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L-39 Albatros:
Own and Fly a Fighter Jet
Background
The L-39C Albatros is a high-performance jet trainer de- signed in Czechoslovakia in the 1960s – one of the very first to be equipped with a turbofan powerplant. More than 2,800 were built, some of which were deployed for combat in the –ZO con- figuration with heavier wheels and brakes and extra hardpoints under the wings.
Ruggedly designed for operations from unimproved fields, the L-39 has proven to be a reliable machine well-suited for a civilian role as an aerobatic PLJ (personal light jet). Currently, 234 L-39 jets are registered in the United States, making the Albatros one of America’s most popular jet warbirds.
The L-39 has serious ramp appeal. With its sharply tapered nose, narrow fuselage, and twin over-the-wing air intakes, it looks like it is built to go fast. The top of the tail is more than 15 feet above the ground, and the almost 40-foot length is balanced
by Dan Greenwald
by 31-foot wings mounted to the aft fuselage. Wingtip fuel tanks and duel needle-like pitot-static masts complete its distinctive appearance. Large bubble canopies enclose front and rear cock- pits. The aft seat is elevated, so both pilots enjoy tremendous visibility. The cockpits are roomy, and with adjustable rudder pedals and electric seat elevation controls, pilots of all sizes can be comfortably accommodated. For aircraft equipped with hot ejection seats, there is an adjustment for pilot weight.
The L-39 is sturdy and simple to operate. High over-the-wing air intakes minimize the risk of FOD (foreign object damage) when operating on and off unimproved strips. Landing gear, flaps and spoilers are hydraulically activated by an engine-driven pump that supplies constant pressure to main and emergency circuits. If the pump fails and main system pressure is depleted, there is a pilot-operated interconnect that allows gear, flaps and
February 2019
TWIN & TURBINE • 11