The owner that took you flying is one of the most grounded and humble sounding guys I have seen in aviation, hats off to him and his company for taking you up. Next time enroute to Makinaw city I will stop for a visit.
Thanks Gary - That is the best compliment anyone has ever given me. Swing by anytime! Someone who has really inspired me in the same way is Bob Hover. He has done such amazing things in aviation yet able to tell stories so eloquently and humbly. I was always very impressed by that. Check out "Flying the Feathered Edge" The Bob Hoover Project if you have not already seen it. Awesome documentary.
The L-39 is a fantastic machine, surprisingly easy to fly. I was lucky to get a 3-day training on it with the Breitling Jet Team in France, seating in the front-seat. For a modest C-172 VFR private pilot like me, it was the experience of a lifetime. Turning around the clouds at 600 kph is something I will never forget. It was like piloting an X-Wing!
“Play away...”. Gotta love a guy who knows how lucky he is, and loves to share the joy. I’m thinking that a few flights for your local ATC’s goes a long way.
I imported and restored this L39 and registered it with my initials N39BZ. I also was a USN guy and know very well that the "Bravo Zulu" signal means "well done". Thx for noticing.
Kinda stuck with living these experiences vicariously. It didn't stop me from getting goosebumps as you danced around on the tops of the clouds like that. Just incredible.
Great video! Was introduced to the L-39 about 10 years ago and fell in love as well. While I'm not able to fly them, it's great that we have one based here at my FBO and I get to service it and watch it sail through the skies on a regular basis.
You’re such a great example to some many young kids out there. Honest and humble. Keep doin what you’re doin Flight Chops! Such a great example of our community and people in aviation. Thanks a ton!
@@mrkv4k L39 is the "communistic" Czechoslovak plane which is praised. Now the company majority belongs to a Hungarian businessman, so it look like post-communist regime fucked it up more.
@@pozorovatellidi L39 isn't "communistic" in any way, other than it was made during the communism. But that is not the point, the point is that this company would be somewhere else, if it wasn't stolen by communists after the WW2.
Such an awesome episode. Love the little cuts to talk on the ground. Way too cool! And, gotta love PD and cruising the cloud tops. And the PERFECT MUSIC!
Chops... Ive probably watched this video 100 times.. That cloud tearing is amazing. Its such an impactful thing for me, thats the dream.. So much so that i just purchased an L29 to be able to go tear up the clouds!! Party on! Keep the killer content coming!
The idea that this video has only 131,000 views as I am watching it again for I think the third time now, pisses me off. How this type of quality aviation content doesn't have at least an order of magnitude more views is truly beyond me. How I wish this weren't so.
Thanks! I am just keeping my head down and trying to create the best ever green aviation content that I can. Some hit, some don't and I have no idea why. Like my 2 part series with the Coast Guard was what I thought was some of the best stuff we'd ever produced, yet the initial view counts were below average. Interestingly - that series is over a year old and is now starting to see some renewed traction. So I guess there is something to be said for always aiming to make ever green episodes such as this one which will hopefully continue to be discovered and enjoyed by new people over time.
That was great. Great luck on that cloud layer, NOTHING is cooler than slicing through them. Too bad you couldn't film behind you, because I promise you were slicing vortices through the clouds as you zipped through them.
+cabdolla good point. I have recently had a few experiences where I wished I'd had a camera facing backward... I might get back to doing that like I did for my tail when training.
My wife’s cousin’s husband flies an RV8 that he built. I helped rivet the main spar, and got to fly in it a couple of times. Ron loved sharing the experience, and it was pretty cool to get to fly in something I had seen in its earliest stages of construction, and even contributed in a small way to its completion. I think it’s great that even seasoned pilots can still get joyful about a perfect day up in the sky, and sharing it with someone. Thanks for taking us along, Steve.
I couldn't get the darn grin off my facing watching this. So love this video and hate it at the same time. I hope I can do this someday. It's nice to see a cool guy like you getting to enjoy what he loves one more way. Thanks for sharing, as always!
