PZL-106BT Turbo-Kruk
EADS PZL Warszawa-Okecie · Poland · first flew 1983 · light aircraft
The PZL-106BT Turbo-Kruk is a turboprop-powered agricultural aircraft, a re-engined development of the piston Kruk designed for spraying and dusting large areas of farmland.
Recognition (WEFT)
| W — Wings | Low-mounted, straight |
|---|---|
| E — Engines | 1 × turboprop, nose-mounted |
| F — Fuselage | 10.34 m fuselage |
| T — Tail | Conventional |
WEFT is AircraftIQ's four-point recognition method — how it works.
Spot it by:
- Turboprop-powered agricultural biplane-braced monoplane
- Large chemical hopper ahead of raised cockpit
- Fixed taildragger gear for rough strips
Identify it by the deep hopper between the engine and the high, single-seat cockpit, a strut-braced straight low wing and a rugged taildragger stance. The turboprop nose distinguishes it from the earlier radial-engined Kruk.
Specifications
- The PZL-106BT Turbo-Kruk has a length of 10.34 m (34 ft).
- It has a wingspan of 15 m (49 ft).
- Its maximum speed is 227 km/h (141 mph).
- Typical crew: 1 pilot.
Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.
History
The Kruk (Raven) family emerged in the late 1970s, and the Turbo-Kruk of the 1980s substituted a turboprop for smoother power and better hot-and-high performance. It was intended to compete with Western ag-planes on export markets.
Variants
The line ran from the piston PZL-106A/B Kruk to the turboprop PZL-106BT, differing chiefly in powerplant and wing. Only limited numbers were built as Eastern Bloc agricultural demand contracted.
Where you'll see it
This is a specialised agricultural type with no UK operators, aerial application here being a small niche served by other aircraft. Its relevance is as a Polish export and domestic crop-spraying machine.
Related aircraft
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