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other light jets will be familiar with the performance of the L-39. With a climb speed of around 220 kts and a climb rate from 2,500-4000 fpm, it is nearly identical to that of most light business jets.
We point the nose south and scout for a large enough hole in the scattered layer of clouds. Dan spots one that he likes and tells me to climb through it. But clearly not satisfied with my “corporate pilot” climb technique, he takes the flight con- trols and shows me how to do it fighter pilot-style. We rocket above the cloud layer and the controls are transferred back to me.
“Alright, starting on a south heading, level at 11,500, let’s do steep turns left and right,” says Dan.
I roll in left aileron and start what I would consider to be a standard 50-de- gree banked steep turn. Dan, sensing something still hasn’t clicked in my brain, shouts, “It’s a fighter jet, dude! Bank it and pull!”
That is all of the motivation I need. I push the stick hard to the left and pull it towards my belly. I quickly feel the
Jared Jacobs (left) with instructor Dan Greenwald.
higher G loading set in as the G meter on the Garmin rolls through +2.0 G’s. Channeling my inner Maverick, I lead the roll out and swing the stick hard right. The jet happily rolls through wings level and into a nearly 80-degree bank back to the right.
Once we level out back to our south heading, Dan asks me to close the throttle
and pitch the nose up 20 degrees for a clean stall. I comply and hold the nose up until I feel the onset of a noticeable, but not overly violent buffet. Instinctively, I drop the nose and cram the power in.
As I wait the 8 seconds required for the engine to spool up from idle to full power, I hear “Woah there, cowboy. It looks like you got the memo to reduce
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22 • TWIN & TURBINE / June 2019 Jet Journal