Two PZL-130 Orlik turboprop, single-engine, two-seat trainer aircraft from the Polish Air Force Aerobatic Team Orlik have collided during their display at the opening ceremony of the Radom Airport this Thursday, April 27.

On the occasion of the opening of the Warsaw Radom Airport, the aerobatic team Orliki stationed at the 42nd Training Aviation Base in Radom performed a display over the airport. The collision took place over the town of Maków Nowy in the Radom district at around 12:00 pm, two Orlik training aircraft of the team clipped their wings during manoeuvres. The falling debris fell on private property, however, no one on the ground was injured.

Both pilots managed to land their planes and are uninjured. Local residents reported that parts of the planes fell on nearby properties. The event did not affect the movement of commercial aircraft at the airport and the matter is being investigated by the State Aviation Accident Investigation Committee.

Sub-inspector Katarzyna Kucharska, the spokeswoman for the Provincial Police Headquarters in Radom, confirmed in an interview with TVN24 that the officers had received a report regarding parts that are on private property.

At this moment it is unclear how and if the incident will affect the team’s display season.

Team Orlik

The Aerobatic Team “Orlik” (Zespół Akrobacyjny "ORLIK" in Polish) is the aerobatic team of the Polish Air Force, formed in 1998 at the Polish Air Force Command College. Its first public performance took place on April 15th 1998, followed by its first foreign performance later in the year at the 1998 Royal International Air Tattoo at the RAF Fairford. The team initially consisted of four pilots, with three formation pilots and one solo. Another solo pilot was added later on and at the end of 2000, the team increased to seven aircraft. Though it has also flown some seasons with nine aircraft the team usually performs on seven aircraft.

The Aerobatic Team "Orlik" was established in 1998 and to this day is stationed at the 42. Air Base School in Radom. The teams use a Polish built PZL-130 Orlik turboprop trainer aircraft, where the team’s name comes from. The idea of establishing the team arose in connection with the invitation of the Polish Air Force to the Royal International Air Tatoo air show in RAF Fairford, England.

The pilots in the team are all instructors at the 42. Air Base School, the selection of new candidates is made by the leader in cooperation with other team members. Initially, the team consisted of 5 aircraft and by 2001 the team grew to 7 aircraft. From 2003, the team performed displays on nine aircraft, which made it one of a very few turboprop aerobatic teams in such large formations. At the end of 2005, the military authorities decided to disband the team. Between 1998-2005 the team took part in 49 air shows, including 20 abroad.

In mid-2007, under the command of Lt. Col. pil. Arkadiusz Leśniewski the team Orlik was reborn with a new line-up of 7 aircraft. Since 2013, the team has been performing demonstrations on PZL-130 Orlik at nearly all of the bigger Polish Airshows as well as a number of major European events. Between 1998 and 2005 the team performed in the United Kingdom, Spain, Greece, France, Italy, Belgium, the Netherlands, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Lithuania and received a number of rewards for their impressive demonstrations.

PZL-130 Orlik

The PZL 130 Orlik (Eaglet in English) is a Polish turboprop, single-engine, two-seat trainer aircraft. The Orlik was designed by PZL Warszawa-Okecie as a trainer for the Polish Air Force, intended as a replacement for its PZL-110 Kolibers. It was also designed to meet the American FAR 23 standard. The project was under the supervision of Andrzej Frydrychewicz, head engineer of PZL Warszawa-Okecie. It was fitted with a low-aspect-ratio wing to better simulate the handling characteristics of jet fighters. The aircraft was designed to be powered by a Soviet-designed and built Vedeneyev M14Pm radial engine with the intention of replacing it with a modified Polish built Ivchenko AI-14 engine in production aircraft. The first prototype Orlik flew on the 12th of October 1984, with a second prototype following in December and a third in January 1985.

While the Polish Air Force planned to power its Orliks with locally produced radial engines, PZL planned a turboprop-powered version, the PZL-130T Turbo Orlik for export purposes. The third prototype was therefore re-fitted with a 410 kW (550 shp) Pratt & Whitney PT6A-25P turboprop and flew for the first time on the 13th of July 1986. In January 1987 a single PZL-130T Turbo Orlik was destroyed in a crash while being demonstrated to a representative of the Colombian Air Force. Two further turboprop prototypes followed in 1989 and 1990, powered by a Czech-built 560 kW (750 shp) Walter M-601E and a PT6A-25 as the PZL-130TB and PZL-130TP respectively. In 1990, the development of the piston-engined Orlik was abandoned, as the Polish built radial engines gave insufficient power, with Polish interest switching to the M-601 powered PZL-130TB. Deliveries of PZL-130TBs to Poland started in 1994, with the aircraft equipping the Military Pilot Academy at Dęblin and the 60th Training Air Regiment at Radom. All Polish PZL-130TBs were upgraded to the TC-1 standard type, with better ejection seats and avionics.

The Official Statement

Statement from a deputy mayor of Radom Konrad Frysztak

“During the air show of the military aerobatic group Orlik for Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki and representatives of Law and Justice, including Marek Suski, Adam Bielan and Wojciech Skurkiewicz, two planes made contact. Part of one of them fell on a property near Radom. Everyone is fine!”

Statement from the second Lieutenant Marlena Kuna from the 4th Air Training Wing in Deblin;

“During the flights by the "Orlik" Aerobatic Team, two PZL-130 aircraft made contact in the air. The pilots landed safely. Nothing happened to anyone”