The largest Czech aircraft manufacturer, AERO Vodochody AEROSPACE, has named its most modern military trainer aircraft L-39 Skyfox. The name draws inspiration from the long tradition of successful Czechoslovakian aircraft such as the L-29 Dolphin and the L-39 Albatros, while also capturing the unique features of the new trainer. The Czech aircraft manufacturer Aero Vodochody produces the L-39 Skyfox in series production and this year celebrates its 105th anniversary. During that time, dozens of machines have flown out of its workshops, providing a diverse range of tasks and activities from training to reconnaissance to combat. In particular, the legendary Aero L-29 Dolphin and L-39 Albatros trainer aircraft have not only gone down in aviation history as some of the most used trainers in the world, but their very names Dolphin and Albatros have also become icons. The L-39 Skyfox is an all-new, multi-functional, modern platform that is capable of covering multiple functions, from pilot training to light combat and reconnaissance missions. It takes the successful aerodynamic concept from its predecessor, the L-39 Albatros. The Skyfox represents the most efficient machine in its class, available in both Western and Eastern configurations and certified to EU and NATO regulations. This versatile technology platform combines advanced simulation technologies and ground training systems. The Czech L-39 Skyfox trainer offers an innovative combination of advanced avionics, a powerful jet engine, and excellent flight characteristics, making it a suitable choice for all phases of 4th and 5th-generation pilot training, reconnaissance, and light combat missions. The L-39 Skyfox aircraft will be used in the Czech Republic by LOM PRAHA and its Flight Training Centre in Pardubice for training pilots of the Czech Army. Practical pilot training is already underway at Aero’s facilities.
“During the development of the prototype and the subsequent start of production, we all got used to calling our new aircraft the NG. However, it is common in aviation to give aircraft names, such as animals, to try and capture and emphasize their characteristics or some distinctive features. And our new aircraft certainly deserves a name too. The L-39 Skyfox takes from the Albatross the aerodynamic concept and the associated great flight characteristics, but otherwise, it is a technologically completely new modern aircraft. The naming will also help us emphasize that this is not just an improved Albatros, but a completely new aircraft,” explains Jan Chvojka, the head of PR & Marketing, Aero.
“The name L-39 Skyfox perfectly reflects the essence of the trainer from Aero. The ‘Czech Fox’ stands out for its efficiency, superior multi-role capability, and ability to adapt to different flight conditions. Pilots themselves appreciate the L-39 Skyfox’s excellent flight characteristics, intuitive handling, excellent cockpit visibility, and high level of protection when training on the aircraft. An important aspect of Skyfox is the care for pilots. Like the fox, which is agile, smart, and can avoid danger, our aircraft is characterized by excellent safety features. With a zero-zero seat and the ability to carry weapons systems, pilots can trust the aircraft to hold them up and protect them even in challenging situations. We will deliver two L-39 Skyfoxes by the end of this year and we are ready to deliver the remaining two by the middle of next year. According to the contract, LOM PRAHA has the option to purchase four more aircraft, which would provide sufficient capacity for training pilots not only for the Czech Air Force but also for the NATO Flight Training Europe program,” says Viktor Sotona, Chairman and CEO of Aero.
The serial production of the L-39 Skyfox trainer aircraft started in May 2023. Currently, about 600 subcontractors are involved in the production process, 400 of them coming from the Czech Republic. Earlier this year, Aero achieved the required production rate of one aircraft per month. Vietnam has become the first L-39 Skyfox customer. Six of Aero’s aircraft have undergone final acceptance by the Vietnamese Air Force this year, including full assembly, function verification, and a flyby by a factory pilot. In 2024, Aero received official authorization to develop, manufacture, maintain, and repair Hungarian aircraft, including the L-39 Skyfox, which it will deliver to the Hungarian Air Force. In addition, a memorandum was signed between Aero and the Swedish company Saab to explore the possibility of adapting the L-39 Skyfox for the needs of the Hungarian Air Force. As long as the L-39NG was a prototype, the manufacturer Aero Vodochody made do with the technical-sounding New Generation moniker. After serial production started, it was time to choose a name for the aircraft, just like its predecessors from the Vodochody factory.
Finding the right name for its aircraft is important for the company, especially from a marketing point of view. Moreover, the fact that the manufacturers, pilots, or the community of fans give the aircraft a name means that they don’t just think of it as a machine, but develop an emotional relationship with it. In the case of combat aircraft, the psychological element also comes into play. Coming up with names for new aircraft has been a tradition at Aero since 1923 when the company introduced the first mass-produced fighter, the Aero A-18, called the Starling. This nickname did not come from the widespread common starling bird, as one might think. Pilots began calling the aircraft this because its shape reminded them of the trimmed block of wood from the then-popular game of hammering the starling. And why was the plane named Fox? Because this beast’s nature and behavior are perfectly suited to the aircraft. It may not be the strongest animal in the forest, but it is extremely adaptable, hardy, resourceful, and cares for its cub like an airplane cares for its pilots, and when it comes down to it, it can bite hard.
Aero L-159 ALCA: This aircraft is not named after an extinct bird, but is named after the English acronym ALCA (Advanced Light Combat Aircraft). The L-159 can support ground troops, destroy various land and sea targets, or provide air defense against slow-moving targets.
Aero A-18 (nicknamed “Starling”): The Aero A-18 was small and tall. To pilots, its appearance reminded them of the wooden starling from a children’s game that was popular at the time. Pounding a starling is an ancient pastime (popular in the 19th century) in which a wooden stick is struck against a wooden log (starling), causing it to be thrown into the air.
Aero L-39 Albatros: The L-39 aircraft is named after the albatross bird. This creature boasts the largest wingspan of any bird, averaging 3.1 meters. Thanks to this, it can spend hours in flight and fly up to 1,000 kilometers in a single day. That’s only slightly less than the range of an L-39 Albatros.
Aero L-29 Dolphin: Sometime in 1963, the L-29 was given the name Dolphin, which became the trademark for the type. Its shape resembled a dolphin to some extent – a slender body, and a relatively narrow and rounded nose.
AERO Vodochody AEROSPACE a.s. focuses on the development, production, maintenance, and modernization of civil and military 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 trainers 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.
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