A tragic incident occurred throughout prep for an airshow close to Graf Ignatievo airport, Bulgaria, as reported by Obektivno.bg. “There was a critical airplane accident on the Graf Ignatievo airbase. Throughout a coaching flight, an L-39 Albatros plane crashed,” confirmed the Ministry of Protection.
Unofficial stories recommend that each pilots, Main Petko Dimitrov Dimitrov, and Senior Lieutenant Ventsislav Atanasov Dunkin, died immediately. Air Power Commander Main Basic Dimitar Petrov revealed this somber information, noting that it was a routine flight and each pilots had been in rigorous preparation for months. They have been described as exemplary pilots with distinctive coaching.
The plane had just lately undergone a restoration. “Main Dimitrov was certainly one of Bulgaria’s most interesting and most skilled pilots. Lieutenant Dunkin held promise for the long run,” Main Basic Petrov added. When requested if he would resign following the incident, Gen. Dimitar Petrov responded, “I misplaced certainly one of my greatest buddies; do you suppose I’m not being punished sufficient? What extra do you anticipate?” “On condition that these airmen made the last word sacrifice within the line of obligation, I’ll declare tomorrow a day of mourning for the armed forces. Flags might be flown at half-mast to honor their reminiscence,” said the Protection Minister.
The plane was working at a particularly low altitude, and the pilots didn’t have time to eject. “Navy Minister Atanas Zapryanov has canceled the air present on the Third Air Base attributable to an accident involving an L-39ZA fight coaching plane. An investigation is at present underway, with measures taken to localize the fires and decide the causes of the incident,” the announcement learn.
A group of navy prosecutors and investigators, together with the Navy Police Service, initiated an intensive investigation to uncover the causes of the crash.
The Graf Ignatievo Air Base was set to host important aviation demonstrations on September 14, commemorating Bulgaria’s twentieth anniversary of becoming a member of NATO and the thirty fifth anniversary of the MiG-29 plane’s service with the Bulgarian Air Power.
Earlier at the moment, an Italian pilot took off in an F-16 fighter from the Graf Ignatievo Air Base, accompanied by Bulgarian President Rumen Radev. This demonstration flight, lasting 40 minutes, was carried out on the invitation of the U.S. Air Power.
The Aero L-39 Albatros is a flexible jet coach and lightweight assault plane crafted by the Czechoslovakian firm Aero Vodochody. Debuting within the late Nineteen Sixties, this plane boasts a smooth low-wing, single-engine setup, and a pressurized tandem cockpit for each the teacher and trainee.
Due to its Ivchenko AI-25TL turbofan engine, the L-39 churns out 3,790 lbf [16.9 kN] of thrust. This energy propels the plane to a high pace of 910 km/h [565 mph] at sea stage, and it will probably soar as much as a powerful service ceiling of 11,000 meters [36,000 feet]. Its climb price? A notable 21 m/s [4,130 ft/min]. In terms of vary, the L-39 can journey 1,100 kilometers [680 miles] on inside gas, extending as much as 1,750 kilometers [1,090 miles] with exterior drop tanks.
This jet is loaded with quite a lot of avionics and coaching programs. Twin controls and the superior VS-1BR ejection seat system are simply a few options that guarantee security throughout coaching. Plus, with 5 hardpoints that may deal with as much as 1,290 kilograms [2,840 pounds] of ordnance—suppose bombs, rockets, and gun pods—the L-39 is well-suited for mild assault missions.
The plane boasts a wingspan of 9.46 meters [31 feet], a size of 12.13 meters [39.8 feet], and a peak of 4.77 meters [15.6 feet]. With its simple but sturdy design, the L-39 has earned widespread acclaim, serving in over 30 air forces and turning into some of the standard jet trainers in aviation historical past.
The Aero L-39 Albatros has skilled a number of incidents and accidents globally, largely attributable to its intensive use as a navy coach and in non-public aviation. On Might 18, 2006, an L-39 operated by the Latvian Air Power crashed close to Cēsis, Latvia, throughout a coaching flight. Fortunately, each pilots ejected safely, sustaining solely minor accidents. Investigations later revealed technical points within the plane’s management system.
In an analogous incident in July 2010, a privately owned L-39 crashed in Denver, Colorado, ensuing within the pilot’s loss of life. The crash occurred throughout an illustration flight and was attributed to an in-flight hearth attributable to engine failure.
On October 22, 2015, insurgent forces shot down an L-39 operated by the Syrian Arab Air Power close to Aleppo throughout the Syrian Civil Battle. This incident underscored the plane’s use in energetic fight roles regardless of its major design as a coaching jet.
One other important occasion occurred in September 2020 in Ukraine, the place an L-39 belonging to the Ukrainian Air Power crashed throughout a coaching train within the Kharkiv area, ensuing within the tragic deaths of two cadets. The crash was attributed to pilot error and hostile climate circumstances.
In civilian aviation, a notable accident occurred in November 2018 in Arizona, USA, throughout a mock dogfighting occasion. An L-39 piloted by a retired U.S. Air Power pilot crashed into the desert, ensuing within the pilot’s loss of life. Investigations pointed to a lack of situational consciousness and spatial disorientation as contributing elements.
These incidents spotlight the operational dangers related to older plane and the challenges confronted throughout each navy and civilian coaching and show flights. Regardless of these accidents, the L-39 stays in widespread use, with security protocols regularly evolving in response to such occasions.
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