Thursday, 9th April 2009, RTS
New Serbian training aircraft "Lasta 95" (Swallow), was presented to public at Batajnica Air Base. It is to be used for training of Serbian and foreign pilots. Minister of Defense announced that Army of Serbia will purchase 15 aircrafts, and 20 more of this aircrafts are to be exported to Iraq.
At Batajnica Air Base new training aircraft Lasta 95 was presented to public for the first time. After promotional flight, Minister of Defense Dragan Šutanovac, reminded that project "Lasta" was started almost 30 years ago.
"I am proud on the fact that Serbia has aviation-industry, because this is something witch is the case in only few more countries in Europe and around ten countries in the world", Šutanovac added.
Minister of Defense stated, that after introduction of this aircraft to the Army Air Force, great savings in process of training pilots will be achieved, since the price of flight-hour on Lasta 95 is several times lower then price of flight-hour on Supergaleb G-4 jet.
Talking about reduction of Army budget for 26%, Šutanovac said that his Ministery will try to augment its incomes and that defense system, even with global financial crisis, will continue to function and that security of citizens will be preserved.
Pilot Lt.Col Salko Hadžić, who conducted promotional flight, said that Lasta 95 since 5th February completed 21 flights and finished factory testing, which enabled the phase two development testing and introducing the aircraft into the operational use.
Lasta 95 is piston engined lowplane of metal construction, with two tandem seats. Retractable landing gear enables take-off and landing of solid concrete and grass streaps.
Army of Iraq ordered 20 aircraft, while for Army of Serbia 16 aircraft will be produced, which will replace current Utva-75 airplanes in this role.
This airplane is designed primarily for basic pilot training, while Iraqi representatives showed interest for their examples to be capable for combat training also.
In Army of Serbia Lasta 95 is to be used only for basic training, while combat training will continue on the Supergaleb G-4 jets.
Here is a link to photo-report on "Lasta 95":
First Lasta 95 prototype (photo) - Pravda.Ru
... link to a clip of promotional flight:
RTS :: Novi avion "Lasta 95"
... and two photos: