PZL M-20 Mewa

infobox Aircraft
name = M-20 Mewa
type = Utility aircraft
manufacturer =PZL-Mielec

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caption = PZL M 20 Mewa -licence version of Piper PA-34 Seneca
designer =WSK PZL Mielec
first flight = 25 July 1979
introduced =
retired =
status =
primary user = Polish Air Ambulance Service
more users =
produced =
number built = 20
unit cost =
developed from = Piper PA-34 Seneca
variants with their own articles =

PZL-Mielec M-20 Mewa (Polish: "Gull") is a licence version of Piper PA-34 Seneca II built in Poland in WSK PZL Mielec, produced in a short series from the 1980s.

Development

The licence for PA-34-200T was bought in 1978, when WSK-Mielec started to co-operate with Western manufacturers. The Polish aircraft were to be fitted with PZL-Franklin F6A-350 220 hp (164 kW) engines. The first Mewa, assembled partly from US-delivered parts, flew on July 25, 1979. However, the Polish communist authorities were reluctant to produce civil aircraft of this class and there was no civil aircraft free market in Poland at that time. As a result, the second prototype, build in Poland, was flown no earlier, than in 1982, and the third M-20 02, being a basis for a serial production, on October 10, 1985. In 1988, an air ambulance version M-20 03 was developed, with Teledyne Continental TSIO/LTSIO-360-KB engines.

After 1990 the production of Mewa increased, also for a civilian market. Despite it was awarded with Teraz Polska award in 1993, an interest was very limited and it was built in a small series (20 according to [http://www.scramble.nl/wiki/index.php?title=PZL_M20_Mewa_-_Production_List] ). In late 1990s the production ceased.

Operational history

Four M-20s were used by the Polish Air Ambulance Service (markings SP-MXA to SP-MXD). As of 2006, there were still 14 M-20 in the Polish civilian registry. One (markings SN-50YG) is used by the Polish Border Guard.

Operators

*"Lotnicze Pogotowie Ratunkowe" (Polish: "Air Ambulance Service") operates 4 aircraft.
*Polish Border Guard received 1 aircraft.

pecifications (PZL M-20 Mewa)

aircraft specifications
plane or copter?=plane
jet or prop?=prop
crew=One, pilot
capacity=5 passengers
length main=8.72 m
length alt=28 ft 7 in
span main=11.86 m
span alt=38 ft 10 in
height main=3.02 m
height alt=9 ft 10 in
area main=19.20 m²
area alt=206.6 ft²
empty weight main=1,320 kg
empty weight alt=2,904 lb
loaded weight main=2,070 kg
loaded weight alt=4,554 lb
useful load main=
useful load alt=
max takeoff weight main=
max takeoff weight alt=

engine (prop)=Teledyne Continental TSIO/LTSIO-360-KB
type of prop= piston engines
number of props=2
power main=
power alt=

max speed main=360 km/h
max speed alt=222 mph
max speed more=
never exceed speed main=
range main=1,240 km
range alt=765 mi
ceiling main=7,620 m
ceiling alt=25,000 ft
climb rate main=7.6 m/s
climb rate alt=1,495 ft/min
loading main=
loading alt=
armament=

ee also

aircontent
related=
* Piper PA-34 Seneca
* PZL M-26 Iskierka

similar aircraft=

sequence=
lists=

see also=

References

* [http://www.powiat.mielec.pl/poser/samoloty/pzl_m-x/m20.htm Poser page] pl icon

External links

* [http://lotnictwo.net/galselect0.php?p=0 Photo gallery at Lotnictwo.net]