Airbus Poland and Draco Aircraft signed a contract to enable Draco Aircraft to build a next generation HyperSTOL aircraft in Poland, called “Draco”.
Airbus Poland will transfer the intellectual property rights on "Wilga", a four-seat multirole aircraft produced over 1,000 times in Poland at PZL-Okęcie between 1967 and 2008. Wilga will become a more powerful Draco version and will be fully certified both by the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) and by the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). Draco comes with unique features such as short take-off and landing (HyperSTOL) capability: only 30 meters for take off and 25 meters for landing, on any surface, without needing a concrete runway. In addition, Draco will offer a new experience of flying both for the pilot and 3 passengers, luxury cabin interior and all safety features.
Draco Aircraft has been created to bring to life a certified version of Mike Patey’s visionary Draco concept. Mike Patey has enthusiastically authorized the use of his concepts. Draco Aircraft will bring this revolutionary aircraft to market, led by former Airbus Senior Vice President and CEO of Airbus Poland, Johannes von Thadden, along with a team of partners and senior designers. Airbus Poland's former head of design for Wilga, Tomasz Wolf, will bring in his expertise as Chief Engineering and Design Advisor, making sure that the transfer of knowhow and the build up of the Draco Aircraft design and engineering team will be smooth.
“Draco will be designed and built in Poland, but made available to customers worldwide”, confirmed Johannes von Thadden.
Airbus Poland’s Managing Director, Javier Medina, underlined: “Our cooperation with Draco Aircraft will allow to continue the proud history of ‘Wilga’ and with ‘Draco’ will add another jewel to Poland’s aviation expertise. Airbus Poland will not only transfer the intellectual property rights, the type certificate and tooling, but also support Draco Aircraft with the EASA-required design services until Draco Aircraft will have certified its own design organization."
Johannes von Thadden explained: “With this contract signature, we can now concentrate on finding investors, building up design and production capacities in Poland and reaching out to customers. We are eager to get started. ‘Draco’ will come in several versions: first, the aircraft for private customers, then a version for public customers for safety purposes, e. g. for border control, then an aircraft with electric propulsion and finally a version for military needs. ‘Draco’ will become a whole aircraft family responding to different needs.”
DRACO Aircraft Sp. z o.o., founded in 2023, is a cutting-edge aviation company with a clear mission - to revolutionize Short Takeoff and Landing (STOL) capabilities with the groundbreaking HyperSTOL aircraft named Draco. Set to debut in 2028 and inspired by a rich legacy of aircraft innovation, DRACO Aircraft aims to push the boundaries of flight bringing unprecedented performance and accessibility to the world of aviation.
DRACO Aircraft is spearheading the HyperSTOL revolution. DRACO, our flagship HyperSTOL aircraft, promises to redefine the limits of short runway operations, offering aviation enthusiasts and professionals unparalleled versatility and cost-effectiveness. The Pratt & Whitney PT6A-28 turboprop engine, coupled with a 102-inch, four-blade MT propeller, propels DRACO to unparalleled performance. With a mere 80-foot takeoff distance, a 4,000-feet-per-minute climb, and a stall speed of around 35 mph, DRACO redefines the standards for STOL aircraft.
Airbus Poland S.A (former PZL „Warszawa-Okęcie”)
Airbus Poland is a subsidiary of Airbus Defence and Space. The company is involved in various aviation activities such as design, prototyping, manufacturing, maintenance, upgrades, research and development, and cooperation in the space industry.
Airbus Poland runs a production plant, design office, and MRO (maintenance, repair, and overhaul) center providing services to the C295 fleets of Poland and foreign operators.
The factory in Warsaw is responsible for the production of civil and military aerostructures. Engineers from Okecie have designed and developed PZL-130 Orlik aircraft for the basic and advanced training of military pilots.
Airbus Poland will serve as a contracted design organization approval (DOA) service provider vis-à-vis EASA until Draco Aircraft’s design organization will be approved by EASA. https://pzlwarszawa.com/en/
Contact:
Draco Aircraft: Johannes von Thadden,
e-mail: johannes.von-thadden@dracoaircraft.com Tel. +48 601 203 250
