Design and Development
The Lasta was originally developed to be a replacement of the Utva 75, which had been the most commonly used trainer aircraft of the Yugoslav Air Force up until 1991. The first prototype Lasta 1 was completed by the spring of 1985. And, following completion of the initial testing phase, the first flight was achieved on September 2, 1985. In January 1989, was issued a modified version – Lasta 2, a lighter, with shorter fuselage and a new electronics system including fire control Ferranti ISIS D-282. By early 1990s Utva, and her partner, have produced enough parts for the completion of 10 pre-production airframes. During the 1999 NATO bombing of Yugoslavia, all 5 existing prototypes were destroyed during the bombing of UTVA (a sixth prototype survived with damage and was donated to the Aviation Museum at Belgrade Nikola Tesla Airport).
In 2006 development of the Lasta was restarted. The new version was known as the Lasta 95. In 2009 it was announced that Iraq will purchase 20 of these trainer aircraft.
With its specifications and updated avionics, the aircraft will ensure full pilot training for all elements of airplane application including:
- basic flying,
- figure flying,
- navigation flying,
- basic elements of night flying,
- category II instrumental flight,
- basic elements of gunning, rocketing and bombing (GRB)
- Light close air support of counterinsurgency operations and area patrol / light attack missions
Read more about this topic: Utva Lasta
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For Christ’s sake not black—
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—William Carlos Williams (1883–1963)
“The work of adult life is not easy. As in childhood, each step presents not only new tasks of development but requires a letting go of the techniques that worked before. With each passage some magic must be given up, some cherished illusion of safety and comfortably familiar sense of self must be cast off, to allow for the greater expansion of our distinctiveness.”
—Gail Sheehy (20th century)