PZL Mielec M28 Skytruck

Twin Turboprop

The PZL Mielec M28 Skytruck is a rugged Polish twin-turboprop utility aircraft descended from the Soviet Antonov An-28, designed for short-field operations in austere environments. First flown in 1984 as a license-built An-28, the type was progressively modernized by PZL Mielec with Western avionics and PT6A-65B engines, emerging as the M28 in the 1990s. Its high-wing configuration, fixed tricycle gear, and rear cargo ramp make it ideal for parachute operations, medevac missions, and freight hauling into unprepared strips, capabilities that have found favor with military customers and specialized civilian operators worldwide. The aircraft can operate from grass, gravel, or snow surfaces as short as 1,300 feet, a performance envelope few modern turboprops can match. Powered by two Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A-65B engines producing 1,100 shaft horsepower each, the M28 cruises at around 180 knots with a range of approximately 800 nautical miles and a service ceiling near 20,000 feet. Its boxy fuselage accommodates up to 19 passengers or 4,400 pounds of cargo, with large cabin doors and the aft ramp enabling rapid loading of outsized freight or paratroopers. While not fast by regional airliner standards, the Skytruck excels in the niche roles where reliability, payload flexibility, and rough-field performance matter more than speed: bush operations in Africa, island-hopping logistics in the Pacific, and military transport duties across Eastern Europe and Asia. SkyMeter has tracked 41 flights across 7 airframes and 1 operators, with the largest observed operator.