By Dmitry Smirnov: An old Czech plane – Zlín 42-M – was rebuilt in Belarus. It took a year of work and a few liters of paint. Vitaly, the aircraft designer, plans to participate in air festivals and to travel.
Vitaly, a retired military pilot, bought this 42-year-old Zlín 42-M with his friends in one of the flying clubs in the Czech Republic a year ago. Vitaly says, despite its age, the vehicle is ready to fly again – as high as 5 km. In addition to reconstruction, the aircraft also had to be redesigned. Vitaly changed nearly everything, but for the vehicle’s heart – the engine.
In July, the plane will rise to the sky for the first time. In fact, it's a personal air transport vehicle. For example, you can fly from Grodno to Gomel in just 3 hours. The vehicle can go as fast as 200 km per hour.
Also, in a couple of weeks’ time the vehicle will participate in an air festival near Grodno. All in all, more than 10 aircraft, hang-gliders, and paragliders will rise to the sky.
