High Quality Content by WIKIPEDIA articles! The PZL W-3 Sokó? (Polish for "Falcon") is a Polish medium-size, twin-engine, multipurpose helicopter manufactured by PZL-?widnik. The W-3 Sokó? ('Falcon') is the first helicopter to be fully designed and serial-built in Poland, and is PZL's most promising sales prospect in the near future. Work on the project was started at WSK PZL ?widnik in 1973 by the team of Stanis?aw Kami?ski. The Sokó? made its first flight on November 16, 1979, and has since been certificated in Poland, Russia, the US and Germany. Following a fairly protracted development program, low rate production of the Sokó? commenced during 1985. Initial sales of the general purpose Sokó? were within Poland and in the Eastern Bloc, before the collapse of Communism allowed PZL Swidnik to broaden its sales base. To do this PZL Swidnik developed the improved W3A Sokó? aimed at achieving Western certification. Certification to US FAR Pt 29 standards was granted in May 1993, while German certification was granted in December of that year.