Zlín Z-50LA

In the 1970s and 1980s, pilots flying Zlín Z-50L and LS variants achieved significant success in international aerobatic competitions. Among them, Petr Jirmus became European Champion twice and also won the World Aerobatic Championship twice in the highest category – Unlimited. This aircraft type was also used by the Polish aerobatic team. The appearance of the Su-26 and other new aerobatic aircraft types marked the end of the Z-50’s competitive success. Production of the “fifty” ended in 1994.

The Z-50LA aircraft with serial number 0009 and registration SP-AUB is one of the prototypes of the LA version, powered by the Lycoming AEIO-540 engine. It was manufactured in 1976. Initially, it flew at the Gliwice Aero Club as part of the Aerobatic Centre, and was subsequently used by the Mielec, Ziemia Lubuska, and Poznan aero clubs. As part of the “Zelazny” (Iron) Aerobatic Group, flying as number 4, it performed across Poland and also in South Korea in 2008. It was a regular guest at successive editions of the Lesser Poland Air Show. On 4 November 2011, the aircraft was ferried to the Rakowice-Czyzyny Airstrip and subsequently donated to the Museum by representatives of the Zelazny Aerobatic Group: Artur Haladyn, Wojciech Krupa, and Piotr Haberland.