The Pazmany PL-1 Laminar and Pazmany PL-2 are American two-seat trainer and personal light aircraft designed by Ladislao Pazmany to be marketed as a

homebuilt aircraft Homebuilt aircraft, also known as amateur-built aircraft or kit planes, are constructed by persons for whom this is not a professional activity. These aircraft may be constructed from "scratch", from plans, or from assembly kits.Armstrong, Kenn ...

by his company Pazmany Aircraft Corporation. The aircraft was built under license in Taiwan (Republic of China) as the AIDC PL-1B Cheinshou. It was later followed by an improved version the PL-2. The SLAF Aircraft Engineering Wing developed a modified variant of the PL-2 in 1977, which was never used operationally.

Development

The PL-1 Laminar was the first design by Ladislao Pazmany, it was intended to be marketed for the homebuilt market. The prototype first flew on the 23 March 1962. The PL-1 is a cantilever low-wing monoplane with a fixed tricycle landing gear. It has side-by-side seating for a crew of two and is powered by a 95 hp (71 kW) Continental C-90 piston engine. The

Aerospace Industrial Development Corporation Aerospace Industrial Development Corporation (AIDC; zh, c=漢翔航空工業股份有限公司, p=Hànxiáng Hángkōng Gōngyè Gǔfèn Yǒuxiàn Gōngsī 漢翔航空工業 or 漢翔航空) is a Taiwanese aerospace company based in Taichung ...

(AIDC) acquired plans and built a PL-1 for evaluation with a first flight on 26 October 1968. AIDC then built 58 aircraft designated the PL-1B for the

Republic of China Air Force The Republic of China Air Force ( Chinese, 中華民國空軍), or the ROCAF; known colloquially as the Taiwanese Air Force ( Chinese, 臺灣空軍) by Western or mainland Chinese media, or commonly referred as the National Military Air Force ...

and fitted with a 150 hp (112 kW) Avco Lycoming O-320 engine. Soon after the first flight Pazmany produced an improved design, the PL-2 which had a slight increase in cockpit width and changes to the structure to make it easier for homebuilders. The PL-2 was evaluated by a number of air forces in South East Asia. It was built under license in Indonesia as the LIPNUR LT-200.

Variants

;PL-1 :Original design for home-built light aircraft ;PL-1B :License-built variant by AIDC with a 150hp (112kW) Avco Lycoming O-320 engine, 58 built. Known as the PL-1B Chieh Shou. ;PL-2 :More rounded, wider cockpit, increased wing dihedral.Bayerl, Robby; Martin Berkemeier; et al: ''World Directory of Leisure Aviation 2011-12'', page 114. WDLA UK, Lancaster UK, 2011. ISSN 1368-485X ;PL-2A :Improved model, all metal, two seatsTacke, Willi; Marino Boric; et al: ''World Directory of Light Aviation 2015-16'', page 120. Flying Pages Europe SARL, 2015. ;LT-200 :License-built variant by LIPNUR in Indonesia, 4 were built.

Operators

; *

Indonesian Air Force The Indonesian Air Force (, sometimes shortened as IDAF / IdAF) is the Air force, aerial branch of the Indonesian National Armed Forces. The Indonesian Air Force is headquartered in Jakarta, Indonesia, and is headed by the Chief of Staff of th ...

- LT-200 (Licensed-built PL-2) ; * Republic of Vietnam Air Force - One aircraft, no longer in service. Named ''Tien Phong'' "Pioneer" and built under U.S supervision. Plans for additional aircraft were cancelled in 1972 ; *

- PL-1, PL-1A, PL-1B *

Republic of China Army The Republic of China Army ( Chinese, 中華民國陸軍) also known as the ROC Army (ROCA); colloquially the Taiwanese Army ( Chinese, 台湾陆军) by western or mainland Chinese media, or commonly referred as the National Military Army ( Chi ...

- PL-1B

Former Operators

; *

Sri Lanka Air Force The Sri Lanka Air Force (SLAF; ; ) is the air force, air arm and the youngest of the Sri Lanka Armed Forces. It was founded in 1951 as the Royal Ceylon Air Force (RCyAF) with the assistance of the Royal Air Force (RAF). The SLAF played a major r ...

- Sri Lankan built PL-2 variants were in operation until the early 1980s. ; * Thai Air Force - Two PL-2 were assembled in 1974 by Thai Air Force. Possibly they were evaluated for production, but no further aircraft were built. One of them is now on display at the RTAF Museum.

Specifications (LT-200)

References

* The

Illustrated Encyclopedia of Aircraft The ''Illustrated Encyclopedia of Aircraft'' was a weekly partwork magazine by Aerospace Publishing (an imprint of Orbis Publishing) which was published in the United Kingdom (and sold in other countries too) during the early 1980s. The magazi ...

(Part Work 1982-1985), 1985, Orbis Publishing, Page 2694 {{DEFAULTSORT:Pazmany Pl-1 1960s United States civil utility aircraft PL-01 AIDC aircraft 1960s United States military trainer aircraft Single-engined tractor aircraft Low-wing aircraft Aircraft first flown in 1962 Single-engined piston aircraft Aircraft with fixed tricycle landing gear