Hard to describe just how much of an emotional response this video created in me. Just amazing to be able to share the experience. Had similar response in the the formation flying Chipmunk vid. Just wow. Thank you.
Just stumbled across your channel and spent a bit running thru some uploads. This is the first time I've watched av-vids with a grin plastered on continuously... great edits and your joy of flight translates right through the screen. Subbed!
Awesome episode Steve! Thanks for living out the TopGun dream a lot of us had from childhood. I love the honesty of the experience and the professionalism in the way you capture it. Stay Sharp!
Immensely enjoyable to watch...your relate your experience so well it brings a smile to the face. Certainly it doesn't match being in the aircraft, but you bring us unquestionably closer. Chapeau 👍
THAT WAS AWESOME!!!! I think I "chair flew" the entire episode with you. I was like a kid moving the Nintendo controller while playing thinking I was immersed in the game!! Great video keep it up
I just love your videos...informative, fun, inspiring. You and your team do such a great job of helping those of us watching almost experience it with you. Thank you so much. The cloud running section of this video was so awesome. You're response was what I was feeling watching it.
You gotta be one of the coolest Canadians in aviation. I wish I had done 1/10th of the things you have done so far in aviation. Keep up the great videos.
I was curious, and looked it up. $25,600 for everything, according the Garmin website, and thats with most of the equipment non-certified. The screen in the back is 'only' $4,000. The G650 that drives everything in the front is the most to blame, $11,600.
I owned and flew a Jet Provost Mk4 in the late 90's when the L-39ZA's had just hit the states. For a straight wing trainer it's quite the performer. The one you flew looks to be in stellar condition. Through the CJAA I met a guy with a L-39. We had a lot of fun doing ACM out in west Texas. Periodically a friend with a Canadian T-33 (much better performance than the US version) would join the fray and we'd get the "you're dead" call almost immediately. Did I forget to mention my friend flew A-4's in Vietnam. You learn a lot about energy management before you get "the call". You should get an LOA.
I just found your channel last night. This video was amazing, I wanted a pilots license from the time I was 15 but people dampened my dream. I never learned to fly. I have to say, your videos are some of the best ever and I congratulate you on your content and your experience. Thank you for making these videos. You're the best!
Great video - love how you continue to explore the wide possibilities that aviation affords - we're all somewhat liiving vicariously through these vids, despite our experience. With the winter season only a few sunny weeks away, have you considered doing any ski-flying videos? Us folks in in Alaska would love to see it!
The owner that took you flying is one of the most grounded and humble sounding guys I have seen in aviation, hats off to him and his company for taking you up. Next time enroute to Makinaw city I will stop for a visit.
Thanks Gary - That is the best compliment anyone has ever given me. Swing by anytime! Someone who has really inspired me in the same way is Bob Hover. He has done such amazing things in aviation yet able to tell stories so eloquently and humbly. I was always very impressed by that. Check out "Flying the Feathered Edge" The Bob Hoover Project if you have not already seen it. Awesome documentary.
I will check it out..... fly safe pal.
Ditto here, amazing!!
I also had to come down to the comments to say the same thing. One of the coolest and most friendly pilots I have ever seen.
I completely agree. Humility is my favorite human trait.
This is my favorite episode so far. That looked so fun!
+Practical Engineering - thanks! Glad you enjoyed it!
Me to
Hey I watch your vids!
I didn't expect Grady here... :D
I love your yo-yo satellite video!! when is the next one coming out??
The L-39 is a fantastic machine, surprisingly easy to fly. I was lucky to get a 3-day training on it with the Breitling Jet Team in France, seating in the front-seat. For a modest C-172 VFR private pilot like me, it was the experience of a lifetime. Turning around the clouds at 600 kph is something I will never forget. It was like piloting an X-Wing!
You've got the coolest job ever to just travel and fly all sorts of aircrafts for youtube
+Matthew Machart - I can't argue with that :)
L39's are a gift to GA in this country...great planes and look pretty awesome as well.
The clearest radio communication I've ever heard.
Pretty cool. Hope he enjoyed that. As a maintenance tech on L-39's for the last 15 years (retired) I have got to fly many, many times. Never gets old.
