PZL W-3 Sokół

The PZL W-3 ''Sokół'' (English: "Falcon") is a medium-size, twin-engine, multipurpose helicopter developed and manufactured by Polish helicopter company PZL-Świdnik, now owned by Leonardo. It was the first helicopter entirely designed and produced in Poland.

Design

The PZL W-3 helicopter design employs a relatively conventional design and construction. It is powered by a pair of Pratt & Whitney Rzeszów-built PZL-10B turboshaft engines; the original powerplant, the PZL-10W, was based on the earlier PZL-10S – a licensed derivative of the Russian-designed Glushenkov TVD-10B turboprop engines which had powered the Polish-built Antonov An-28. Composites are used in the construction of the three-bladed tail and four-bladed main rotors. The rotors have a ice protection system and the helicopter is able to operate in environments between -40 and +43°C.

The Sokół has been offered in a number of diverse variants and is capable of performing a typical range of helicopter missions, including passenger transport, VIP, cargo, EMS, medevac, firefighting and search and rescue. When used in maritime environments, the rotorcraft is typically outfitted with floats, a transponder, a global positioning system navigation system, night-vision equipment, and a Lucas winch."Swidnik wins Sokol successes."
''Flight International'', 13 September 1995.

Development

Origins

During 1973, work commenced upon what would become the W-3 Sokół at PZL Świdnik; design work was performed by an in-house team led by aeronautical engineer Stanisław Kamiński. A major influence on the design was the perceived demands from both military and civilian aviation across the Soviet Union, which was envisioned to serve as the major operator of the type. On 16 November 1979, the first five prototypes of Sokół conducted their maiden flights.

Early production

Low rate production of the Sokół commenced in 1985. The first ten production machines were designated W-3. These were ten machines (310201-310210), the first of which, designated SP-PSF, flew in 1987.

Attempts to obtain a certificate for the new aircraft in the Soviet Union were prolonged. Thanks to insistence of the Świdnica factory to obtain such document, the Chief Inspectorate of Civil Aviation issued a temporary certificate on September 26, 1988, which allowed for the continuation of serial production. At the same time, work began on a rescue variant, as well as an armed version.

The second series, consisting of 23 helicopters and 2 fuselages, which were to be used for further tests, was started by the W-3 of the State Radio Inspectorate. The SP-SUI (factory number 310301) built on its order had a special antenna mast lowered vertically down.

On March 17, 1990, the prototype W-3U Salamandra (factory number 360317) was flown, which was to be armed with Mars-2, B8-10, ZR-8 pods, and the 9M114 guided missile system from the Mil Mi-24W and the GSz-23L fixed cannon. The helicopter was tested, but the army was not interested in buying it. The helicopter was disarmed and converted into a transport machine and sold as such to Burma. Several years later, in cooperation with the South African arms company Denel, work was once again on an armed version. The ''SP-SUW'' helicopter (factory number 310318) transported to South Africa, and was installed with the Kentron company weapons, creating the W-3K, which was registered as ZU-AGU and tested until 1994. The same aircraft, which again flew in Poland as SP-SUW, was tested with French HOT-3/VIVIANE missiles in 1999.

The third series consisted of 19 helicopters and 1 fuselage intended for ground tests. Nine of them were purchased by Burma. The machine with the serial number 390411 remained in the factory, constituting the basis for the construction of the W-3RM prototype. A helicopter from this series with the serial number 330414 was sent to the 103rd Aviation Regiment of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, and after the reform it is used by the Border Guard as the SN-30XG (previously PL-30XG). In 1993, one of the machines in the W-3T version with the side number 0417 entered the equipment of the Polish Army. It was later reintroduced W-3RL.

1990s, after Cold War

Following the democratization of Poland and the end of the Cold War, PZL-Świdnik opened up to the West, and in 1989, design work began on a new variant. Third series helicopter, with the serial number 310420, became the platform for the construction of the W-3A prototype, which made its maiden flight on July 30, 1992.

