If a normal bush plane is an ATV of the air, the Draco is a monster truck.
The star of this year's EAA Airventure Oshkosh was arguably Flying Cowboy Mike Patey's ginormous Draco. This plane is a highly modified PZL-104MA Wilga fitted with a turboprop engine, enlarged control surfaces and massive bush tires. Subsequently, this Wilga is capable of some mindblowing performance. Takeoffs and landings just look unreal. Here's the episode of Flite Test where Stefan and Alex witnessed the might of this beast.
The Original Wilga
Going back in time, the original Wilga was conceived as a Short Take-Off and Landing (STOL) plane in the 1960s. It was designed to be as robust and versatile as possible making it great for all sorts of work, from glider tows to air ambulances.
Since these early versions, the aircraft has gone through a steady evolution over fifty years. The fuselage was completely redesigned early on to make it far stronger and aerodynamic. The way the doors open was changed to make it easier for parachutists to jump from the cockpit. Different engine options were also introduced, including inline models instead of radials. In total, over 1,000 of these planes have been produced up to 2006.
The Wilga 2000
After production of the original Wilga varients had finished in 1996, the original Polish manufacturer of the Wilga (PZL Warszawa-Okęcie) began to produce an improved version called the Wilga 2000.
This airplane was specifically geared for the American market and used a Lycoming O-540 engine that produced 300hp. This was a significant boost when compared with the original radial that produced just 260hp. At this time, the aircraft company was experiencing some problems and production of the Wilga 2000 came to an end in 2006. However, this wasn't the end of the story.
The Draco
Mike Patey is the mind and force behind the Draco. This modified Wilga 2000 was the last machine off the production line back in 2006. Since then, it's been pulled apart, redesigned and stuck back together again to make this thing the most formidable Wilga that's ever existed.
Photo by https://www.instagram.com/mike_patey/
Modifications include almost every inch of this plane. The wing, for example, has been completely rebuilt. It has an increased chord of the original Wilga by a whole foot. This helps with the aircraft's performance at higher altitudes. It's also reduced the stall speed by about 20mph meaning that the plane can land where normal bush planes can.
Photo by https://www.instagram.com/trentonpalmer/
The engine has also been upgraded to a PT6 turboprop with a 102" 4-blade prop. This thing can even reverse its pitch to act as a break on landing.
Photo by https://www.instagram.com/trentonpalmer/
Here's Trent Palmer's video featuring Mike Patey looking into the Draco in depth. It's really the best way to learn more about this monster!
Clearly, here at Flite Test, we love everything to do with DIY aviation, so we absolutly love the Draco (like many other people). Make sure you check out Mike Patey's YouTube channel for awesome content about this plane and his other aircraft!
Article by James Whomsley
Editor of FliteTest.com
Contact: james@flitetest.com
YouTube Channel: www.youtube.com/projectairaviation
Log In to reply
Log In to reply