How to instill confidence in a rookie "jetter": "Yea, were going to start with the basics... ...how to bail out..."
“Play away...”. Gotta love a guy who knows how lucky he is, and loves to share the joy. I’m thinking that a few flights for your local ATC’s goes a long way.
I pulled 5 G's just looking at that thumbnail.
+Majestic Douchebag - this comment is in he running for being pinned :). I am remote tonihht and can't do that until I get on desktop in the morning.
i cann tel ;)
FightChops you would pin his comment
@@FlightChops i think you forgot to pin the comment lol
You may not smile and enjoy yourself as you did. It is infectious. You had me smiling along with you👍😊. Thank you and a great post.
Happy to see Czech L39 flying all over the world :-) this is bucket list kind of stuff
As a Navy guy, I want to know how he scored a "Bravo Zulu" callsign. Too cool.
I imported and restored this L39 and registered it with my initials N39BZ. I also was a USN guy and know very well that the "Bravo Zulu" signal means "well done". Thx for noticing.
Wow! A block of earth's atmosphere all to yourself.
cgeorge6786 "Cleared direct North MOA blocks enroute" one of the best things to hear.
I recently had a flight on an L-39. One word...AWESOME! Thank you Raf, your team and Forgotten Heroes Foundation.
Amazing job man so envious of you getting to do that!
How fricking AWESOME! Thank you Steve for inspiring us all. Keep the Gs PULLING!
Cloud surfing in a jet, now THAT is definitely on my bucket list!
Wow! That cloud play brought tears of joy to my eyes. You're a LUCKY man!
Kinda stuck with living these experiences vicariously. It didn't stop me from getting goosebumps as you danced around on the tops of the clouds like that. Just incredible.
Great video! Was introduced to the L-39 about 10 years ago and fell in love as well. While I'm not able to fly them, it's great that we have one based here at my FBO and I get to service it and watch it sail through the skies on a regular basis.
Every time I watch the cloud surfing part of this video, i can't help to have an ear to ear smile.
What a beautiful plane! And how cool is it to have a call sign ending in Bravo Zulu!!
I had the dumbest smile on my face for this whole video. It was great to see you having so much fun, what a day!
That was ridiculously cool. And some of the most chipper ATC I have ever heard.
You’re such a great example to some many young kids out there. Honest and humble. Keep doin what you’re doin Flight Chops! Such a great example of our community and people in aviation. Thanks a ton!
The L-39 is such a sexy aircraft so simple yet so complex.
Like many other Czech stuff. So sad that companies like Aero Vodochody were basically fcked by communistic regime.
@@mrkv4k L39 is the "communistic" Czechoslovak plane which is praised. Now the company majority belongs to a Hungarian businessman, so it look like post-communist regime fucked it up more.
@@pozorovatellidi L39 isn't "communistic" in any way, other than it was made during the communism. But that is not the point, the point is that this company would be somewhere else, if it wasn't stolen by communists after the WW2.
Such an awesome episode. Love the little cuts to talk on the ground. Way too cool! And, gotta love PD and cruising the cloud tops. And the PERFECT MUSIC!
Chops... Ive probably watched this video 100 times.. That cloud tearing is amazing. Its such an impactful thing for me, thats the dream.. So much so that i just purchased an L29 to be able to go tear up the clouds!! Party on! Keep the killer content coming!
I am not even that interested in flight, but this was absolutly amazing! Thank you so much for sharing this with us!
The idea that this video has only 131,000 views as I am watching it again for I think the third time now, pisses me off.
How this type of quality aviation content doesn't have at least an order of magnitude more views is truly beyond me.
How I wish this weren't so.
Thanks! I am just keeping my head down and trying to create the best ever green aviation content that I can. Some hit, some don't and I have no idea why. Like my 2 part series with the Coast Guard was what I thought was some of the best stuff we'd ever produced, yet the initial view counts were below average. Interestingly - that series is over a year old and is now starting to see some renewed traction. So I guess there is something to be said for always aiming to make ever green episodes such as this one which will hopefully continue to be discovered and enjoyed by new people over time.
