Home > PZL-Mielec M-18 Dromader

1 Development

PZL-Mielec, then known as "WSK-Mielec", began to design the Dromader in the mid 1970s, with help of United States airplane manufacturer Rockwell International. PZL Swidnik asked for Rockwell's help because of the political situation at the time: operating in an Eastern Bloc country, PZL wanted the airplane to sell well worldwide, and the company realized that FAA certification would be important in reaching that goal. Rockwell on the other hand wanted to fit Polish high-power radial engines into its agricultural planes. This co-operation meant that the Dromader shares outer wing panels and part of hull with the Rockwell Thrush Commander .

The first prototype of the airplane flew on August 27 1976. In September 1978, the airplane was given certification to fly in Poland. Certifications from many countries around the world followed soon.

Many airplanes of the M-18 type and its variations can still be seen around the world flying as cropdusters. They are a very common sight, for example, when driving by the Sonora Desert , as cropdusting and firefighting airplanes are necessary in middle and south ArizonaArizona was the 48th state admitted to the United States and is part of the Southwest United States. It is one of the Four Corners states, south and east of the Colorado River, bordering New Mexico, Utah, Nevada, California and Mexico. Its major cities ar as well as in northern MexicoThis article is about the country Mexico. For other meanings, see Mexico (disambiguation The United Mexican States or Mexico ( Spanish: Estados Unidos Mexicanos or Mexico regarding the use of the variant spelling Mejico see section The name below) is a co.

Most Dromaders are easy to distinguish because of their yellowYellow is the color of light whose wavelength is between 565nm and 590nm, or is a mixture of red and green light that appears to be the same color. Yellow is one of the subtractive primary colours ( primary pigments), and its complementary color is blue. color. Over 700 had been built by 2002This is a list of aviation-related events from 2002: Events American Airlines and British Airways drop plans to introduce codesharing on transatlantic flights after U. regulators demand that other American carriers be given access to London Heathrow Airpo. Currently (2004) models M-18B and M-18BS are offered by PZL-Mielec.

1 Variants

• M-18 - original one-seat production version, now available for special orders only.

• M-18A - two seater available from 1984This is a list of aviation-related events from 1984: Events February February 21 14 hours and 2 minutes after taking off from New York, Air France pilot Patrick Fourticq and his companion, race driver Henry Pescarolo, land their Piper Malibu in Paris, set onwards. Allows a mechanic or chemical loader to be carried as a passenger to remote fields.
  • M-18AS - two-cockpit trainer version

• M-18B - refined version of M-18A with increased capacity, flown in 1993This is a list of aviation-related events from 1993: Events The 1,000th Boeing 747 comes off the production line 26 years after the first 747 was built. February the last F-86 Sabre (a Bolivian Air Force machine) is withdrawn from service amongst the worl.

• • M-18BS - two-cockpit trainer.

• M-18C - version with more powerful 895 kW (1,200 hp) Kalisz K-9 engine. Flown in 1995 but not in production.

• M-18/T45 Turbine Dromader - turboprop variant by US manufacturer Melex (part-owned by PZL Mielec). Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A-45 engine. First flew in 1985 and was given FAA certification in April 1986.

• M-21 Dromader Mini - smaller variant (1100 kg of chemicals), flown in 1982, not produced.
• M-24 Dromader Super - bigger variant (2000 kg of chemicals), flown in 1987, not produced.
• M-25 Dromader Mikro - smaller variant (500 kg of chemicals), sketch only.