The Czech Republic hosted the 7th International L-39 Albatros Users Group Conference (UGC). The event was organized by AERO Vodochody AEROSPACE (Aero) under the patronage of the Czech Air Force. Representatives of users from Europe, Asia, Africa and Latin America met in Prague and Vodochody on 14-15 September. The main focus of the international expert forum, which was opened by the President and CEO of Aero Viktor Sotona and the Commander of the 21st Tactical Air Force Base ?áslav Brigadier General Jaroslav Míka, is to share information and experience of current users with the legendary Czech L-39 Albatros trainer aircraft, massively produced at Aero Vodochody between 1971 and 1996. Nearly 2,900 aircraft were built in the L-39C, L-39ZO, L-39V and L-39ZA versions.
“Hundreds of Czech L-39 Albatros are still flying all over the world. Thousands of professional pilots have successfully trained on them. The UGC is a necessary and highly anticipated event where dozens of representatives of aircraft users meet our designers, technicians, and test pilots. All guests will get insights from us, for example, about the possibilities of upgrading existing L-39. This is also a great opportunity for us at Aero to get feedback from users who are in daily interaction with the aircraft. Our guests were shown how the new generation of the Czech L-39NG trainer can be an ideal solution for full training of pilots of modern air forces and that it can meet their diverse requirements for the future training platform,” says Viktor Sotona, President and CEO of Aero.
The seventh edition of the User Group Conference primarily focused on the future of support and services for the L-39 Albatros aircraft, on effective methods of pilot training through a combination of platforms and technologies, and on the latest knowledge gained in the field of flight safety. Other Czech companies from the aviation industry, including the state-owned company LOM Praha, its subsidiary VR Group and the Flight Training Centre in Pardubice, also presented themselves to the international conference participants. The agenda of the UGC, which took place on 14-15 September in Prague, also included a factory tour of the Aero Vodochody plant. Foreign and domestic delegates visited the facility where maintenance, repair and general overhaul work on L-39 Albatros aircraft is carried out. Guests also visited the facility where the serial production of the L-39NG aircraft takes place.
The modern, efficient, and complex L-39NG aircraft can now be sold worldwide as it has received type certification without restrictions. In addition, all systems and requirements within the European Union and North Atlantic Treaty Organisation countries are compatible with this Czech aircraft from Aero. The general partner of the 7th International L-39 Albatros User Group Conference was Omnipol, and the event partner was Defcon. The Aero L-39NG (“Next Generation”) is a turbofan-powered military trainer and light combat aircraft developed and produced by the Czech aircraft manufacturer Aero Vodochody. It is a successor of the Cold War era Aero L-39 Albatros. Numerous civil and military customers have placed orders for the L-39NG, including a dedicated reconnaissance variant.
