As mid-20th century military industrial complex technology is feverishly replaced by supposed sleek and smart equipment designed as supplemental redundancy to AI, dissident governments rival the floodplains of the swollen rivers of dollars. With the impending robot wars on the horizon, this reality opens up the Amazon warehouse door for private citizens to live their wildest dreams, and not earn any jail time in the process.
For the price of the average suburban home in the Midwest, you can legally purchase and fly a military fighter jet in US and Canadian airspace. Of course all the FAA requirements apply, including having a valid pilot’s license. Now for those who have dreams of heroic grandeur in carpet bombing a nosy neighbor or annihilating a rival team’s stadium, the key word addition to “fighter jet” is “trainer”, as in the equipment is meant to bridge the gap between normal flight rates and supersonic speeds with a complete absence of armaments. This equates to a ban on fully going all in to the danger zone, but the risk factor is still inherent. What passes the visual test for a lean and mean fighting machine, is actually watered down version of the real deal and designed with fail safe systems and broad parameters for a student of flight testing the waters of mid to high altitude pinpoint aerial maneuvers. There exists the legendary Chuck Yeager and the rest of us, a time tested and sensible hierarchy and order of the universe and natural laws that should never be questioned.
During a frenetic five second research project on a certain search engine, the results yielded a direct broker featuring an array of fighter jet trainers, including this beauty. Yes, it is just as easy as pointing and clicking or swiping and pointing for the desired motor vehicle of choice, and controller.com, gives the military aircraft connoisseur a diverse selection in ways to impress themselves and their loved ones. Word has it that legislators are working on drafting a law that allows convicted felons exclusive access to the friendly skies, with the rehabilitative program “The more severe the crime, the higher you go.”
One of the most popular variants of fighter jet trainers with civilian operators and star of the controller.com manifest, is the Aero L-39C Albatross, an intimidating 39 feet of jet powered action that rivals a military killing machine. According to wikipedia.com, the Czechoslovakian manufactured aircraft is capable of reaching speeds of 750mph, close enough to the breaking the sound barrier in causing an unsuspecting neighborhood some temporary angst during a casual low altitude buzz, and all this can be yours for $350 thousand and change (Bitcoin and Pesos are gladly accepted). As an integral component of rogue nation air forces behind the Iron Curtain during the apex of the Cold War, the allure of ownership is only enhanced by the renegade reputation as a tool of Communism, and the consumer niche marketplace is booming as owners test their flying skills in sky racing and airshows.
In utilizing the most effective all purpose digital flight tracker, flightware.com, a L-39C was tracked executing a series of aerial acrobatics in the skis above British Columbia. One of the most attractive features of the military plane is the flexibility in take-off and landing rolls, allowing operation on limited runways or even flat terrain. The flightaware subject aircraft, was able to execute a leisurely Sunday flight out Boundary Bay Airport with no apparent issues.
The flight path of a privately owned fighter jet trainer over Vancouver Island. (courtesy flightaware.com)
So once you take the plunge and acquire a piece of Eastern Bloch history, the rest is up to you in imagining ways to incorporate the aircraft into the overall improvement in quality of life. Spice up the marriage, take the dog up for a true “co-pilot” experience, facilitate a fly-by over the office, buzz a political adversary, or simply reenact any scene from “Top Gun” as Kenny Loggins screeches in the confined and without the underlying tones of Scientology, the world is yours for the taking.
WATCH: As Civilian Pilots Pull 5-G’s in a L39C
