Questions tagged [ultralight]
Questions regarding very lightweight powered aircraft.
94
questions
7
votes
2answers
2k views
Did the twin engined Lazair ultralight have a throttle for each engine?
Did the twin engined Lazair ultralight have a throttle for each engine?
I know larger aircraft have dual throttles.
What about the smaller aircraft like ultralights?
It would be so much easier just ...
-2
votes
0answers
58 views
How can i calculate my own ultralight aircraft? [closed]
By some information i knew about radio control info but that not working. Please make me know about it.
Thank you.
31
votes
4answers
10k views
What is it exactly about flying a Flyboard across the English channel that made Zapata's thighs burn?
CNN's French inventor makes 'beautiful' flight across Channel on hoverboard reports that:
"French inventor Franky Zapata has successfully crossed the Channel on a jet-powered hoverboard for the ...
4
votes
1answer
140 views
Does a tandem ultralight need flaps on the rear wing if the front wing has flaps?
Does a tandem ultralight need flaps on the rear wing if the front wing has flaps?
I understand that most Rutan canards don't have flaps as I was told if the main wing has flaps, the canards need one ...
1
vote
1answer
37 views
What is the best or most popular way to reduce wing tip vortices on an ultralight operating at 600-800k Re?
What is the best or most popular way to reduce wing tip vortices on an ultralight triplane, operating at 600-800k Re with fibreglass wings ,10 ft wingspan, gap of 2 chord, chord of 2 ft, 0 stagger?
...
0
votes
1answer
139 views
Where can I take my ultralight aircraft? [closed]
I know many airports do not allow ultralight aircraft but can I take it to work, home, or to the bar? What is the limits of freedoms of travel in an ultralight?
2
votes
2answers
274 views
How much lift does the wing attach fitting actually carry?
How do I calculate the lift force that the the bolt that join the wings to the fuselage of a strutted or braced airplane carry?
I know in a cantilever airplane,the bolts have to carry all of the lift ...
2
votes
4answers
198 views
How to determine the compressive force in the spars of a strutted wing?
How does one calculate the compressive force that the inner section of a strutted or braced wing (from the strut attach point to the wing root) experiences?
I know how to calculate the tension in the ...
0
votes
1answer
163 views
May an ultralight vehicle pass directly above KEGE at 9200 MSL at 1600Z with no prior authorization without violating FAR 103.17?
May an ultralight vehicle pass directly above KEGE at 9200 MSL at 1600Z with no prior authorization without violating FAR 103.17?
http://vfrmap.com/?type=vfrc&lat=39.643&lon=-106.916&zoom=...
7
votes
3answers
1k views
Why is the tail group of virtually every airplane swept instead of straight?
Even low performance airplanes like ultralights have their tail group (vertical and horizontal stabilizer with rudder and elevator) swept backwards knowing fully well that a straight tail group will ...
4
votes
1answer
92 views
What are the historical precedents of today's E2 and E4 airspace? (US)
What are the historical precedents of today's E2 and E4 airspace? From what previous airspace classes did these airspaces evolve? How do these precedents help us understand the significance of the ...
2
votes
1answer
157 views
What are all the US airports where E4 “extensions” change to E2 and become part of a larger E2 “surface area” when the tower closes for the night?
Of all the US airports with part-time control towers and with E4 "extensions", in which cases are the airspace definitions written so that the E4 "extensions" change to E2 and become part of a larger ...
2
votes
0answers
95 views
In the US, can airspace simultaneously be E2 and E4? What happens at KSTC to the airspace in the dashed magenta boundary when the tower closes?
In the US, can the same airspace simultaneously be E2 and E4?
Consider the case of KSTC -- St. Cloud Regional Airport, MN.
http://vfrmap.com/?type=vfrc&lat=45.546&lon=-94.059&zoom=10
On ...
7
votes
1answer
277 views
What is the primary reason that the non-towered airports KACV and KTLV have E4 extensions to E2 airspace?
NOTE-- this question is not about why it was desired to protect the airspace that ended up within the E4 "extensions". Rather, this question is about why that was done by designating that airspace as ...
29
votes
3answers
8k views
What is this object in the cockpit of an ultralight?
This is a tool (probably) in on an ultralight airplane. Initially I guessed that it is a tilting meter (to level between right and left), but seems it is not as it just a vertical tube filled up with ...
