Aero L-39 Albatros

what is it?

The Aero L-39 Albatros is a high-performance jet trainer designed and produced by Aero Vodochody in the Czech Republic. In addition to performing basic and advanced pilot training, it has also flown combat missions in a light-attack role. Despite its manufacturing origin in the Warsaw Pact, the L-39 never received a NATO reporting name.

🔎How to recognise it: 1 jet engine · 9.5 m wingspan

base stats

• speed 750 km/htop speed
• range 1,100 kmwithout refuelling
• seats 2passengers
• size 4,700 kgmax take-off weight
• built 2,900made in total

Bars compare against all aircraft: 3,500 km/h, 20,000 km, 850 seats; size and number built on a log scale up to 640 t (An-225) and 45,000 built (Cessna 172).

fun facts

• 🎂First flew 58 years ago, in 1968.
• 🏎️Top speed is 5.8× a car on the Dutch motorway (130 km/h).
• 🚗Wingspan of 9.5 m: about 2 cars parked nose to tail.
• 🌍Range of 1,100 km: 6× Amsterdam to Brussels.
• 🏔️Can fly 1.2× higher than Mount Everest (8,849 m).

jet: Gas turbine pushing air out the back (turbofan or turbojet): fast and high-flying.

spec sheet

first flight

1968

introduced

1972

status

still flying

number built

2,900

role

military trainer aircraft, light ground-attack aircraft

origin

🇨🇿 Czechoslovakia

makers

AERO Vodochody Aerospace

engines

1× Ivchenko AI-25TL

crew

2

passengers

2

length

12.1 m

wingspan

9.5 m

height

4.8 m

max take-off weight

4,700 kg

top speed

750 km/h

range

1,100 km

ceiling

11,000 m

Specs are for the version in the Wikipedia article's specification section. Blank means the sources don't say.

family