The first customer, Vietnam, has successfully completed the SAT (Site Acceptance Test) of L-39NG trainer aircraft. The six L-39NG aircraft have thus successfully passed the final acceptance test with the Vietnamese Air Force, during which they were fully assembled, all their functions verified and flown by a factory pilot on site. Vietnam is the first user of the L-39NG aircraft to receive the aircraft in partnership with Aero’s shareholder Omnipol. The delivery of finished L-39NG aircraft to the customer has several prescribed phases and steps. Once all the specified requirements have been met in the so-called FAT (Factory Acceptance Test), which means the factory level acceptance test at the Aero plant, the aircraft can be delivered to its destination. Here, the so-called SAT (Site Acceptance Test) is carried out, which is the process by which the machine is tested and accepted by the customer. The purpose of the SAT is to ensure that the aircraft is correctly installed and configured and is ready for operation.
“The final step of the handover of the aircraft, called SAT, takes place directly at the customer’s site and is directed by a joint team of around ten specialists from Aero and Omnipol,” says Victor Sotona, CEO and Chairman of the Board of Aero, adding: “I am extremely pleased that the final assembly and flight of the six L-39NGs went well, and our aircraft can now fully serve as a training platform for fighter pilots as well as a tactical platform fulfilling a wide range of missions for the Vietnamese Air Force.”
The customer also receives the appropriate theoretical and practical training kit with the completed L-39NG aircraft, which also includes a simulation training system or manuals for pilots and mechanics. The manual for the L-39NG is tens of thousands of pages long and serves as a guide for technicians during repairs, including information on the necessary tools and their use. Pilots have an equally comprehensive manual that details procedures for various flight maneuvers and situations.
Approximately 400 supplier companies are involved in the production of the L-39NG, with about 65% of the suppliers coming from the Czech Republic. The assembly of one L-39NG aircraft requires approximately 14,000 parts, 17,500 rivets and 31,000 hours of labour. The L-39NG platform, combining modern avionics systems, an efficient jet engine and excellent flight characteristics, currently enables both Western and Eastern configurations and meets the requirements for comprehensive and cost-effective training of future pilots of fourth and fifth generation aircraft such as the F-16 and F-35. In addition to pilot training, the L-39NG is also suitable for light combat and reconnaissance missions. The contract for the purchase of 12 L-39NGs was awarded by Omnipol, which co-owns Aero, to Vietnam in 2021, making it the first customer.
AERO Vodochody AEROSPACE a.s. focuses on the development, production, maintenance and modernization of military and civil aircraft and is the largest aircraft manufacturer in the Czech Republic and one of the oldest aircraft manufacturers in the world. In the field of its own aircraft, Aero is a permanent partner of a number of military air forces and has a strong position in the market for military trainer and light combat aircraft. With 11,000 aircraft produced in its 100 years of existence, hundreds of L-39 Albatros aircraft still in service with dozens of military operators and a number of demo teams, and especially with its new L-39NG aircraft, Aero has established itself as a leader in the global jet trainer market. In the civil aviation sector, Aero works with major aircraft manufacturers on a wide range of projects and is a partner in several risk-sharing programs, where it is responsible not only for the manufacture and assembly of aircraft assemblies, but also for their development.
