czapla was designed to be launched by bugee, winch or aero-tow, and the prototype flew on the 23rd of November 1953, demonstrating the need for several improvements, which were introduced in the second prototype and the, SZD-10 bis Czapla, production model. Production was carried out at ZSLS (ZSLS - sport aviation workshops) Krosno. ZSLS Wroclaw and the Military Repair workshop at Łódź, with Czapla being used for everyday club flying up to the 1980's, and exported to Finland and Turkey.

[edit] Variants

SZD-10-2 Czapla – two prototypes.
SZD-10bis Czapla – 19 production aircraft
SZD-10bisA Czapla – 136 production aircraft

[edit] Specifications (SZD-10bis Czapla)

Data from http://muzeumlotnictwa.pl/zbiory_sz.php?ido=90&w=a

General characteristics

Crew: 2
Length: 8.7 m (28 ft 6 in)
Wingspan: 16 m (52 ft 6 in)
Wing area: 24 m² (258.3 ft²)
Wing profile: Göttingen 549
Empty weight: 280 kg (617.3 lb)
Gross weight: 435 kg (959 lb)

Performance

Maximum speed: 160 km/h (100 mph)
Stall speed: 48 km/h (29.8 mph)
Maximum glide ratio: 17:1 @ 64 km/h (39.8 mph)
Rate of sink: 0.96 m/s (189 ft/min)

[edit] See also

Comparable aircraft

Schleicher Ka-4 Rhönlerche

Related lists

[edit] References

Taylor, J. H. (ed) (1989) Jane's Encyclopedia of Aviation. Studio Editions: London. p. 29

[edit] External links