Der Jet von nebenan: Er hat sich eine L-39 gekauft … jetzt muss er sich den Flug erst verdienen

Video from the channel Silva Adventures about Aero L-39 Albatros, linked on its Above Ten Thousand entry. Duration: 14:05. Language: English. Video type: Documentary.

A report about Nate, a general aviation pilot from Lincoln Regional Airport in California. After having owned ten aircraft, he has bought an Aero L-39 Albatros, but he cannot fly it yet. First he must complete his instrument rating, obtain an FAA letter of authorization, do about 10 hours of instruction with his instructor, Paul "Sticky" Strickland, and pass an FAA check ride in Arizona. In the meantime he practices taxiing, including runs at about 60 knots.

His father flew F-4 Phantoms in the Navy, and his last aircraft before the jet was a 1948 Ryan Navion. This L-39 had been grounded for ten years. Strickland inspected it and brought it from Utah under an FAA ferry permit. John Morgan, of Pride Aircraft, recognized the aircraft as one he himself had prepared when it arrived in the United States.

Pride fitted it with larger wingtip tanks and an auxiliary tank, which raised capacity from 290 to almost 410 gallons, plus a simple autopilot. It retains the original engine, built in Ukraine. It has about 400 hours of use out of roughly 1,000, and replacing it costs about $250,000. It takes about 12 seconds to spool up thrust, versus 3 for the Honeywell alternative. The cockpit is pressurized and air-conditioned, and Nate plans to deactivate the ejection seats, as most owners do.