A pair of turboprop TP 100 engines purred into action shortly after noon in an EM-11C Orka aircraft made by the Polish company Margański & Myslowski, before gracefully ascending above Czechowice-Dziedzice Airport in Silesia Province. This was the first flight to take place under the ESPOSA project, coordinated by PBS AEROSPACE.
The pilot of the aircraft, Krzysztof Galus, spoke highly of its rapid acceleration on the runway, testing the rate of climb during the first few minutes at 33 ft/s (10 m/s). A part of the test was also a one-engine flight, which saw the Orka climbing at up to 8 ft/s (2.5 m/s). Upon landing, Galus enthused about the superb combination of both engines from the PBS and Orka aircraft. He also gave a big thumbs-up to the ease of control in steering the aircraft on take-off and during the flight and landing. The Orka took to the skies three times over the course of the afternoon and clocked up a total flight time of 1.5 hours.
The EM-11C Orka is a Polish shoulder-wing monoplane driven by two TP 100 turboprop engines in pusher configuration, designed for the transportation of up to 4 persons. Effective weight of the aircraft is 1,213 lb (550 kg) , maximum take-off weight 4,000 lb (1,820 kg). Aircraft dimensions: length 28 ft (8.7 m), wingspan 44 ft (13.5 m), wing area 177 sq/ft (16.5 m2), height 8.5 ft (2.6 m). Maximum speed 223 mph (360 km/h). Rate of climb 33 ft/s (10 m/s). Manufacturer: Margański & Mysłowski Zakłady Lotnicze.