The crashed aircraft at Graf Ignatievo Air Base is L-39ZA "Albatross”. The aircraft is a training aircraft and was in preparation for tomorrow's demonstrations. Celebrations were to be held on the occasion of the 20th anniversary of Bulgaria's accession to NATO and the 35th anniversary of the adoption of the MiG-29 aircraft into service with the Bulgarian Air Force.
After the incident, the solemn events were cancelled. An investigation is currently underway, bTV reports.
What is the L-39ZA “Albatross“ aircraft?
The Aero L-39 Albatros is a jet trainer aircraft,
designed and manufactured by Aero Vodochody in the Czech Republic. In addition to conducting basic and advanced pilot training, he also flew combat missions.
It was designed in the 1960s as a successor to the Aero L-29 Delfín - a jet-powered training aircraft. It made its first flight on November 4, 1968 and became the world's first trainer aircraft equipped with a jet engine.
Mass production of the L-39 Albatros continued in 1971. A year later, it was officially recognized by most Warsaw Pact countries as their preferred aircraft for training flights.
In the 1990s, it also became popular among civil flight operators. By the end of the century, more than 2,800 L-39s were in service with over 30 air forces.
Production of the original L-39 ended in the mid-1990s, with orders declining significantly after the end of the Cold War. In July 2014, Aero Vodochody announced the launch of the L-39NG, an improved and modernized version of the L-39. In 2023, L-39NG production resumed.
"L-39ZA “Albatross" is a highly maneuverable jet trainer designed for initial and advanced flight training,
as well as for initial training and improvement of flight skills of crews for combat use”, the Ministry of Defense states.
On September 17, 2016, Bulgaria celebrates the 30th anniversary of the L-39ZA “Albatross”. The Department of Defense released a video commemorating her. The Bulgarian order for this type of aircraft dates back to 1985 – a total of 36 aircraft spread over two squadrons. The first of them is from the second and combat training aviation regiment (UBAP), based at "Kamenets" airport.
It received 12 aircraft in 1986 and a few more in 1987. The second squadron received 12 L-39 ZAs in 1990. In 1987, a TL-39 trainer was also delivered, installed in VNVVU “Georgi Benkovski&ldquo ; – Dolna Mitropolia, commented on the "Civil Aviation" aviation forum.
The first group of Bulgarian pilots – a total of 10 people, as well as engineering and technical staff, went on a training course for the new aircraft in March 1986. It was held at the training center of the Czechoslovak Air Force in Košice.
The course lasts two months. In May, the flight and engineering staff were allowed to fly and operate the aircraft with excellent results. The first L-39Z A with boarding number 827 landed on Bulgarian soil and was assigned to the 2nd UBAP, Kamenets airport, on September 1, 1986.
The new aircraft serves to replace the obsolete advanced flight training aircraft UMiG-15 and MiG-17
in one of the squadrons of the 2nd UPAB, and the other at that time was flying the MiG-21. After the decommissioning of the MiG-21, both squadrons of the regiment in "Kamenets” are re-armed with L-39 ZA.
In June 2006, the "Kamenets" air base is closed and the planes are included in the composition of the newly formed Air Force training base “Georgi Benkovski“ – Lower Metropolis.