Following an intensive test program, type certification for the helicopter was received from aviation authorities in Poland, Russia, the United States and Germany. During May 1993, certification of the W-3A to standards was granted. The W-3A obtained an American certificate on May 31, 1993 from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) confirming compliance with FAR Part 29 regulations. It was followed by the receipt of German certification during December of that year.

Later, the machine flew as SP-PSK and then SP-SSK, after which it was sent to the 103rd Aviation Regiment of the Ministry of Internal Affairs with the n/b 420. It is currently in service with the Polish Police Aviation.

The fourth series consisted of 20 helicopters. Some of them went to foreign recipients, the Saxony State Police received one W-3A (factory no. 370503), the South Korean companies ''Helikorea'' and ''Citi Air'' purchased W-3A (factory no. 370509) and W-3AM (factory no. 370514) respectively. In June 1996, the 100th Sokół was completed by the company.

In Poland, the army rebuilt one of the received Sokół (factory no. 310502) to W-3RL and transferred it to the Polish Mountain Rescue Service (GORP). The Navy received helicopters from this series factory no. 390505 and 390513 as W-3RM. Anaconda serial number 390510 was also given to 103rd PL MSW, where it received the n/b 510. It then became part of the equipment of the GROM Military Unit, where it received the n/b 0510, it crashed during exercises.

The W-3A machine serial number 370507 went to LPR as SP-SXZ. From 1995 it was used seasonally by TOPR, and from 2000 it was permanently stationed in Zakopane, but it was still in LPR colors. It was damaged during an emergency landing on January 29, 2003 in Murzasichle, after renovation as SP-SXW it went to TOPR already in its colors.

The SP-PSL helicopter (serial number 370508) became the basis for building the W-3A2 prototype, which was purchased by the Spanish company Helibravo. The W-3A SP-FSU (factory number 370515) was used for several years by the Polish branch of Daewoo, but due to the company's financial problems the helicopters were sold to the United Arab Emirates police. The remaining helicopters went mainly to the Polish army, among them were also the W-3W.

Huzar derivative

During the 1990s, PZL-Świdnik heavily pursued the development of an envisioned ''Huzar'' battlefield helicopter, which was to be based on the airframe of the W-3 Sokol and would have eventually involved the manufacture of 100 such attack helicopters under a tentative $350 million contract for the Polish Army. While the programme was initiated by the company, it was heavily afflicted by repeated setbacks and delays as PZL-Świdnik's financial state worsened as well as the firm often waiting for years for development funds to be issued by the Polish government with which it could formally launch the next phase of development. When a contract for the helicopter's avionics and weapon systems was awarded within a government memorandum of understanding (MoU) to an Israeli consortium, consisting of armaments manufacturer Rafael Advanced Defense Systems and defense electronics company Elbit Systems, making them the intended supplier for both the missiles and avionics for the helicopter.Jeziorski, Andrzej
"Take your partners."
''Flight International'', 2 September 1998.

During 1998, the Polish Council of Ministers issued its recommendation for the launch of a new tender in support of the envisioned Huzar. Specifically, the tender sought an avionics and weapons systems integrator for the new rotorcraft, potentially replacing the originally selected Israeli consortium due to alleged irregularities involved in the prior arrangement's awarding. American firm Boeing, who led their own bid involving in excess of 20 separate companies, represented Elbit's chief competitor for the integration contract; at one point, it appeared that political changes to the competition had made Boeing the favourite to win the contract."Polish recommendation opens Huzar's avionics door for Boeing."
''Flight International'', 12 August 1998. While Rafael's NT-D anti-tank missile was selected, this was subject to the successful completion of several test launches; if it failed, rival bids from Boeing for the AGM-114 Hellfire, British firm GEC-Marconi with the Brimstone and the Franko-German company Euromissile's HOT 3