The L-39, short for Aero Vodochody L-39 Albatros, is a high performance, low-wing, aircraft designed to become a standard jet trainer. The L-39 was built in the late 1960’s as the successor to the L-29 Delfin and its design combined an efficient, powerful turbofan engine with a sleek, streamlined fuselage, resulting in a strong, economical performance aircraft. After initial production, the aircraft went on to be a great success with the Soviet, Czech and East German air forces, among others.

The L-39 is a widely used aircraft due to several factors. The aircraft has excellent handling characteristics within the whole flight envelope and outstanding visibility from both cockpits. It is also an aircraft that is very easy to maintain and service and is known for its low operational cost and high reliability.

The practical suitability of L-39 aircraft for training tasks is demonstrated daily in the military service of more than 30 Air Forces in Europe, Asia, Africa and America. The entire L-39 fleet, covering more than 2,800 delivered L-39 aircraft worldwide, has accumulated over 4,000,000 flying hours. TADS is positioning itself to utilize L-39’s for its new Close Air Support (CAS) training exercises.

• L-39 Specifications
• Performance
• Armament

Engine: One 3,792-lb thrust Ivchenko AI-25-TL

Weight: Empty 7,340 lbs., Max Takeoff 11,618 lbs. (L-39ZO with four rocket pods)

Wing Span: 31 ft 0.5 in.

Length: 40 ft 5 in.

Height: 15 ft 5.5 in.

Maximum speed at 19,600 ft: 485 mph (Trainer version, clean)

Maximum speed at Sea Level: 435 mph

Ceiling: 37,730 ft. (Trainer, clean)

Range: 528 miles with internal fuel; 995 miles with external tanks

Armament (L-39ZO): Up to 2,425 pounds of weapons on four underwing hardpoints, including bombs, 57- or 130-mm rocket pods, gun pods, a five-camera reconnaissance pod, or two fuel drop-tanks. Centerline point carried a pod-mounted 23-mm twin-barrel GSh-23 cannon with 180 rounds.