On February 7, 2019, PZL Mielec officially handed over a third M28 short takeoff and landing aircraft to German defense training contractor PD Sicherheit.
The aircraft sales contract was signed by both parties in 2018. The contracted unit was scheduled for delivery in the first quarter of 2019. During the handover ceremony, the customer expressed satisfaction with its two other M28 aircraft, acquired in 2017.
Apart from paratroop training, the portfolio of PD operations performed on the M28, will be expanded with a variety of other missions.
The 16,500 lb. (7,500 kg) Polish designed-and-built M28 airplane excels on short and underdeveloped runways. Its 22-meter-long wingspan enables flight speed as slow as 55 knots without stalling.
More than 100 M28 aircraft currently operate worldwide in both commercial and military configurations providing passenger/cargo transport, parachute training, border patrol and search and rescue. The U.S. Air Force has used the C-145A variant for air cargo missions in Afghanistan.
