Sikorsky's newfound Polish brother: PZL Mielec now part of United Technologies

[Stargazer]

It may sound like I'm particularly out of touch with the evolutions of the industry, but I just discovered today that the PZL Mielec has been purchased by Sikorsky and is now part of the United Technologies group.

Their site is still at the old address http://www.pzlmielec.pl/ with four types being marketed:

- the Sikorsky S-70i (international version)
- the PZL Mielec M18 Dromader
- the PZL Mielec M28
- the PZL Mielec M28B Bryza (patrol and sea rescue version)

The same site in English: http://www.pzlmielec.pl/en/

Two PZL Mielec models also appear quite officially on the Sikorsky website:

- menu page
- the PZL Mielec M18 Dromader
- the PZL Mielec M28

 

[Steve Pace]

It may sound like I'm particularly out of touch with the evolutions of the industry, but I just discovered today that the PZL Mielec has been purchased by Sikorsky and is now part of the United Technologies group.

Their site is still at the old address http://www.pzlmielec.pl/ with four types being marketed:

- the Sikorsky S-70i (international version)
- the PZL Mielec M18 Dromader
- the PZL Mielec M28
- the PZL Mielec M28B Bryza (patrol and sea rescue version)

The same site in English: http://www.pzlmielec.pl/en/

Two PZL Mielec models also appear quite officially on the Sikorsky website:

- menu page
- the PZL Mielec M18 Dromader
- the PZL Mielec M28

The M18 looks very similar to the Grumman AgCat. -SP

 

[cluttonfred]

With the buzz being generated by the Air Tractor AT-802U, I wouldn't be surprised to see the Sikorsky/PZL folks get into the game with an armed conversion of the D-18B Dromader, either with the radial engine or in the version already certified with a PT-6 turboprop.

 

[walter]

I think the similarity between the M-18 and Ag-Cat ends with the radial engine.
The Ag-Cat is a biplane.

 

[Stargazer]

Here is the 24th example of the Sikorsky S-70i Black Hawk as produced in Poland by PZL Mielec:

 

[elmayerle]

Oh, heck, this connection went down some time back. While I was a contract engineer at Sikorsky in Connecticut (mid-2008 to early-2011), I incorporated a number of red-line changes from the first S-70I produced. Since it doesn't have the HIRSS installed on most Black Hawks, the fairing around the exhausts is an adaptation of the one used on the MH-60R, with tweaks to acomodate the different door support structure on the S-70I.

 

[Stargazer]

Oh, heck, this connection went down some time back.

What do you mean? Aren't Sikorsky and PZL Mielec both still part of the United Technologies group?

 

[elmayerle]

A poor choice of words on my part, by "went down", I meant "happened". They've been together since at least 2009. I've worked with a Sikorsky engineer of Polish ancestry who was assigned over there for a year.