April 19^th will remain a memorable date in Bulgaria Air Force’s newest history. For the first time since December 2007 L-39ZA Albatros training aircraft took to the Bulgarian sky. Czech test pilots successfully flew the machines with tail numbers 137 and 205 with The Flight Training Group at Dolna Mitropolia. Bulgarian pilots are expected to start flying to restore their interrupted flight training with the help of their Czech colleagues.

At the end of 2011 Bulgarian Ministry of Defence declared intentions 6 L-39ZA aircraft to be returned in operation. Thus a contract for airworthiness restoration of 4 aircraft was signed with the manufacturer Aero Vodochody in September 2012. The first two planes (tail numbers 137 and 205) have to undergo a 2 year in-between repairs resource extension. The other two machines will undergo overhaul at TEREM Georgi Benkovski plant, Graf Ignatievo.

The fifth and sixth L-39’s fate largely depends on funds provision for their repairs. As of this moment no clear time limit has been specified on this matter.