a strategic partnership with
Omnipol, a leading Czech defence
and aerospace company, which
serves as a risk-sharing partner
within the L-39NG programme.
Behind the scenes there’s been
hard work to ensure the L-39NG
is fit for purpose in today’s
competitive market. L-39NG vice
president Marco Venanzetti, who
joined the company in August
2016, explained: “When I arrived
here there was a project [for the
’NG], but the design was not
frozen and we had to reposition
the aircraft in the market.
“Now we think we have the
best training solution out there –
boasting fantastic avionics systems
with on-board virtual simulation.”
Venanzetti believes no turboprop
or jet trainer can match the
capabilities or cost of the
L-39NG. “None of them cando what we can do. We have
the same acquisition costs as a
turboprop and sometimes the
operational costs are also less.”
He added: “A turboprop trainer
can’t operate above 25,000ft, it
can’t fly over 280kts and can’t
sustain the major ‘g’s experienced
in real combat ops. The L-39NG can
do all of this. And we don’t think the
turboprop can provide the training
that allows pilots to jump straight
into a Eurofighter, Gripen or F-16.”L-39CW testbed
Production of parts and sub-
assemblies began last year, and
pre-serial production in January.
While all eyes have been on the
L-39NG, the company’s L-39CW
has been quietly leading the
flying development phase. As a
testbed, it’s helping accelerate the
new jet’s certification process.Development of the L-39NG
has been divided into two
phases to arrive at a completely
new aircraft – consisting of a
new airframe, new engine, new
avionics, new cockpit (canopy,
ejection seat) and other features.
The first step certified integration
of the new engine and new avionics
on an existing L-39 platform,
which led to the intermediate
L-39CW configuration. The second
brought in a new airframe and
other systems modifications.
Aero is offering current L-39
operators an option to upgrade
their existing platforms with the
new engine and avionics.
Another benefit of using
the L-39CW testbed is to
facilitate launching the new
aircraft in serial production
configuration rather than waiting
for a prototype to prove it.After the L-39CW was certified
late last year, Giordo announced:
“Aero now has certification for both
the engine installation and the new
avionics. Such an achievement
gives us an important advantage
in the schedule of the L-39NG
project and an available solution
already for L-39 users. It’s an
important milestone in our path to
rollout and flying the new aircraft.”
The type certificate, granted by
the military aviation supervisory
department of the Czech
Ministry of Defence, is helping
pave the way towards ’NG
certification by the end of 2020.
The L-39CW has been
upgraded with new avionics
between February and early
August this year. A new glass
cockpit – with two 6 x 8in (152 x
203mm) Genesys multifunction
displays (MFDs) – gives aircrewhttp://www.airforcesmonthly.com #369 DECEMBER 2018 // 35Albatros stretches its wings
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