The **PZL Bielsko SZD-30 Pirat** (Polish for "Pirate") is one of the most famous and widely produced single-seat gliders in aviation history. Designed and built in Poland during the 1960s, it became a staple of glider clubs around the world, known for its ruggedness, docile handling, and unmistakable silhouette. 

Here is a comprehensive overview of everything you need to know about the SZD-30 Pirat.

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### 1. Development and Origins
* **Manufacturer:** Szybowcowy Zakład Doświadczalny (SZD), which translates to Glider Experimental Works, located in Bielsko-Biała, Poland. (Later production was moved to WSK-Świdnik).
* **Designer:** Jerzy Śmielkiewicz.
* **First Flight:** May 19, 1966.
* **Purpose:** The Pirat was designed to replace the aging SZD-22 Mucha Standard. SZD wanted a universal, cost-effective club glider that could be used for early solo flights, intermediate training, and early cross-country flights (such as achieving Silver and Gold "C" badges).

### 2. Design and Construction Features
The Pirat is a high-wing, cantilever monoplane. It bridged the gap between traditional wooden gliders and the incoming era of fiberglass. 

* **Materials:** It is primarily of wooden construction, but it utilized a fiberglass nose and cockpit shell—an innovative blend of materials for the time.
* **The Wing:** It features a **15-meter wingspan** but has a highly unusual **three-piece wing design**. It consists of a rectangular center section and two tapered outer panels. This made rigging, de-rigging, transport, and repairs incredibly easy (if a wingtip hit the ground on landing, you only had to replace the outer panel, not the whole wing).
* **Airbrakes:** It uses highly effective Schempp-Hirth style double-plate dive brakes located on both the upper and lower surfaces of the wing.
* **Tail:** The Pirat features a recognizable **T-tail** with a slightly swept vertical fin. The T-tail design was chosen to keep the horizontal stabilizer high off the ground, protecting it from tall crops or brush during outlandings (landing in farm fields).
* **Landing Gear:** It features a fixed monowheel with an oleo-pneumatic shock absorber and a mechanical brake. It initially had a wooden tail skid, though many have been retrofitted with small tail wheels.

### 3. Flying Characteristics
The Pirat was beloved by instructors and club pilots because of how it flew:
* **Docile Handling:** It is very forgiving. It has pleasant, well-coordinated controls that are ideal for pilots transitioning from two-seat trainers to single-seat gliders.
* **Stall/Spin:** The stall is gentle, with plenty of aerodynamic warning (buffeting). It does not drop a wing aggressively, and spin recovery is standard and prompt.
* **Performance:** With a glide ratio of 30:1, it was highly competitive for its class in the 1960s and 70s. It could easily catch thermals due to its light wing loading. 

### 4. Variants
While the base SZD-30 was the most common, a few variations existed:
* **SZD-30 Pirat:** The standard production model. Over 700 were built.
* **SZD-30C Pirat:** Introduced in 1978. It featured a modified cockpit with a shorter canopy, a redesigned instrument panel, and minor aerodynamic refinements to the fuselage. 

### 5. Specifications (Standard SZD-30)
* **Crew:** 1
* **Length:** 6.86 m (22 ft 6 in)
* **Wingspan:** 15.00 m (49 ft 2 in)
* **Wing Area:** 13.8 m² (148.5 sq ft)
* **Empty Weight:** ~260 kg (573 lbs)
* **Max Takeoff Weight:** 370 kg (816 lbs)
* **Never Exceed Speed (Vne):** 250 km/h (155 mph) *(Note: Read the "Safety and Legacy" section below regarding this).*
* **Maximum Glide Ratio:** 30:1 at 83 km/h (52 mph)
* **Minimum Sink Rate:** 0.70 m/s (138 ft/min) at 73 km/h (45 mph)

### 6. The Kaurit Glue Issue (Important History)
If you are looking at the Pirat from a modern perspective, you must know about its structural limitations. 

During the manufacturing process in Poland, a synthetic urea-formaldehyde adhesive known as **Kaurit glue** was used to bond the wooden structure. Decades later, it was discovered that this specific glue degrades over time, becoming brittle and losing its strength, especially in damp climates. 

As a result, aviation authorities issued severe Airworthiness Directives (ADs) for the SZD-30 (and several other older Polish gliders). 
* Aerobatics and cloud flying were strictly banned.
* The Never Exceed Speed (Vne) was significantly downgraded, often originally reduced to 195 km/h, and on many airframes, it is now limited to just **130 km/h (80 mph)**.
* Today, a Pirat requires rigorous, invasive structural inspections to maintain its airworthiness certificate. 

### 7. Legacy
Despite the modern glue issues, the SZD-30 Pirat is a legend of the soaring world. Between production at PZL Bielsko and WSK-Świdnik, **776 units were built**, with production officially ending in 1978. 

It was exported to dozens of countries, including the USSR, East and West Germany, the UK, the United States, and Argentina. For an entire generation of glider pilots in the 1970s and 80s, the Pirat was the aircraft in which they achieved their first long-distance flights. Today, surviving models with sound glue joints are still flown by vintage gliding enthusiasts who appreciate its beautiful lines and classic handling.
