Thank You Review

My husband was the one flying in the jet fighter as a gift for our 10th anniversary, but we BOTH had a wonderful experience meeting Gary and Lois, learning about the aircraft and spending the day with them. Gary’s attention to detail and level of expertise are astounding. Unforgettable experience!

I just want to take a minute and say thank you to Gary at Jet Fighters International for allowing me to fulfill a lifelong dream! I’ve wanted to be a fighter pilot since I was six. Due to a combination of finances, eyesight, and the timing of opportunities relative to military cutbacks, that dream had flown (away)!

Last week, after being treated like an honored guest by Gary and his wife Lois, A couple hours of ground briefing, followed by a couple more hours of aircraft prep, I got to take the controls of a real-life fighter jet! Mind you, this was not just a ride in a fighter jet trainer. After a high-performance climb at 15,000 feet a minute, Gary gave me a good 30+ minutes of stick time, demonstrating, then talking me through slow and fast rolls, military wing overs, four point rolls, and a couple other maneuvers with the time we had, followed by a perfect landing. Well, the plane was landing… I was still flying…and I still I am as I watch the HD video from the Go Pro (that he provided) as I write this review. That then was followed by a debriefing and more refreshments complements of Lois.

Thank you Gary! I’ve known you for all of a few hours total, but I’ll always consider you a close friend! Thanks for helping make that dream come true! Oh, and thanks to my wife for un-begrudgingly letting do it!! You’re amazing, babe!

The flight and Gary’s ability to both fly and instruct are well worth the time and money. The plane is a joy to fly and it’s an honor to fly with such an accomplished pilot. Thank you.

My girlfriend purchased an hour of flight time in Gary’s L-39 as a surprise Valentine’s Day gift for me. I then hijacked her surprise and used the opportunity to propose to her. To do this Gary and Lois has to go out of their way for me with a total of 3 different days of meeting me at FXE. They were both a pleasure to work with and very generous with their time.

With my marriage proposal out of the way (she said yes, btw), I finally got to go flying with Gary. What an amazing experience! Gary is a unique combination of extreme safety consciousness and a thrill seeker all wrapped in to one very skilled pilot. His L-39 is the most immaculate airplane I’ve ever flown in.

I fly a Phenom 100 so most of my experience is on an IFR flight plan. I’ve never done aerobatics before. The maneuvers we performed including rolls, wing overs and Gary’s slingshot maneuver provided an exhilarating experience that combined the high speed and performance of a jet with the joy of hand flying VFR.

I highly recommend anyone with a pilots license take advantage of the opportunity to fly a jet fighter with Gary!

I spent a great day with Gary during an introduction to L-39 ownership. He reviewed the systems and ownership of the aircraft. We followed up with a really exciting one hour flight in his bird. The plane is really easy to fly and has great performance and handling. Gary is a very accomplished instructor that does a great job making you feel comfortable in the L-39.

I have known Gary for 13 years and know him to be an excellent pilot who is proficient in many types of aircraft including the L39. Gary keeps his aircraft in excellent condition and is a stickler for detailed jet fighter training plans and type rating in a jet fighter. If you are looking to take a discovery flight in an L-39 or if you are a pilot who is interested in being type rated in a jet fighter than call Jet Fighters International and speak to Gary Solkovits about your goals.

Upset Training in Gary’s L39 Albatros Jet Fighters International, Inc.

Gary is a superb flight instructor – a rare combination of a highly proficient and experienced pilot, and a professional teacher. His ability to impart his vast knowledge is beyond belief. His teaching style is highly logical, and well thought through with a lot of examples and stories that will be remembered you want it or not.

His Albatros is in immaculate condition, maintained and cared for by Gary the way I, myself would care for my mechanical love. When I saw each and every grease port covered with a plastic cap, without looking at anything else, I knew instantly how this plane can be trusted unconditionally.

I Flew A Fighter Jet! Ok, lets back up. My wife purchased the 1 hour flight experience as an early Christmas gift. From the first phone call to the last handshake Gary and his wife, Lois, made us feel like old friends, not new customers. I spoke with Gary a couple of times on the phone prior to the day of the flight so that he could pre-brief what the day would involve and just so we could get to know each other.

On the morning of the flight, I met Gary at the FBO at Ft. Lauderdale Executive Airport. Gary is first and foremost a professional. Safety is the common thread through everything that he does. His briefings of systems, safety procedures, and our flight maneuvers were detailed and specific without being militaristic or overly regimented. He is meticulous and it shows immediately when you see the aircraft.

Upon first sight of the L39, the love and attention to detail Gary has for aviation is readily apparent. The airplane is flawless inside and out. We preflighted the plane together, pulled it out of the hangar, and soon we were ready for taxi. Gary walks and talks you through everything he is doing and keeps you engaged the entire time. I was never just a passenger in this experience. After takeoff and a turn on course, Gary turned over control to me put his hands on the top of the canopy and belted out, “You’re flying a jet fighter!” We did a high-performance climb, Slow rolls, steep turns, military wingovers, and Gary’s “SlingShot” maneuver. I expected a minimal level of control time, just so I could say I flew a jet. Instead, I had the controls for a bulk of our flight hour and the time of my life.

Even as a low time pilot, Gary was welcoming and encouraging throughout the whole day. He never made me feel out of my class or “logbook shamed” like some long-time pilots can. To the contrary, he embraced my excitement and helped me fulfill a childhood dream.