The Margański & Mysłowski EM-10 Bielik was a Polish jet trainer prototype developed in the late 1990s to address the urgent need for a modern replacement for the aging TS-11 Iskra. Conceived by engineer Edward Margański, the project began with study work in 1997, followed by the start of prototype construction in 1999. The aircraft was designed to be a "flying simulator," providing basic and advanced military training at a significantly lower cost than the PZL I-22 Iryda program. A full-scale mock-up was presented in 2001, and the completed prototype eventually took its first flight on 4 June 2003 at Mielec, piloted by Wiesław Cena.
Technically, the EM-10 was innovative for the Polish aviation industry, featuring a fuselage primarily constructed from carbon-fiber composites with a light-alloy aft section. The aircraft utilized a pressurized tandem cockpit equipped with two ejection seats. To maintain low weight and acquisition costs, the design omitted heavy integral armament, instead relying on an embedded simulation system to emulate radar, thermal imaging, and weapons employment. The prototype was powered by a General Electric J85-family turbojet (specifically cited as the J85 or the civil CJ610-6 variant), producing approximately 1,380 kg of thrust (13.53 kN).
Performance specifications for the prototype included a maximum speed of 1,100 km/h (approximately Mach 0.9) and a ferry range of 2,500 km when utilizing auxiliary tanks. The aircraft had a maximum takeoff weight of 2,500 kg and an empty weight of 1,700 kg. While the manufacturer envisioned both a military version for aerobatics and navigation and a civilian version for sport aviation, the project never reached serial production. Following only two test flights in June and July 2003, work on the aircraft was halted.
Today, the EM-10 Bielik is regarded as a "forgotten child of Polish aviation," representing a missed opportunity for a domestic private-sector jet. The sole existing airframe is preserved as a static exhibit at the Polish Aviation Museum in Kraków.