Pzl-Okecie PZL-130 Orlik
The PZL-130 Orlik, Polish for 'Eaglet', is a single-engine turboprop trainer built by PZL Warszawa-Okęcie specifically to teach Polish Air Force cadets fighter-like handling before they move to fast jets. Its deliberately low-aspect-ratio wing was shaped to mimic the responsiveness of a jet trainer rather than prioritising efficiency, meeting the US FAR 23 airworthiness standard along the way. First flown in 1984, it later gained winglets and modern Garmin avionics in its PZL-130TC-II turboprop form. Poland remains the type's only operator worldwide, making it a distinctly national training solution rather than an export success.
Did you know?
A Polish single-engine turboprop trainer whose stubby, low-aspect-ratio wing is shaped to handle like a fighter jet, and Poland is its only operator.
Specifications
| Length | 8.7 m (29 ft) |
|---|---|
| Wingspan | 8 m (26 ft) |
| Height | 3.5 m (11 ft) |
| Persons on board | 2 |
| Maximum take-off weight | 2.7 t |
| Range | 520 NM (963 km) |
| Service ceiling | 33,000 ft (10,058 m) |
| Rate of climb | 3,190 ft/min (16.2 m/s) |
| Take-off distance | 280 m (919 ft) |
| Fuel capacity | 540 l |
Curated by CatchFlights from manufacturer documents, ICAO Doc 8643 and reference works; values are left out where no source could confirm them. Sources are listed on our credits page.
In CatchFlights
In CatchFlights the Pzl-Okecie PZL-130 Orlik starts as a Rare catch. The tier is an editorial judgement of how special a sighting of this type is. The more often you catch it, the closer it moves to Common for you.
A catch counts for the manufacturer Pzl-Okecie, the PZL-130 Orlik family and the model in your collection, and the daily Type Rating quiz asks about the types of each family.
Catch it yourself.CatchFlights shows the aircraft flying near you on a radar, so a type like this one is only a catch away when it passes overhead. Explore CatchFlights.
Browse all aircraft types, or learn to tell Airbus from Boeing.