Gauntlet Warbirds Aero Vodochody L-39C Albatros

Gauntlet Warbirds is the owner and operator of this Aero Vodochody L-39C Albatros, which is available for airshows, flybys, training and film. Gauntlet Warbirds is a warbird, aerobatic and tailwheel training center at the Aurora Airport, just west of downtown Chicago. Their instructors specialize in transitioning pilots of all experience levels to high-performance piston and jet aircraft.

The L-39 Albatros, a high-performance jet trainer, was developed by Czechoslovakia during the 1960's as a successor to the L-29 Delfin. Built by Aero-Vodochody, it entered full-scale production in late 1972. It was designed for basic, advanced, and operational pilot training and for light attack missions.

It was highly successful as the basic jet trainer for the Soviet Union, Czechoslovakia, East Germany, and many other Warsaw Pact countries. It is still the most widely used jet trainer in the world. Today, more than 2,800 are still in service with over 30 air forces from around the world.

While newer versions are now replacing older L-39s in service, thousands remain in active service as trainers, and many are finding new homes with private owners all over the world. This is particularly evident in the United States, where their $200,000-$300,000 price puts them in range of moderately wealthy pilots looking for a fast, agile personal jet. Their popularity has led to a purely L-39 'Jet Unlimited' class at the Reno National Championship Air Races. As of mid-March 2006, there are 257 L-39s in the US Federal Aviation register.

Two L-39ZOs were featured in the James Bond film Tomorrow Never Dies, while one made an
appearance in Lord of War.

The L-39C transition course prepares a student for a checkride to earn an experimental aircraft authorization and act as PIC of this jet warbird. Ground instruction includes aircraft history, systems, normal and emergency procedures and performance, boldface memory items, a review of jet warbird accidents and their causes, aeronautical decision making and regulations pertaining to jet warbirds. The flight portion of the course includes stalls, steep turns, basic aerobatics, unusual attitude recoveries, normal and crosswind landings, overhead approaches, cross country planning, simulated flame outs, high altitude operations and emergency procedures.

After completion of this course the student can take their checkride to earn their L-39 experimental aircraft authorization with an examiner in our jet.

Photo Gallery

Contact