70 Years of Glider Construction
Allstar PZL Glider Sp. z o.o. was founded in 2002. The company’s origins lie with the Polish glider manufacturer SZD (short for Szybowcowy Zaklad Doświadczalny). Because of political changes in Poland, the glider construction company was forced to cease operation in 1998. Following the foundation of Allstar PZL Glider in 2000, the new owners were able to continue major parts of the SZD legacy.
- Experienced glider engineers and production staff carried on the company’s tradition of glider construction, which dates back to 1946.
- The original location at the Alexandrovice aerodrome in Bielsko-Biała could be retained.
- Likewise, key type certifications for composite construction gliders (such as SZD-59-1 ACRO, SZD-55-1 NEXUS, SZD-51-1 JUNIOR, SZD-50-3 PUCHACZ und SZD-48-3 JANTAR) remained in the new company’s ownership.
When Poland became an EU member in 2004, a new two-seater glider named SZD-54 PERKOZ was launched to replace its aging predecessor PUCHACZ.
- The PERKOZ is designed as a universal training glider.
- It stands out due to its exceptional strong airframe, which has been configured for a ground impact of 45 ° for 16 G. This by far exceeds the value of 12 G required according to the latest CS-22 construction regulations for gliders.
- In 2010, the PERKOZ was approved as an aerobatic glider by the EASA.
- Four years later, the SZD-54-2 PERKOZ was furthermore approved as the 20-metre version for cross-county gliding.
Allstar PZL Glider developeds an electric propulsion system for gliders as sustainer and self-laucher under the name Allstar-e-motion. The electric glider was presented on the Aero trade fare 2024 in Friedrichshafen.
1946
A New Beginning for Polish Glider Construction
In 1946, the Gliding Institute (Instytut Szybownictwa, IS) was founded as a successor to the pre-war Institute of Gliding and Motor Gliders (Instytutu Techniki Szybownictwa i Motoszybownictwa, ITSM). Its location changed from Lviv (now part of the Ukraine) to Bielsko in southern Poland.
The new production plant was established at the aerodrome in Alexandrowice, a district of Bielsko. Rudolf Weigl, an engineer and well-known member of the Ustianowa Mountain Gliding School in Bieszady, took charge as its first director.
- The insititute’s first serial product was the IS-A SALAMANDRA, designed by Waclaw Czerwinski.
- The high-performance glider construction of IS-1 SĘP followed directly afterwards. Adam Ziemtek, a renowned test pilot, used this model while taking part in the Second World Championship in Sameda, Switzerland.
In 1948, the institute changed its name to “Szybowcowy Zaklad Doiwiadczalny” (SZD). Wladyslaw Nowakowski held the position of director at that time. He was the designer and co-designer for the construction of gliders: IS-1 SĘP, IS-6X NIETOPERZ, and SZD-20X WAMPIR 2. Subsequently, he also developed the SZD-22 MUCHA STANDARD.
At the time, the plant in Bielsko-Biala exceeded other Polish glider production plants in Jezow Sudecki, Poznan, Krosno, Gdansk and later Wroclaw: It had the best equipment and the most experienced designers, engineers, technologists, technicians, mechanics and test pilots.
1963
Growth of the Glider Manufacturer
In 1963, the company was reorganised by merging the production plants in Jezow (Grunau) and Wroclaw. This process finally concluded in the early 1990s.
From 1969 onwards, the glider manufacturer SZD grew substantially under the direction of Jerzy Smielkiewicz. A new administration building and another large-scale production hall came into being. Smielkiewicz, who took the roles of both chief engineer and test pilot, developed the SZD-30 PIRAT in 1966. This model would garner international success in the following years.
1972
A New Material in Glider Construction
In 1972, a new company name was introduced: "Centre for Research & Development of Gliding" (Osrodek Badawczo-Rozwojcwy Szybownictwa).
Moreover, the company underwent exponential growth from 1972 through 1973.
- Additional production areas were created.
- Glider construction was adapted to the use of composite material.
In this regard, the JANTAR series held particular significance. Models from that series proved successful not only at international competitions, but also on the economic market. Around the same time, SZD-45 OGAR was built as the first serial motor glider.
