L-39 Albatros design & speed
Designed to be relatively compact making it ideal for training and tight-flight missions, the Albatros is only 39ft in length with a wingspan of just 31ft, yet still had room for a twin cockpit. Powered by a Ivchenko AI-25TL turbofan engine, the L-39 Albatros has a top speed of 470mph with a ceiling height of 37,000ft. Weighing just 3,455kg, the Albatros’ small dimensions and lightweight make it incredibly agile, hence why many aerobatic display teams have adopted the L-39 as their choice of aircraft.
L-39 Albatros armaments
A small aircraft can only carry a small amount of weaponry, but that doesn’t stop some airforces using the L-39 for ground-attack missions. The L-39 Albatros has two hardpoints for weapons, one each wing, that can carry a total of 284kg of stores, although some later upgraded L-39s were able to hold four hardpoints. Common armaments included K-13 or R-60 air-to-air missiles, which are used either in combat or in combination with drop tanks for training purposes.
L-39 Albatros trainer aircraft
Popular with airforces all over the world, the L-39 Albatros is commonly used as a trainer aircraft before pilots graduate to the MiG-29. It is ideal as a trainer aircraft for it’s multirole capabilities as a light ground-attack or even a tactical reconnaissance aircraft, allowing pilots to gain all the experience they require for future missions in a multirole fighter such as the MiG. Although only providing subsonic speeds, excellent visibility and small dimensions make it the ideal ‘first jet’ for any pilot to experience, making it the ideal plane for you to fly yourself. With the L-39 being built in such large numbers, Jetify are able to offer flights in the Albatros across multiple countries worldwide.
L-39 Albatros variants
Throughout it’s lifetime, the L-39 Albatros has been developed and upgraded into over 10 different models. These models have been built for varying customer requirements as well as developed to serve varying roles in different airforces, as well as natural upgrades being made throughout the life of the L-39’s production. Notable models include the L-39ZA which was upgraded with sturdier landing gear, a total of four hardpoints for weaponry and even a GSh-23L 23-millimeter double-barrelled cannon mounded under the pilot’s compartment with a 150 round magazine. Another notable model was the L-39MS which later became the L-59; this featured numerous upgrades including a longer nose, strengthened fuselage, an updated cockpit and a new engine. Developed in the mid 1980’s it later became the L-59 Super Albatros.
What you’ll fly: L-39C Albatros
Jetify offer access to many L-39 Albatros flights all over the world. Due to the mass production and low cost of these jets, many flight experience companies worldwide have adopted them as their jet of choice. While some locations vary, the most popular model is the L-39C; the ‘C’ standing for ‘Cvičná’ which translates to ‘training’. Around 2,260 L-39C’s were built worldwide, so it’s easy to see the availability and popularity of this particular jet.
Fly an L-39 Albatros
The L-39 Albatros is available to fly with Jetify in multiple countries across the world. Popular with many airforces, air display teams and flying schools world wide, the L-39 is the ideal jet to experience what a machine of this capability can do. The L-39 Albatros is the ideal fighter jet to not only experience, but fly for yourself. As with every flight, it is completely up to you what manoeuvres you wish to perform when up in the air, so if you wish to take the controls yourself under supervision of your instructor, you can.
