@Paulw, for L-29 or L-39 you essentially need only a conversion training and a proficiency check, but the examiners are few and far between. Even in Czechia, their country of manufacture, there are currently only two civilian examiners for each of the types.
For Yak-52, you don’t need a type rating, it’s covered by the SEP (single engine piston) class rating. Even an aerobatic rating is not necessary because it’s not an EASA aircraft.
How about the Folland Gnat (part of red arrows before the hawks)? It has similar fuel consumption as the l29 and l39, but it is MUCH faster and lighter, supersonic in a shallow dive thanks to the wing shape (a straight wing plane, no matter the engine, cannot go faster than 400kts). I flew one a few years ago in North Weald. I was very surprised by the absence of vibrations compared to a piston plane, and even by the relative quietness of the cabin (I was wearing a standard jet helmet without any noise-cancelling), which I explained to myself with the fact that when you travel close to the speed of sound the engine noise doesn’t make to the cabin or makes it at a non-audible frequency (doppler effect). Also, I was surprised how easy it was to accelerate: you could see 400kts ias at low altitude in just few seconds (we would than immediately throttle back for vfr speed limits). The only issue to make it a “personal jet” was that tires lasted for only few landings!
I don’t think as a personal fun aircraft that L29/39s work in Europe – at least areas with dense airspace. Without the ability to go quickly to teens flight levels and play around VFR they dont really make sense. The range and typical equipment fit out makes using them for IFR impractical, and the regulators dont really love having them on board and hence the maintenance and regulatory aspect is complex and expensive.
The only one I know is the L39 but it is a great fun plane but at least in the UK would make no sense at all.
The L29 is a far less comfortable aircraft given the much poorer environmental system.
What kind of preparation would be required to fly an L39 between two airports in different EU countries at say FL180? Do they need a special permit for every flight?
We have had a couple of Vampires flying in Sweden(ex Swiss as mentioned earlier in the thread) up until recently, now I think there is one left flying. They seem to be relatively affordable but I guess that is as long as you have maintenance staff that are nostalgic and help out. They have special sound due to the radial compressor.
@Ultranomad thank you for the info. I just couldn’t find anything searching the web.
What kind of preparation would be required to fly an L39 between two airports in different EU countries at say FL180? Do they need a special permit for every flight?
Without an ICAO CofA, it is like a “homebuilt” so yes you need permits for most countries, plus many in Europe prohibit IFR.
There are parts of Europe where you can do it, especially some parts where nobody cares. If you were to look up certain turboprop homebuilts on FR24 you will get the idea 
In the USA it is very different because you would have it on the Experimental regime and can fly anywhere.
@MedEwok you probably missed the JetFest2018 at North Weald (EGSX) this weekend with some Vampires, JetProvost and Gnat display team
There was a change in the UK CAA rules that now they can take passengers in their flights, so the prices should go down to 500£/45min on next year flights in JetFest2019 
Personally, I find them very slow to F16/Mig25 that you can’t afford and ugly compared to other alternatives that you may afford to fly in CAT/BizJets B737, A320, G600, PC24
Peter wrote:
In the USA it is very different because you would have it on the Experimental regime and can fly anywhere.
Although there is a wrinkle – an L39 would be “Experimental – Exhibition” and unlike “Experimental – Amateur Built” you’re restricted to a 300nm (IIRC) circle around your home base, except when flying it to and from a place where it is to be exhibited. I think in reality it’s easy enough to arrange some kind of “exhibition” if you want to go outside of your 300nm limit.
When I was based at Galveston Scholes, I think there was an L29 based there at the time. It seemed like a bit of a ground gripper to me, needing most of the longest runway.
alioth wrote:
When I was based at Galveston Scholes, I think there was an L29 based there at the time. It seemed like a bit of a ground gripper to me, needing most of the longest runway.
This is true. You really need 5000ft+ as the brakes are not great for such a heavy aircraft and it is slow to accelerate.