Towards the end of the 1970s, the company had become the biggest manufacturer of gliders worldwide with:
- 600 employees
- 150 gliders per year in various workshops
- a total production area of appr. 12,000 m²
1980
Modern Glider Engineering
At the end of the 1980s, significant political and economic changes took place in Eastern Europe. SZD was also affected by the rising rate of unemployment. Despite challenging circumstances, the designers’ and engineers’ creativity remained unwavering when it came to glider construction: SZD produced the SZD-51 JUNIOR, the high-performance sailplane SZD-55 NEXUS (formerly PROMYK), as well as the SZD-56 DIANA.
In 1984, SZD started to consider a replacement for the two-seater glider SZD-50 PUCHACZ. These initial deliberations finally came to fruition in 2005, when the EASA was reviewing the CS-22 Certification Specifications for the construction of sailplanes. The SZD engineering team thus developed the SZD-54 PERKOZ with an increased cockpit strength to protect the passengers.
SZD Glider Construction
Today
Meanwhile, the glider manufacturer’s ownership had changed due to the privatisation of the formerly state-owned company. It would take another 5 years until the aerobatic version of the new two-seater glider SZD-54-1 PERKOZ was certified by the EASA.
Allstar Glider aimed to offer gliding clubs and flight schools a modern and universal two-seater glider for educational and training purposes. This objective was met in 2014, when the 20-metre version of the SZD-54-2 PERKOZ received its certification by the EASA.
In more than 70 years since its foundation, SZD has manufactured over 5,000 gliders for a global customer base. Countless competitions have been won, and countless pilots have been trained with SZD aircraft.
Key figures in the company’s long history of glider construction remain unforgotten to this day:
Irena Kaniewska, Tadeusz Kostia, Rudolf Matz, Józef Niespał, Władysław Nowakowski, Justyn Sandauer, Władysław Okarmus, Wiesław Gębala, Adam Meus, Piotr Mynarski, Wiesław Stafiej, Adam Kurbiel, Tadeusz Łabuć, Stanisław Oskwarek und Mieszyslaw Goryl. Einige kamen direkt von der Universität Lemberg. Namhafte Piloten und Fluglehrer waren beispielsweise Adam Zientek, Jerzy Popiel, Stanisław Skrzydlewski, January Roman und Zdzisław Bylok.
Quellen: „50 lat Przemysłu Lotniczego w Polsce 1928‑1978”, CDW Cieszyn, 1978 / „Dzieje lotnictwa na Podbeskidziu, 1932‑2000”, autor Adam Skarbiński, 2002
Chronology
SZD Glider Models (maiden flight)
1946 IS-A Salamandra
1947 IS-1 Sęp
1948 IS-2 Mucha
1947 IS-3 ABC
1948 IS-B Komar
1949 IS-4 Jastrząb
1949 IS-5 Kaczka
1950 IS-7 Osa
1951 SZD-6X Nietoperz
1951 SZD-8 Jaskółka
1952 IS-C Żuraw
1952 SZD-9 Bocian
1953 SZD-10 Czapla
1953 SZD-12 Mucha 100
1954 SZD-11 Albatros
1954 SZD-14 Jaskółka M
1956 SZD-15 Sroka
1956 SZD-17 Jaskółka L
1956 SZD-18 Czajka
1958 SZD-16 Gil
1958 SZD-19X Zefir 1
1958 SZD-22 Mucha Standard
1959 SZD-20X Wampir 2
1960 SZD-24 Foka
1958 SZD-19-2 Zefir 2
1960 SZD-25 Lis
1961 SZD-21 Kobuz
1964 SZD-21-3 Kobuz 3
1965 SZD-27 Kormoran
1965 SZD-29 Zefir 3
1966 SZD-30 Pirat
1966 SZD-32 Foka 5
1967 SZD-31 Zefir 4
1969 SZD-36 Cobra 15
1970 SZD-35 Bekas
1970 SZD-39 Cobra 17
1971 SZD-43 Orion
1972 SZD-37 Jantar 19
1972 SZD-40X Halny
1973 SZD-45 Ogar
1973 SZD-38 Jantar 1
1973 SZD-41 Jantar Std
1976 SZD-50 Dromader / Puchacz
1977 SZD-48-2 Jantar Std 2
1980 SZD-51-1 Junior
1981 SZD-52 Jantar 15 / Krokus
1983 SZD-48-3 Jantar Std 3
1985 SZD-48-3M Brawo
1988 SZD-55 Promyk / Nexus
1990 SZD-56 Diana
1991 SZD-54 Perkoz
1991 SZD-59 Acro
2010 SZD-54-1 Perkoz
2014 SZD-54-2 Perkoz