Operators
L-29 Delfin operators

* Flag of Afghanistan Afghanistan: The Afghan Air Force operated as many as 24 from 1978 to as late as 1999.
* Flag of Bulgaria Bulgaria: Bulgarian Air Force
* Flag of Czechoslovakia Czechoslovakia: The Czech Air Force operated as many as 400
* Flag of the German Democratic Republic East Germany: East German Air Force
* Flag of Egypt Egypt: Egyptian Air Force
* Flag of Ghana Ghana: Ghana Air Force
* Flag of Guinea Guinea: Guinea
* Flag of Hungary Hungary: Hungarian Air Force
* Flag of Indonesia Indonesia: Indonesian Air Force
* Flag of Iraq Iraq: Iraqi Air Force
* Flag of Mali Mali: Mali
* Flag of Nigeria Nigeria: Nigerian Air Force
* Flag of Romania Romania: Romanian Air Force - all the L-29 have been retired in 2006
* Flag of Uganda Uganda: Ugandan Air Force
* Flag of the Soviet Union Soviet Union: Soviet Air Force - operated as many as 2,000
* Flag of Syria Syria: Syrian Air Force
* Flag of Vietnam Vietnam: Vietnam

Civil operators

* Flag of the Czech Republic Czech Republic: One private L-29C, OK-ATS
* Ex-military L-29s are proving popular on the civil warbird market. [1]

[edit] Specifications (L-29)
Another Delfin
Another Delfin
Motorlet M701 turbojet engine
Motorlet M701 turbojet engine
General characteristics

* Crew: 2: student and instructor
* Length: 10.81 m (35 ft 6 in)
* Wingspan: 10.29 m (33 ft 9 in)
* Height: 3.13 m (10 ft 3 in)
* Wing area: 19.8 m² (213 ft²)
* Empty weight: 2,280 kg (5,030 lb)
* Loaded weight: 3,286 kg (7,244 lb)
* Max takeoff weight: 3,540 kg (7,800 lb)
* Powerplant: 1× Motorlet M-701C , 8.7 kN (1,960 lbf)

Performance

* Maximum speed: 820 km/h (443 knots, 510 mph)
* Range: 900 km (486 nm, 560 mi)
* Service ceiling 11,500 m (37,700 ft)
* Rate of climb: 14 m/s (2,800 ft/min)
* Wing loading: 166 kg/m² (34.3 lb/ft²)
* Thrust/weight: 0.25

Armament

* 200 kg (440 lb) of various guns, bombs, rockets, and missiles on external hardpoints

The Aero L-29 Delfín (Czech: Dolphin, NATO reporting name: Maya) was a military jet trainer aircraft that became the standard jet trainer for the air forces Warsaw Pact nations in the 1960s. It was Czechoslovakia's first locally designed and built jet aircraft.
Contents
[hide]

* 1 Design and development
* 2 Operational history
* 3 Operators
o 3.1 Civil operators
* 4 Specifications (L-29)
* 5 References
* 6 External links
* 7 See also

[edit] Design and development

In the late 1950s, the Soviet Air Force was seeking a jet-powered replacement for its fleet of piston-engined trainers, and this requirement was soon broadened to finding a trainer aircraft that could be adopted in common by Eastern Bloc air forces. Aero's response, the prototype XL-29 designed by Z. Rublič and K. Tomáš first flew on 5 April 1959, powered by a British Bristol Siddeley Viper engine. The second prototype was powered by the Czech-designed M701 engine, which was used in all subsequent aircraft.

The basic design concept was to produce a straightfoward, easy-to-build and operate aircraft. Simplicity and ruggedness were stressed with manual flight controls, large [[Flap (aircraft}|flaps]] and the incorporation of perforated airbrakes on the fuselage sides providing stable and docile flight characteristics, leading to an enviable safety record for the type. The sturdy L-29 was able to operate from grass, sand or unprepared fields. Both student pilot and instructor had ejection seats, and were positioned in tandem, under separate canopies with a slightly raised instructor position.

In 1961, the L-29 was evaluated against the PZL TS-11 Iskra and Yakovlev Yak-30 and emerged the winner. Poland chose to pursue the development of the TS-11 Iskra anyway, but all other Warsaw Pact countries adopted the Delfin.
A private L-29 Delfin at the 2006 Miramar Air Show.
A private L-29 Delfin at the 2006 Miramar Air Show.

Production began April 1963 and continued for 11 years, with 3,500 eventually built. A dedicated, single-seat, aerobatic version was developed as the L-29A Akrobat. A reconnaissance version with nose-mounted cameras was built as the L-29R.

[edit] Operational history

The Delfin served in basic, intermediate and weapons training roles. For this latter mission, they were equipped with hardpoints to carry gunpods, bombs or rockets, and thus armed, Egyptian L-29s were sent into combat against Israeli tanks during the Yom Kippur War. The L-29 was supplanted in the inventory of many of its operators by the Aero L-39 Albatros. More than 2,000 L-29s were supplied to the Soviet Air Force, aacquiring the NATO reporting name "Maya."

As a trainer, the L-29 enabled air forces to adopt an "all-through" training on jet aircraft, replacing earlier piston-engined types.

On October 2, 2007, a modified L-29 was used for the world’s first jet flight powered solely by 100% biodiesel fuel. Pilots Douglas Rodante and Carol Sugars flew their Delphin Jet at Stead Airport, Reno, Nevada in order to promote environmentally friendly fuels in avaiation.

Aero L-29 Delfín

History: The prototype of the L-29 Delfin ("Dolphin") trainer, called the XL-29, first flew in Czechoslovakia on 5 April 1959, powered by a Bristol Siddeley Viper turbojet engine. The second prototype, first flown in July 1960, was powered by the Czech-designed M701 engine, which was to become the standard installation.

In 1961, the L-29 was entered in a competitive design evaluation to find a new Warsaw pact basic/advanced jet trainer to replace the piston-engine trainer fleet. The other competitors were the Russian Yakovlev Yak-30 and the Polish TS-11 ISKRA. The L-29 won and subsequently became the standard trainer in all Eastern-bloc counties except Poland.

The first production Delfin rolled off the assembly line in April 1963, and production continued for more than 11 years, a huge statement of its success. More than 2,000 were eventually supplied to the Soviet air force, and 400 more to the Czech air force. Others were supplied to Bulgaria, East Germany, Hungary and Romania.

Straightforward, rugged and easy to fly, the L-29 was ideal as both a primary jet trainer and as an advanced combat/weapons trainer. The Delfin was later exported to several other nations including Egypt and Indonesia. A small number of a single-seat version, the L-29A Delfin Akrobat, was produced, but it never caught on.

In recent years, the L-29 has become popular on the jet warbird market, mostly in the USA, but also in England, Italy and South Africa.

Nicknames: Maya (NATO Code name)

Specifications:
Engine: One 1,960-lb thrust Motorlet M701 VC-150 or S-50 turbojet
Weight: Empty 5,027 lbs., Max Takeoff 7,231lbs.
Wing Span: 33ft. 9in.
Length: 35ft. 5.5in.
Height: 10ft. 3in.
Performance:
Maximum Speed at 16,000 ft: 407 mph
Ceiling: 36,100 ft.
Range: 397 miles with internal fuel
Armament: None

Number Built: Approximately 3,500