|
PZL-SWIDNIK S.A. is a Polish manufacturer of helicopters and other aviation equipment. It was established in 1951 and started producing helicopters in 1954. The first manufactured helicopter was licensed as Mi-1 designed by Mil Design Office in Russia. In 1960 the factory started producing the well-known biturbine helicopter Mi-2. Many of them are in service till now. The third child of the firm is PZL-SOKOL Twin-engine, medium-weight helicopter. It was designed in Research and Development Center established in 1970.
Nowadays, R&D Center engineers are working at the light 5-seat helicopter called SW-4. At the end of 2002 this helicopter got Polish Certificate of type. The production of the first five helicopters has begun. The main task of R&D Centre is to design (and test) new helicopters and to modify the existing ones. In that field, staff experience and test and measurement equipment allow the firm to perform nearly all necessary works for designing and building and certifying new helicopters. In the implementation of research programs, the R&D Centre co-operates with such firms as Sextant Avionique, LORD, Bendix-King, Allison and many others. In the field of tests and measuring equipment it has many good contacts with the firms such as: Bruel-Kjaer, Acra Control - Ireland, Druck, Rosamount and also many others. Some research programs are conducted with Polish science institutes and universities like Aviation Institute in Warsaw, Technical Universities in Warsaw and Lublin, Academy of Mining and Metallurgy in Cracow.
PZL-Swidnik S.A. sees a great opportunity in the development of industrial cooperation with big aerospace companies in Europe. At present we cooperate with AEROSPATIALE, producing the ATR-72 central wing box, LATECOERE and EUROCOPTER, production of Airbus door lock mechanisms, and AGUSTA, production of A109 and AB139 fuselage segments. The engineers of Research & Development Center are designing the substructures of AB139 fuselage In 2002 the industrial cooperation level should exceeded up to 50% of the company total sales value. PZL-Swidnik S.A. is well-known industrial partner in European research and educational projects. Agreements concluded with national and foreign universities resulted in the participation of PZLSwidnik S.A. in European Education Programs TEMPUS and LEONARDO DA VINCI, as well as research studies such as EUREKA and COPERNICUS. The former experience allowed us to apply for some helicopter research projects within the 5-th and 6-th Framework Programme for Research and Technological Development.
|