5
votes
2answers
162 views
Positions of drag wires in a bay
Take a good look at the small dots • on the bays of this two spar wing.
My question is:
Are the drag and anti drag wire as seen in bay 1 supposed to connect to the root of the compression tube
Or ...
3
votes
2answers
226 views
For slow-flying ultralights, how would a delta wing compare to a biplane layout of equal wing area?
Context: By "slow-flying" I refer to ultralights that can be classed as "motorfloaters" - similar wing loading to a hang-glider, stall speed below 40km/h, cruise speed not much above.
I'm interested ...
1
vote
0answers
107 views
Could I Legally Fly a Paramotor as a Commuter Method [duplicate]
I get permission from company security to fly into work using my paramotor (I don’t have one, but would like to get one).
We have six offices around the city. The city has two airports: one major ...
1
vote
2answers
129 views
Forces that wing attach fittings must transfer to fuselage?
I just saw the naked wing (it didn't have its wing fabric) of a Weedhopper ultralight and wondered the types of forces that the wing lift struts must transfer to the fuselage, apart from the apparent ...
2
votes
1answer
146 views
Does the wing to fuselage fittings of an airplane ever experience shear load?
Do wing attach fittings of semi-cantilevered plane (i.e. ultralights) ever get subjected to shear force? For example during roll, does the centrifugal force of the wings load the wing attach fittings ...
1
vote
0answers
130 views
How can Schrenk approximation be used to model lift load on a rectangular wing?
How can I use Schrenk approximation to calculate load distribution on my rectangular wing?
A worked example will be appreciated.
3
votes
3answers
591 views
Is lift force less than weight during a descent?
In the above image lift is the same during a climb and during a descent. Is lift force not supposed to be less than weight during a descent?
Secondly, does descending at an airspeed much lower than ...
1
vote
0answers
105 views
How to calculate the shear centre of a wing?
How is shear centre of a wings calculated? i.e. how can I calculate the wing shear centre of a two spar wing with main spar at 0% of wing chord and rear spar at 75% of wing chord? (Assuming the two ...
6
votes
4answers
2k views
Why does the Ikarus C42 pitch down when stalled?
Apparently, the C42 nose pitches down shortly after stall, like in this video. I know part of the video might be pilot input to recover from the stall, but I've read on various flying forums that this ...
10
votes
1answer
271 views
In the United States, are ultralights legally considered aircraft?
I sometimes hear it stated that in the United States, ultralight vehicles are not legally considered to be aircraft. For example, Wikipedia used to state:
In the United States ultralights are ...
2
votes
1answer
113 views
What is the function of a sweep cable?
This is Goat3 ultralight with sweep cables,what is the fuction of these sweep cables?
1
vote
1answer
275 views
What is the purpose of this span wise “false spar” on Affordaplane wings?
This is the wing of an Affordaplane Ultralight,what is the use of those spanwise foam boards between the foam ribs,I know it's not for aesthetics.
1
vote
3answers
438 views
Can a Rutan Quickie be made into a legal Part 103 Ultralight?
I was was thinking about buying a 80s rutan quickie q-1, it has a 18 hp motor. I want to get a ultralight but I like this one because it is fast. Can I get a motor that would be within the ...
2
votes
2answers
129 views
To determine wing loading, do you need to subtract the weight of the wing from the gross weight?
Is it true that I must subtract the weight of my ultralight wing from the gross weight of my airplane inorder to determine the wing loading of my ultralight airplane? If yes,why is this so?
I read a ...
2
votes
4answers
310 views
Can time spent in consumer flight simulators increase the safety of flying light sports aircraft for licensed pilots? [duplicate]
I've asked this question to my flight instructor, who believes flight simulators do a very poor job of modelling flight physics for very light airplanes, which makes them useless for preventing ...
1
vote
1answer
163 views
How do wing ribs withstand lateral lift force?
During roll,there is a vertical component of lift that keeps the plane in the air and an horizontal component that actually rolls the plane,how are wing ribs designed to help withstand this vertical(...
1
vote
1answer
642 views
What is the purpose of wing stiffeners?
There are very few articles as to what wing stiffeners are on the internet, so my question is what are wing stiffeners?
2
votes
1answer
335 views
Strut braced or wire braced airplane wings?
