Question about L-39's...

[Gatordev]

While waiting for my guys to find a "lost" seat stop so we could all go home, I wandered over to Trade-a-Plane and saw an add for L-39s. After a little web clicking, it was clear that they are relatively inexpensive for a quick jet, albeit with only 2 seats.

So my question to the "warbird"/airshow crowd here (I'm guessing guys like Hacker, Stearmann and Yak have some first hand info)... What's the catch? Why are they so cheap? Is it parts? Are they death traps? Just curious since a really expensive one (based on my mere minutes of research) is less than $400K.

 

[nittany03]

I may be talking out the wrong end of my alimentary canal, but I noticed the same WRT L-29s, Iskras, Jet Provosts, and other older jet trainers. Then I Googled the care and feeding of said beasts. Given what you've got to shell out to keep one running/insured, I'd bet there are a whole lot of formerly fat cats who are trying to get out from under them in the current economy. Just a thought.

Also, I bet that the Eastern Bloc will sell them cheap (same reason you can get a Yak or CJ for under $80K). But again, that don't make the maintenance on a turbofan less pricey.

 

[ryan1234]

While waiting for my guys to find a "lost" seat stop so we could all go home, I wandered over to Trade-a-Plane and saw an add for L-39s. After a little web clicking, it was clear that they are relatively inexpensive for a quick jet, albeit with only 2 seats.

So my question to the "warbird"/airshow crowd here (I'm guessing guys like Hacker, Stearmann and Yak have some first hand info)... What's the catch? Why are they so cheap? Is it parts? Are they death traps? Just curious since a really expensive one (based on my mere minutes of research) is less than $400K.

They are what they are. Not too expensive to own/operate compared to other jets.... self contained starts. Parts are usually pretty cheap and easy to come by. The engine's advertised TBO is 1000 - will it run longer... probably.

1984+ are the years that you want if you can get it. They're pretty simple, straight forward jets... the main complaint is the lack of power thrust (seemed fine to me - but I don't have all that much experience with anything comparable). Technically a turbofan, it has a decently lengthy spool time.

Unfortunately the 'community' itself is full of quite a bit of douchery - many fall victim to the 'more money than brains club'... guys like Hacker may be able to comment on that.

Just keep in mind that if you buy a cheaper one with "stock" instruments... it can take a while to get good at thinking in meters, kilometers, kilograms, and other metric units. The brakes are just like a CJ/Yak (on the handle).

$400k is on the way highside for one of those and probably has 430s or sharks with laser beams attached to their heads. Some have cold seats, some have hot...some have had the backseater's brakes taken away and word on the street is that it will drop the insurance costs a bit. Lot's of other info on www.l39.com

At T/O power, sea-level standard, etc... I think I remember 330GPH being the fuel flow (converted from Kg/hr)

 

[MIDNJAC]

Mr "Z" from Meridian teaches form in them and from what I saw of his gradesheets and "FTI's", it looked like it was pretty comparable to the T-45, though I'd "guess" a tad faster on approach. Would be a cool jet if someone else were paying for it, and I wouldn't touch one without a hot seat.

 

[yak52driver]

One of the guys who writes a jet column for the magazine I edit owns an L-29. I just had a conversation with him last week about costs. He said it very reliable, maintenance is straight forward, burns 150 gallons per hour, annuals $1500-$2000, 500 hour engine overhaul is $10,000. He figures total is about $800/hour to fly with everything. North American Pride Aviation is near here at KRFD, a couple of years ago they wanted about $2000/hour for dual in one of there L-39's if memory serves. While I can't afford one, the guys that I personally know that own them really like them. I was told by one of them operating costs figure out to about $1,200 to $1,400 per hour in the L-39. If I had pockets that were deep enough, I'd buy one.

 

[Gatordev]

Yeah, I knew there had to be a catch, and burning ~1000 lbs/hour and having a 500 hour TBO are two biggies. I was actually reading Pride's website today about their instruction. Sounded pretty professional, but of course no mention of cost. Anywho, thanks for the info. It was a fun bit of mental masturbation despite NMCI slowing down the process.

 

[ryan1234]

Yeah, I knew there had to be a catch, and burning ~1000 lbs/hour and having a 500 hour TBO are two biggies. I was actually reading Pride's website today about their instruction. Sounded pretty professional, but of course no mention of cost. Anywho, thanks for the info. It was a fun bit of mental masturbation despite NMCI slowing down the process.

Just as a point of clarification... the L-29 has a 500TBO, but the L-39 is generally up to 1000TBO or more

Fuel burn on the L-39 at cruise is around 10kg/min which equals about ~1400lbs/hr, take off power can be around 2200lbs/hr

 

[nittany03]

Fuel burn on the L-39 at cruise is around 10kg/min which equals about ~1400lbs/hr, take off power can be around 2200lbs/hr

Those are T-45-class numbers; Wikipedia shows it a little lighter, a little slower top end, but with more Gs. I'd love to take one up to compare, but only if someone else was picking up the tab!

 

[MIDNJAC]

Those are T-45-class numbers; Wikipedia shows it a little lighter, a little slower top end, but with more Gs. I'd love to take one up to compare, but only if someone else was picking up the tab!

Interesting, I would have guessed it to be mildly supersonic, given the type of aircraft they were training folks for in mother Russia