Summer of '85. After 12 flying hours I took my first solo flight one lap around the airfield of Clinceni with YR-ZLP , a Zlin 526 F. I thought the next move would have been going to Bobocu to get trained for Mig21.
My eyes were not good enough for this job. I tried like hell to get the medical pass but docs. said NO everytime. I gave up ultimately but I am crying for this job every day of my miserable life on the ground.
I stil have a warm remembrance to my flight instructor Titus Florea, now flying jet liners, or flight inspector Jean Gheoroaie who tested me in flight just before my solo lap around.
Shity life down on the ground!

In the summer of 1975 I have been trained at "George Banciulescu" Aero - Club Strejnic - Ploiesti - Romania , for two months and I completed 18 hours and 48 minutes of flight as Military High School trainee. My trainers, Mr. Niculescu and Mr. Albu were my first teachers in flight. Today I am 54 years old and I still dream to retake my place in the cockpit of my dear ZLIN 526-F and I plan to join a Flight Club, but unfortunately today in Romania there are not anymore ZLIN aeroplanes flying, they were replaced by much less performant and less safe planes by misterious reasons, fact that frustrates me very much. So I demand, somewhere in this world, is it available a ZLIN 526-F where I can continue my flyght lessons interrupted several decades ago because my father did not agree to sign the official approval for me as minor/teenager ( in 1975 I was 17 years old) to get the pilot licence? Today I am a marine engineer and, after more than two decades of sea life I plan to turn back at my first love from 36 years ago: my dearest beloved ZLIN 526-F from my adolescence...

The 526 is a wonderful airplane. Ours is powered by an LOM fuel injected engine, Avia propeller. Great to fly,

I owned and flew a beautiful 526F in airshows for ten years prior to owning a couple Zlin 50's. They just look feel, and smell like an airplane should! Wonderful flying aircraft! I was lucky to own and fly one as long as I did!

The 526 is a wonderful airplane. Ours is powered by an LOM fuel injected engine, Avia propeller. Great to fly, difficult to fly well. Great respect for those who flew in competition.