That was great. Great luck on that cloud layer, NOTHING is cooler than slicing through them. Too bad you couldn't film behind you, because I promise you were slicing vortices through the clouds as you zipped through them.
+cabdolla good point. I have recently had a few experiences where I wished I'd had a camera facing backward... I might get back to doing that like I did for my tail when training.
Awesome video and great production values!
9:10 no view like that, and endless bed of clouds. The most beautiful sight.
My wife’s cousin’s husband flies an RV8 that he built. I helped rivet the main spar, and got to fly in it a couple of times. Ron loved sharing the experience, and it was pretty cool to get to fly in something I had seen in its earliest stages of construction, and even contributed in a small way to its completion. I think it’s great that even seasoned pilots can still get joyful about a perfect day up in the sky, and sharing it with someone. Thanks for taking us along, Steve.
A stunning flight to be a part of...lucky guy to have such a brilliant instructor...Dream come true !!!!!
A fan from the UK.
The views above the cloud line are sublime.
This is what true happiness looks like.
playing with the clouds. Loved this video. What a great owner!
Wow, what a day above the clouds...looked like you had a lot of fun.
I couldn't get the darn grin off my facing watching this. So love this video and hate it at the same time. I hope I can do this someday. It's nice to see a cool guy like you getting to enjoy what he loves one more way. Thanks for sharing, as always!
Hard to describe just how much of an emotional response this video created in me. Just amazing to be able to share the experience. Had similar response in the the formation flying Chipmunk vid. Just wow. Thank you.
Awesome. Our Air force still uses them today as trainers. Greets from Lithuania!
Stunning. Must be one of the most epic memorable jets out there.
Just stumbled across your channel and spent a bit running thru some uploads. This is the first time I've watched av-vids with a grin plastered on continuously... great edits and your joy of flight translates right through the screen. Subbed!
Awesome - thanks! Welcome to the channel! there are over 125 episodes in the back catalog now!
What an AWESOME RIDE that was..... Thank you
That had to be the best involved flight you ever experienced! Amazingly enough the L39 also fly's very well in the RC jet world.
Awesome episode Steve! Thanks for living out the TopGun dream a lot of us had from childhood. I love the honesty of the experience and the professionalism in the way you capture it. Stay Sharp!
What an amazing opportunity for you. Beautiful plane. You need to get certified.
dude, that cloud surfing part was incredible! who hasn't dreamt of doing that, so cool...
Dude you have the best job in the entire world. I don't know how this channel isn't more popular. It honestly feels like I'm watching a tv show.
A grin like a grand piano, fantastic.
One of the best in flight vids I've seen so far...nice job guys!! Keep fly'n !!!!
Wow, thanks!
It's always fun to get into a high performance bird and "play". Nothing like it. Reminds me of my P-51 flight. Go fast! Nice job!
A very interesting and at times beautiful video, the owner seems like a veritable gentleman, his kind consideration was evident.
Grinning from ear to ear, and I'm just watching. Thanks!
I got the opportunity to fly an L29 back in 2003. Great fun. Thanks for the video!
Probably one of the nicest, best equipped L-39s around.
Immensely enjoyable to watch...your relate your experience so well it brings a smile to the face. Certainly it doesn't match being in the aircraft, but you bring us unquestionably closer. Chapeau 👍
Makes my training this morning in the Diamond DA40 look like child's play. Looked like a lot of fun! Loved the video.
That cloud surfing was beautiful, awesome video Steve!
That was absolutely the best, great aircraft and a great couple of guys, don't know how you can stomach those G's but you did.
Love that grunt when the g's hit. Awesome video.
That's AWESOME! Looks like you got your inner child out playing in the clouds! Great video!
Great flight! Couldn’t have happened to a nicer guy. Thanks for sharing.
THAT WAS AWESOME!!!! I think I "chair flew" the entire episode with you. I was like a kid moving the Nintendo controller while playing thinking I was immersed in the game!! Great video keep it up
I just love your videos...informative, fun, inspiring. You and your team do such a great job of helping those of us watching almost experience it with you. Thank you so much. The cloud running section of this video was so awesome. You're response was what I was feeling watching it.
