Mark McGhee demonstrates extreme maneuvers in a 1973 Polish Wilga aircraft, taking off on a muddy runway after 400 feet, decending at 2800 fpm and coming to a rolling stop in 200 feet. Extreme performance at its best.
What's not to love? A radial engine, a tail wheel, big honking controls- a totally honest flying machine with personality. The Wilga has a style all its own!
Hi everybody :))) this movie make me cry This i PZL104 Wilga SP-EAU:) I was learning to fly on exactly this aeroplane in 2003 in Aeroklub Ziemi Zamojskiej. We know that with other pilots about selling of our Wilga to US but I never supose I will find "her" on you tube:))) a lot of memories gliders towing, and blind hood flying. Take care about "her" because everybody of our pilos from Zamość will say: You will never find the same like that one. All the best regards from Poland Wojciech Mamona
Mike's Wilga and it's STOL performance is amazing! The Videos at Oshkosh right after he finished the build was really impressive. One part I find really interesting is watching this video of an original version and seeing what his Wilga "Draco" grew out of. I think his is Polish... by way of Australia.
Correct me if I'm wrong but I thought a deadstick landing was when an engine had stopped altogether and yet I could see the propeller still turning and hear the engine running.
Hey. I noticed that twitchels shirt you have on. I got my float rating there and did a lot of flying with flight instructor Bill. When did you go there?
@texNoz please reread my my post. I commented on DOUBLING the scheduled servicing. For instance your 25 hr check at 12.5 and your 50 hr at 25. I don't need mechanics, I am a mechanic and I have seen numerous times were an aircraft has come back with snags, this spans militaryand civilian maintenance. In fact, with the military side of it, operations won't send an aircaft fresh out of a scheduled service on a task before a shakedown flight.
Mark McGee is a legend in his own mind and his mind only. I'd give you an atta-boy but so little of what I seen in the video deserved it, actually nothing did... Sorry Mark.
Had a chance to go up in one of those about 20 years ago was a noisy hoot. The only problem with your 200 foot ground roll on the numbers is that loooooong taxi back ;-]
A. Nothing is extreme in these maneuvers in this plane B. This plane can take up to 3 2 seater-gliders up in the air (Used to be common, then for some reason reduced to 2 gliders) C. This airplane is capable hands can do way more than Mr. McGhee would even consider trying! (No disrespect to his skills!) D. This plane was designed as a preliminary flight training and general multi use utility aircraft for the Polish flying clubs. This plane was also sold worldwide where many of them ended up in the USA and Canada as STOL.
Engine is actually Russian, or rather Soviet. They were later built in Poland under license, that's true, but originally were designed and built in USSR. You can google Ivchenko AI-14 for details if interested (I'm Polish by the way :) )
@1982FMJ Doubling the maintenance would be a waste of money and time and probably less safer. During the 100 hour or annual inspection it is not uncommon for issues to be introduced, items not fitted or not fitted properly, items not locked or pinned, incorrect parts fitted, parts damaged during fitting, avionics disturbed or FOD left in areas.
No need to yell "clear" my friend. If you hit the starter in a quarter of a second after yelling, there is no time to get out of the way of the prop anyway. Cool vid.
Who is the "adoring fan" shooting these videos? Yes, it is a "big piece of iron"; takes some expertise to stay ahead of it. Not much of a fan of Russian airplanes, with the exception of the An-225 - now THAT'S AN AIRPLANE!!
I don't know what's wrong with people, nowadays? It seems like you can't say anything without someone criticize you. And you're correct, it's a Polish aircraft, not Russian. No one's talking about the engine, so Dr Pavel I'm CIA is a dumbfuck himself.
