# PZL Bielsko SZD-30 "Pirat"

The SZD-30 "Pirat" is a Polish single-seat, mid-wing glider designed and manufactured by the Szybowcowy Zakład Doświadczalny (SZD – Glider Experimental Works) in Bielsko-Biała, Poland.

## Development

- **Designer:** Wiesław Nowakowski
- **First flight:** 1966
- **Purpose:** Designed as a Standard Class competition sailplane and a club/training glider for cross-country soaring
- The aircraft was intended to be a relatively simple and affordable glider suitable for production in large numbers

## Design Features

- **Construction:** Primarily wooden structure with fabric and plywood covering
- **Wing configuration:** Mid-wing monoplane
- **Wing airfoil:** NACA 63-618 at root, transitioning to a thinner section at the tips (varies by source)
- **Landing gear:** Fixed monowheel with a tail skid/wheel
- **Airbrakes:** Schempp-Hirth type spoilers/dive brakes on the upper wing surface
- **Cockpit:** Enclosed, with a forward-hinged canopy

## Specifications (approximate)

- **Wingspan:** 15 meters (49.2 ft)
- **Length:** ~6.7 m
- **Wing area:** ~12.2 m²
- **Empty weight:** ~220 kg
- **Max L/D (glide ratio):** Approximately 33:1 to 34:1
- **Minimum sink rate:** Approximately 0.65 m/s
- **Maximum speed (VNE):** ~220 km/h

## Variants

- **SZD-30A "Pirat"** – Improved production version with minor refinements
- **SZD-30C "Pirat"** – Later variant (sometimes referenced in production records)

## Production and Service

- Produced in significant numbers (several hundred units) throughout the late 1960s and 1970s
- Widely used in Polish aero clubs and exported to numerous countries
- Popular in Eastern Bloc nations as well as in Western European clubs
- Used for both training and competition flying in the Standard Class
- Remained in service for many years due to its robust construction and good handling qualities

## Operational Characteristics

- Known for being docile and forgiving in handling, making it suitable for early cross-country pilots
- Good thermaling characteristics
- Competitive performance for its era, though eventually surpassed by fiberglass designs (like the ASW 15, LS1, etc.)
- Sturdy enough to withstand the rigors of club operations

## Legacy

The Pirat played an important role in training many Polish and international glider pilots in cross-country soaring. While it has largely been retired from competitive flying, some examples remain airworthy and are flown recreationally. It represents an era when wooden gliders were still competitive and widely produced before the dominance of fiberglass (GRP) construction in the 1970s.

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*Note: Some specific figures may vary slightly between sources, as different production batches and variants had minor differences.*
