The STOL Cruiser aircraft was developed by DIRECT Fly in cooperation with the Institute of Aircraft Technology, Faculty of Mechanical Engineering at the Czech Technical University in Prague. It is pictured here as part of a very interesting, temporary display within the Faculty grounds to celebrate 50 years of the Institute of Aircraft Technology. All of the displayed aircraft were developed there.

The UL-39 Albi is a Czech ul two-seater aircraft modeled after the L-39 Albatros jet trainer. The use of a classic turbine engine was not feasible for a UL category plane and so a fan-ducted impellor driven by a piston engine is used for propulsion with almost all of the fuselage composed of autoclaved pre-impregnated carbon fibre. The initial inspiration and testing was performed by the Institute of Aviation Technology (Ústav letadlové techniky) and the concept is being brought to the market by Jihlavan Skyleader. The improved, second prototype fuselage is visible to the right.

The initial motivation to build an UL plane in Czechoslovakia came about after the IX. World Aerobatic Championship in 1978 at Hosín (LKHS). The Institute of Aviation Technology at the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, Czech Technical University took up the task and the ŠP-01Špunt was the result. It became the first UL category aircraft in the country after its airworthiness certificate was granted in April 1984. The plane is temporarily on display, in the foyer of the building in which it was built all those years ago, to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Institute.