HISTORY

L-159A Alca on the apron of the 1st Technical Flight at Náměšt in the summer of 2003. The airplane is

interesting with its inscription on the right air intake, symbolizing the 50th delivered ALCA for the Air Force

of the Czech Republic Army (photo archive of the author).

technical staff was made up of experienced

mechanics and specialists who previously

worked on the Russian Su-22 and 25 series of

aircraft and later, the Czech L-159A ALCA

advanced light combat aircraft. The task of the

squadron was to ensure the continued training of

young pilots who came from the CLV (Aviation

Training Center) in Pardubice, especially in ÚBP

(training in the use of weapon systems - combat

use tasks) and cooperated with advanced

FAC/JTAC aviation instructors. Its first

commander was pilot Lt.Col. Ing. Antonín K. and

ZV-ILS (Commander of the Technical Staff) Capt.,

later Maj., Marián M. The Flight did not spend

much time warming up on its assigned field, as

by 2004, it flew to the airport at Pardubice.

It operated from there for seventeen long months,

while a major modernization, renovation and

construction of new buildings took place in

Náměšt. By that time the first experiments with

ÚBP began with the use of CP-100-70M practice

bombs, popularly called ‘cements’. It should be

noted here that this type of training almost

stopped for a certain period of time, because the

L-159s (operating from Náměšt from the spring of

2001 to the autumn of 2003) did not yet have their

weapons systems fully integrated, or were still in

development (such as the 20 mm PLAMEN

cannon). A greater focus on the use of live aerial

ammunition occurred only after the return to

Náměšt in July, 2005.

The standard gradually became the use of four

aircraft at the ÚBP, if technical conditions and,

above all, weather conditions allowed, at least

once a month. Monday usually started with

preliminary preparation - technicians and

specialists

performed

more

extensive

maintenance, removed defects that manifested

themselves during previous flying, replenished

fluid levels and gases, checked important aircraft

systems and nodes, or they changed worn tires if

signs pointed to that need. Armorers carried out

loading of UB-16-57 UMP rocket pods and tested

all weapon systems (cannon, bomb and rocket

armament) in all modes - not only testing in the

standard mode of use, but also, for example,

control of the jettisoning of payload under

November 2023

emergency situations, with the help of special

preparations and measuring or signaling

technology.

From Tuesday to Thursday there were special

flying events. They started with a weather survey,

when one plane took off with an experienced

crew, who evaluated the weather conditions on

the flight path to the firing range. If conditions

suited, then it was down to business. Aircraft

ground crews, R+RTV (radio and radio equipment)

and E+ESV (electrical and special electrical

equipment) specialists carried out pre-flight

preparation, and at the very end, when everyone

was finished, the weapons specialists came into

the picture. They first checked the rotation of the

airplanes in the safe directions, turned off all

weapon control elements, the on-board network,

the external power source and closed the

canopies. They then placed red pylons 5m in front

of the aircraft (and in the case of charging

unguided rockets, 5m behind the aircraft as well),

cordoning off the area as a dangerous zone into

which all unauthorized persons and vehicles

were strictly prohibited from entering. They then

performed their own loading of the machines

according to the planned flight schedule. Then it

was just a matter of waiting for the crews to

arrive at the planes. After the arrival of the pilot,

the aircraft crewchief gave a report on readiness

for flight and information on the amount of fuel

added. The armorer informed the crew of the type

and amount of armament the aircraft was

equipped with for the flight, or provided additional

information, such as fuse timings on any bombs

carried. This was followed by strapping the pilot

into the VS-1 BRI ejection seat by the crewchief,

fitting him into the parachute harness, removing

the safety pins from the ejection seat, allowing

it’s potential launch. First the SAFÍR APU was set

in motion, followed by the AI-25 TL engine itself.

After a short engine test and a check of the

operation of the flaps and speedbrakes, the

aircraft approached the so-called ČPS Preliminary Start Line, popularly known as ‘the

line’. Here, specialists performed the last visual

inspection of the aircraft before entering the VPD

(takeoff and landing runway). They mainly

focused on the perfect closure of all covers and

openings, or checked for signs of non-standard

leakage of operating fluids - aviation fuel, oil or

hydraulics, which could indicate a leak or

malfunction of these systems, which could have

fatal consequences in the later phase of the

flight. After this inspection, if everything was in

order, only a raised thumbs up from the

inspectors followed – indicating all was good to

go, and with the permission of the control tower,

the roll-up to the VPD and finally take-off

followed. Flights to the firing range usually lasted

about 1.5 hours.

After landing, the aircraft taxied to a special

stand - the so-called ‘holding stand’. There, after

guiding the aircraft in a safe manner, the gunners

performed a post-flight armament check.

If everything was in order, meaning that the

cannon operated properly, rocket pods were

empty and bombs dropped, the aircraft continued

to its own stand. When the occasional problem

did crop up, the crew shut down the engine, the

armorers disabled the cannon against an

unwanted firing, the crewchief secured the seat,

the pilot got out, and then the gunners completed

Armorers load S-5 K unguided rockets into UB-16-57 UMP rocket pods. Red flags are placed in front

and behind the aircraft, external power is disconnected from the aircraft and cockpits are closed

for safety reasons.

INFO Eduard

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