Agroservice Company of EADS PZL „Warszawa-Okęcie” S.A. based in Mielec, is a business organisation specialised in aviation services in the area of fire-fighting flights, agricultural flights, patrol flights and other service flights not requiring specialised equipment installed in aircraft.
The target of the Quality Policy adopted by ZUA Mielec is to achieve and retain high quality of rendered services at a level which will be competitive among the world’s best aviation organisations.
Since 28 August 2001, the Agroservice Company, PZL “Warszawa-Okęcie” S.A. is owned by EADS (European Aeronautics Defence and Space), the largest European aerospace organisation.
Do dyspozycji klientów posiadamy flotę 112 samolotów, w tym M18B Dromader, AN-2, PZL-104 Wilga oraz PZL-106 Kruk. Zmodernizowane zaplecze techniczne pozwala nam wykonywać większość prac we własnym zakresie oferując równocześnie szeroki wachlarz usług dla klientów zewnętrznych.
History
In 1972, AGROAVIATION COMPANY (ZUA) has been established within the structure of Polish Aviation Works (PZL) “Warszawa-Okęcie”.
The period 1972–1986 was the “golden age’ for agro-services in Poland with peak occurred in the year 1980 — during those seasons, 150 AN-2 a/c were contracted as average by PGRs (State Owned Farms) with minimum guaranteed flight time of 360 hours per a/c.
In the period form 1976 to 1980, the area covered by agro-services exceeded 2 million hectares per year.
During those years, employment level increased from 240 persons (60 pilots and 86 mechanics) in 1972 to 805 persons (266 pilots and 298 mechanics) in 1986.
In 1986, Polish Government cut subsidies for agriculture and that spelt almost the end of agro flights in Poland. As a result, in 1991 only one AN-2 was contracted by one of those large PGR farms.
In 1984, ZUA for the first time trained pilots in fire-fighting techniques & technology. The same year, a nation-wide a/c-based forest fire fighting program was adopted in Poland. First fire-fighting bases were organized in Gozdnica, Szczecin and Warszawa. The number of fire-fighting bases was increasing with each passing year.
In 1994, the agro-service base in Mielec was established the headquarters of AGROAVIATION COMPANY within PZL “Warszawa-Okęcie” structure.
During 33 years of our activities on the market, we have worked in more than 20 countries, e.g. Portugal, Spain, Iran, Sudan, Ethiopia, Egypt, Tunisia, Algeria, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Mali, Nigeria, Libya, Saudi Arabia, Chile and others. As a result we have flown more than 1,180,000 hours, including:
- 1 million 7 thousands hours in agro flights — LV, ULV spraying and dusting; - 150 thousands hours in fire-fighting flights; - 23 thousands hours in humanitarian missions under auspices of UNO.
The numbers of flown hours increases consistently.
The recent years
On 18th May 2000, we have purchased a new lot of land (1,5935 ha) at the Mielec airport with buildings which we adopted for offices and place to build a new hangar.
On 6th December 2000 we were granted a permit for construction of a new hangar and on 24th July 2001, during external session of Board of Directors, there was an official ceremony of handing over a new modern hangar with total area of 1080 m2.
On 28th August 2001, the European consortium EADS CASA purchased 51% shares of PZL “Warszawa-Okęcie” S.A. and thus we became a part of the largest European aeronautic structure.
On 6th June 2001, our aviation fuel station TOTAL FINA was opened and the first PZL-104 Wilga a/c was refuelled.
On 31st October 2002, our Aviation Training Centre at Agroaviation Company, EADS PZL “Warszawa-Okęcie” S.A., was granted the Type Rating Training Organisation (TRTO) certificate issued by Poland’s Civil Aviation Office, Personnel Licensing Inspectorate. The Training Specification for our Training Centre is valid for both Polish and foreign pilots trained in Poland and abroad.
