The design of the ACRO is based on the SZD-48-3 Jantar Standard 3. It was developed in 1990/91 under the leadership of Jan Knapik. The fuselage of the
Jantar remained mostly unchanged. The T-tail of the Jantar was replaced by a conventional empennage with a rudder of increased size and the horizontal tail of the
SZD-42-2. The outer wings are removable, reducing the wingspan to 13.2 m. In this configuration the ACRO is certified for +7 and -5 g and all aerobatic manoeuvres.
The prototype was shown shortly at the World Championship 1991 in Zielona Góra. 12 gliders were delivered until 1996, when production was halted by the
economic collapse of the SZD.
The new company Allstar PZL re-started production of the ACRO in 2004. The ACRO will most likely remain the only fully aerobatic single-seat glider in
current production for the foreseeable future.
In 2016/17 Allstar PZL updated the design by replacing the original aileron-drive by a simpler mechanism with less friction. The previous two-part ailerons are now one
piece and the original airbrakes which opened upwards and downwards were replaced by the larger airbrakes of the SZD-55 opening upwards only. The wingtip-extensions for
15 m span were completely redesigned with up to date aerodynamics. In addition, wingtip extensions for 17.4 m span may also be mounted.
Flight testing of the modifications was completed in April 2017, but due to delays by the Polish authorities, the EASA Major Change Approval was not issued till December.
In competition aerobatics the ACRO had its greatest success so far, when Johan Gustafsson from Sweden won the Advanced World Championship in Finland in 2013.
With 15 m wingspan the ACRO is competitive in cross-country soaring as well. With an IGC-index of 102 it is well suited for the FAI Club Class.
In 2016 the SAGA membership decided unanimously to purchase an SZD-59. But due to delays with the certification of the modified design, it was not before January 2018 that we received our new ACRO. It is the first production glider with the above mentioned modifications.
Technical Data (aerobatic version)
| wing span | 13,2 m |
| wing area | 9,8 m² |
| airfoil section | NN-8 |
| length | 6,85 m |
| max. empty mass | 270 kg |
| max. flying mass | 380 kg |
| safe load factors | +7,0 / -5,0 |
| manoeuvre speed VA | 200 km/h |
| max. speed VNE | 285 km/h |
| best glide | 36 at 115 km/h |
| min.sink rate | 0,7 m/s at 80 km/h |
The Flight Manual is available under this link.
updated 05-2018