JUSTIN WASTNAGE / BERLIN

Polish manufacturer says affordability of utility craft will prise open European markets

PZL-Swidnik is set to receive certification for its SW-4 light single-engine utility helicopter within the next six weeks.

According to the majority state-owned Polish manufacturer, the first documents have already been delivered to the Polish civil aviation authority, the GILC, and the helicopter is undergoing final tests, including autorotation.

Two prototypes have, between them, so far amassed 640h of flight tests and only 25h remain to meet GILC requirements, the company says. There are an additional two non-flying prototypes, one of which was displayed at last year's Paris air show.

PZL-Swidnik says the designs for the five-seat SW-4 were developed in the 1960s, but were frozen as the company concentrated on military helicopters for Warsaw Pact countries during the Cold War.

The company believes there is a market for the SW-4 in Poland and other central European countries, chiefly due to its 2.8 million zloty ($700,000) price tag.

Designs were modified substantially after the project's re-launch in 1995, including extensive use of epoxy resin composites in the fuselage structure and aluminum alloys in the tail boom. The company says it tried to find an appropriate balance between price and performance considerations.

The company is set to deliver the first two helicopters to the Polish air force next year, and PZL also has three unnamed German customers, who will fly the aircraft under Polish registration. The helicopter will be put forward for certification in individual markets as and when customers request it, says PZL-Swidnik.

The helicopter is being marketed primarily for paramilitary roles, including emergency medical services and surveillance, but the company also plans to attract the growing corporate market.

PZL-Swidnik also hopes to capitalise on the under-developed road network linking Poland's capital Warsaw, which is in the centre of the country, with other major cities.

The range of the SW-4 is 760km (415nm), while maximum cruise speed is 122kt (225km/h). "VIPs live in Warsaw, and can get to anywhere in Poland and back on just one tank of fuel," says PZL-Swidnik chief test pilot Waldemar Jaworski.

The helicopter has a useful load of 400kg (880lb) in the cabin, plus 150kg in the 850litre (30ft3)baggage compartment or 700kg on a sling.

Source: Flight International