For an ultralight (or other airplane designed for slow flight), would a strut-braced or wire-braced wing be more efficient aerodynamically?
2
votes
1answer
490 views
Is this type of wing design structurally sound? [closed]
Is the simple wings
frame(spar,ribs)of this maxair hummer structurally sound? I am asking because I'm considering using thesame wing design on my homebuilt ultralight.
0
votes
1answer
190 views
Do mono spar wings need compression strut(or ribs)?
Loyolksip
Regarding airplane wings, are compression struts needed in a mono spar wing?
Secondly, are anti drag and drag wires needed in a mono spar wings?
2
votes
2answers
429 views
In the US, do ultralight aircraft have tail numbers?
Just wondering if ultralight aircraft in the United States have tail numbers like the larger general aviation aircraft have?
12
votes
3answers
1k views
What is a biplane propeller and how efficient is it?
Lazair ultralight series II used biplane props to absorb more power from the engine....so my question is what really is a biplane propeller and are they efficient in comparison to a four bladed prop?
6
votes
2answers
989 views
What is the purpose of drag and anti drag wires?
What are drag and anti drag wires,and how important are they to the performance and strength of the wings of an airplane?
2
votes
2answers
418 views
What airfoil is used on the Lazair ultralight?
This is the airfoil of the famous Lazair ultralight. What is the name of this airfoil?
3
votes
1answer
2k views
Is it best to use a thick airfoil or an undercambered airfoil for slow speed flight?
The more the thickness,the more the frontal resistance,hence the more the drag a thick airfoil will produce.
Under cambered can help increase lift without increasing the airfoil thickness , therefore ...
6
votes
3answers
2k views
What are the disadvantages of using just rudder to roll an airplane?
Ultralights with slight dihedral will roll and yaw on rudder input (e.g the Bloop 3, Maxair Hummer) so some don't have ailerons for the sake of simplicity. Is this kind of control input advisable, or ...
2
votes
2answers
406 views
Should I add balloons in my Ultralight wing to help it float if I land in the water?
I like to fly over rivers and lakes in my ultralight. One of the things that scares me the most is if my engine died, I might drown down in the depths of the water as I egressed out of my ultralight.
...
18
votes
7answers
6k views
What is wrong with a high-speed landing for an ultralight or GA aircraft?
Is it okay to land an ultralight or a general aviation plane at a speed higher than the recommended landing speed for such plane? Will there be any damage if the descent rate is very low?
1
vote
1answer
1k views
What airspace are ultralight pilots allowed to use? [duplicate]
So I've been watching videos and thinking about getting into ultra-light aviation. Flying in a personal air-trike or paramotor looks like a lot of fun. Being new to the aviation arena I had a couple ...
3
votes
3answers
1k views
What are the disadvantages of having vortex generators?
I know the advantages of vortex generators (VGs): lower stall speed, lower landing and takeoff speed according to www.stolspeed.com. So what are the major reasons most GA planes and low speed ...
3
votes
1answer
2k views
How to select the most efficient airfoil for low speed flight?
What airfoil (or family) has the highest $C_L/C_D$ ratio at speeds in the $50\:km/h$ range.
The use case would be an ultralight with a max speed of $50\:km/h$
1
vote
0answers
110 views
How are the landing, takeoff, and cruise speeds calculated for my homebuilt ultralight?
How can I calculate the takeoff, landing, and cruise speeds of my ultralight with a total weight (with load) of 120 kg, average air density of 1.23 kg/m3, wing area of 13.18 m2, and a coefficient of ...
0
votes
2answers
703 views
Are two little engines or one big engine more efficient for an ultralight?
For an ultralight, should two engines weighing 10kg each and making 7hp each OR one engine weighing 20kg and making 14hp be used?
0
votes
1answer
434 views
What is the lift-to-weight ratio during takeoff for an ultralight?
Lift to weight ratio at cruise is 1:1, what is the average lift to weight ratio during takeoff (rotation) of an ultralight with 2m/s as rate of climb?
0
votes
2answers
602 views
Is it OK to use foam for the ribs of an ultralight's wing?
I have seen several YouTube videos of ultralights and even HPAs (Human Powered Aircraft) that use foam as the ribs of their wings. Are ribs not supposed to be made of rigid, strong, woody and light ...
