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 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,” says Viktor Sotona, Chairman and CEO of Aero, describing the choice of the new name, adding: “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.”
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. “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,” adds Viktor Sotona.
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.
“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.
