PZL M26 Iskierka Information & PZL M26 Iskierka Links at HealthHaven.com

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 (sparklet) or M26 Airwolf is a Polish trainer and aerobatics aircraft, designed in WSK "PZL-Mielec" (later PZL Mielec).

[edit] 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 (150 kW) engine flew first on July 15, 1986 (registraion SP-PIA). The second prototype M26-01 variant, powered by a Lycoming AEIO-540-L1B5D (220 kW) engine flew on June 24, 1987 (registration SP-DIB, earlier SP-PIB). The plane 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.

[edit] 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.

[edit] Operators

[edit] Specifications (M26)

Data from old PZl-Mielec page

General characteristics

Crew: two pilots (instructor, student)
Length: 8.3 m (27 ft 2¾ in)
Wingspan: 8.6 m (28 ft 2⅔ in)
Height: 2.96 m (9 ft ¾ in)
Wing area: 14 m² (151 ft²)
Empty weight: 1,040 kg (2,290 lb)
Useful load: 360 kg (794 lb)
Max takeoff weight: 1,400 kg (3,090 lb)
Powerplant: 1× Lycoming AEIO-540-L1B5D air-cooled 6-cylinder boxer engine, 300 hp (220 kW)

Performance

Maximum speed: 371 km/h, in aerobatics variant 394 km/h (210 knots)
Range: 1,410 km (760 nm)
Rate of climb: 6 m/s (1,168 ft/s)

Note: in aerobatics variant maximum take-off weight is 1,315 kg, maximum speed 394 km/h and climb rate 9 m/s.

[edit] See also

Related development

Comparable aircraft

[edit] References

Krzysztof Piwek, Wiesław Tomecki: Samolot M26 Iskierka in: Polska Technika Lotnicza - Materiały Historyczne 10(3/2005) - a lecture given on 19-2-2005 in Muzeum Techniki, Warsaw (Polish)

[edit] External links

PZL Mielec page

Contents