Orlik (Eagle) History
In 1994 the 60th Flight Training Wing from Polish Air Force, based in Radom, receives the new Polish built turbo-prop training plane PZL-130 Orlik. The good maneuverability of the plane gives an opportunity to form an aerobatic team flying on these planes, mostly like advertise of the planes abroad. This idea come try on 1 Jan 1998, when the commander of the Air Force Officers College give an order to established display team flies on PZL-130 planes. Like other Polish aerobatic team Iskry, that team receives the name of its planes - Orlik. In March four College instructors begin training in formation flying with PZL-130 and on 15 Apr the new Polish team Orlik made its first demonstration. At the beginning team consist of three formation pilots and one solo, but later is added another solo pilot. The first foreign appearance is on July at RIAT'98 in Fairford, England.
At the end of 2000 team's planes increase to seven and later in 2003 to nine planes.
In the begining of 2006 aerobatic season, due to financial reasons, a threat of disbanding fell on the team. The final decision was not made up, but the team's activity was suspended till june 2007, when the team returned to the sky, flying 5x PZL-130 Orlik TC-I and 2x PZL-130 Orlik TC-II, though sometimes performed in 6x TC-I and 1x TC-II (solo and slot). The first public performance after suspension took place at Radom Air Show 2007. In the middle of 2009, after almost 4 year brake the team began training in 9 ship formation, and the first public performance of 9 planes took place on 15.08.2009, at the end day of European Aerobatic Championship. Together with increase to 9 planes, the team finally resigned of both TC-II - all the aircraft flying in the team are now PZL-130 Orlik TC-I. The decision was made due to problems in performing formation aerobatics with 2 types of airplanes - the PZL-130 Orlik TC-II is practically a new plane with new engine and wings, as well as bigger wingspam and diffrent flight characteristics.
The team posesses 6 Sanders SCSG-5A white smoke generators, but the number of generators being in use changes depending on circumstances. The team's planes don't have any special color painting. All of the team members are volunteers from 2nd Flight Training Center in Radom-Sadkow AB. Team's demonstration is about 20 minutes long, and if the situation allows it, it end's with the team's special manouvre - landing in 9 planes formation.
