UL-39 Albi
Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, CTU Prague · Czech Republic · first flew 2016 · light aircraft
The UL-39 Albi is a Czech ultralight jet trainer designed and built by students and staff at the Czech Technical University (CTU) in Prague, featuring a tailless delta-wing configuration and side-by-side seating.
Recognition (WEFT)
| W — Wings | Mid-mounted, delta |
|---|---|
| E — Engines | 1 × turbojet, fuselage-mounted |
| F — Fuselage | 5.95 m fuselage |
| T — Tail | No tailplane |
WEFT is AircraftIQ's four-point recognition method — how it works.
Spot it by:
- Tailless delta-wing Czech ultralight jet trainer with single turbojet
- Side-by-side seating under a single-piece bubble canopy
- Designed and built by students at CTU Prague as a research aircraft
Very compact tailless delta-wing jet with a large bubble canopy covering side-by-side seats, a single turbojet exhaust at the tail, and no horizontal tail surfaces — an unusual configuration for an ultralight aircraft.
Specifications
- The UL-39 Albi has a length of 5.95 m (20 ft).
- It has a wingspan of 6.4 m (21 ft).
- Its maximum speed is 340 km/h (211 mph).
- Typical crew: 2.
Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.
History
The UL-39 Albi project was initiated at the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering of CTU Prague to give students hands-on experience in aircraft design and construction while producing a usable ultralight jet trainer. The aircraft first flew in 2016 and uses a PBS TJ100 turbojet engine. It was designed to comply with Czech ultralight regulations while providing jet familiarisation training at low cost. The name 'Albi' references the white colour of the aircraft.
Variants
A single prototype exists; further development and potential small-series production have been discussed but not confirmed.
Where you'll see it
Operated by CTU Prague for research and demonstration; not in regular training service.
Related aircraft
AircraftIQ — the aircraft field guide: 5,024 recognition guides, live overhead identification, works offline.