Wow!
This is why I want my PPL. You have been such a great influence, Steve!
One word.....EPIC. A dream come true for sure.
This is my dream flight! Fantastic video. Thanks for sharing your experience.
Flying amongst the clouds ... heaven!
Some of the best aviation videos I've seen.
Fantastic videos chops....great quality, editing, narrating and commentary. Very enjoyable and informative.
Thanks!
Thanks pal. I'm hoping to get back in the left seat again soon...
You gotta be one of the coolest Canadians in aviation.
I wish I had done 1/10th of the things you have done so far in aviation.
Keep up the great videos.
What an awesome bird..and a beautiful paint job too.. I would never come back to earth if I owned one of those..
Imediatly after this video I listened Aces High. Awesome maneuvers in a bealtiful day.
Congrats
I got a ride in one in central Pennsylvania when I was 14 from a family friend. It was the best flight of my life.
Awesome Stuff!!
I know Mike, Immediatly recognized the airplane when the hanger doors opened up. Amazing to see the two of yall together!! @flightchops
That cloud flying was amazing. I’d say your face hurts a lot from all that grinning. Thanks for sharing.
Amazing ride in the L39. I am jealous... Keep up the good work.
Great episode! Love the L-39!
I think the avionics on each seat of that jet cost more than my C-172 Skyhawk.
I was curious, and looked it up. $25,600 for everything, according the Garmin website, and thats with most of the equipment non-certified. The screen in the back is 'only' $4,000. The G650 that drives everything in the front is the most to blame, $11,600.
Okay, phew, I was wrong then. Nice to know my annual was less than the cost of the back seat setup. Thanks!
Well, if you got a Skyhawk new recently, this whole jet is around the same price, little cheaper.
*According to the listings i found
Do you have a link to the website?
Not anymore. It was on Controller I think.
This is my favorite LIFT Jet 🤙
Awesome Flight
Cherry Capital is a pretty cool little airport, I've flown commercially in and out of there a bunch of times. Beautiful area as well. Great video!
I owned and flew a Jet Provost Mk4 in the late 90's when the L-39ZA's had just hit the states. For a straight wing trainer it's quite the performer. The one you flew looks to be in stellar condition. Through the CJAA I met a guy with a L-39. We had a lot of fun doing ACM out in west Texas. Periodically a friend with a Canadian T-33 (much better performance than the US version) would join the fray and we'd get the "you're dead" call almost immediately. Did I forget to mention my friend flew A-4's in Vietnam. You learn a lot about energy management before you get "the call". You should get an LOA.
Thanks for sharing this with us!! Wow, what a ride...and getting to try those maneuvers yourself--too cool!!
I went flying today in an RV8, and it was one hell of a ride! But this, just makes me jealous! Another great video, Flightchops.
Chops, what a blast, thanks for sharing.
I just found your channel last night. This video was amazing, I wanted a pilots license from the time I was 15 but people dampened my dream. I never learned to fly. I have to say, your videos are some of the best ever and I congratulate you on your content and your experience. Thank you for making these videos. You're the best!
Wow, great episode! I gotta go fly the L39
This is still my favourite plane youtube video
I'm so glad that a RUclipsr like you has been to my home town! I hope you come back sometime soon!
Super jealous! Hope to try this out for myself one day!
Loved the "Cloud Busting", brings back some great Mems...
Great video - love how you continue to explore the wide possibilities that aviation affords - we're all somewhat liiving vicariously through these vids, despite our experience.
With the winter season only a few sunny weeks away, have you considered doing any ski-flying videos? Us folks in in Alaska would love to see it!
Thanks! I do intend to cover more ski flying, but I have already published my first ski lesson in a Super Cub - have a look at the back catalogue :)
That Cloud surfing looked amazing! ... Great video Steve!
Probably your best vid. Looked awesome and wish I was there playing in the clouds with you.
have dreamed about being able to do that in the cloud tops... awesome video..
That was a lot of grinning... awesome flight