Zlin Z.50

I have owned 4 of these wonderful airplanes and flown them professionally in Airshows for 20 years. The 50 is reliable, strong, and remarkably easy to fly. I wish I had never sold mine! I am restoring one from South Africa right now. Google "Tumbling Bear" to see them in action.
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First flying on the 18th July 1975, after the initial design work had started some 18 months previously, the civil registered Z50 flew so successfully that both the Czechs and the Poles entered them in the 1976 World Aerobatic Championships where a Czech Z50 finished third behind two Russian Yak 50's. The Czech team came second overall. The next year Czech Z50's came first and second and the Czech's won the team prize as well.

Zlin Z50L
Power plant 1 x 260 h.p. Lycoming AEIO-540 L1B5D flat six
Span 28'1 3 /4" Length 21' 8 3 /4" Height 6'1 3 /4"
Wing area 135 sq ft Empty weight 1,257 lb Maximum Take Off Weight 1.587 lb
Maximum speed 182 mph Cruising speed 149 mph Range with maximum fuel including tip tanks 397 miles
Service ceiling 19,675 ft

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They can't run with the new crop of carbon fiber rocket ships, but they're a blast to fly, and NOTHING tumbles like a Z-50!

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One of the best all-around aerobatic aircraft ever built. Designed and built like a military aircraft, rather that derived from a home-built. it is easy to service and clearly designed to be strong where required and light where not. Extraordinarily comfortable for the pilot, it was possibly the first to introduce the reclining seat position that is now standard in aerobatic aircraft, in order to improve high-gee tolerance.

The Zlin 50 is frequently found in club service in Europe, and due to its extremely docile takeoff and landing behavior, students of relatively low experience are quickly transitioned to the type. Likewise the powerful and predictable controls and in-flight characteristics prevent the loss of control accidents often found on other types.

Contrary to the above post, I had no issues with either of the Hoffman props that I had on my aircraft, finding them to be much more reliable and free of service bulletins than the similar MT propellers frequently found on other aerobatic types.

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I imported and owned a couple Z-50's. The first was serial no. 12, a 1977, 260 hp. LA model that I bought from the Romanian Aeroclub. I replaced it with serial no.0067, a Czech 1994 LS from the Devils of Unimax, that I upgraded to an LX model. I spent 13 years making a living in it. They can't run with the new crop of carbon fiber rocket ships, but they're a blast to fly, and NOTHING tumbles like a Z-50!

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The compsite props had some issues.

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