Questions tagged [ultralight]
Questions regarding very lightweight powered aircraft.
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Why aren't there rotorcraft with sailcloth rotors?
I was wondering why no one has built rotorcraft, e.g a gyrocopter with rotors made of sailcloth fabric instead of aluminium or composite, because I thought that such a rotor would have to spin at a ...
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Why do two similar planes with the same engine have such different performance?
Why do two similar planes with the same engine have such different performance? For example, the Ikarus C42 and the Eurofox both use 912UL engines, but the Eurofox cruises 15 - 20 knots faster.
What ...
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Will the C42 or other Ultralights break up on aerobatic manoeuvres?
There is a video here of an Ikarus C42 performing aerobatic maneuverers.
Now, I know the aircraft is not certified officially, but one of the commenters posted:
The reason these planes aren't rated ...
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Do the FAA provide help on airworthiness of ultralights?
The answer to the question Can my plane get off the ground? has the comment:
I'm going to get it checked by the faa
Part 103 for Ultralights says that:
(a) Any person operating an ultralight ...
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Can my plane get off the ground? [closed]
I'm building a ultralight aircraft. I have a Rotax 447 that produces 40 horsepower and 175 pounds of thrust. The plane is going to have a wingspan of 20 feet by 5 feet and the max takeoff weight of my ...
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What is the differences training syllabus for a Microlight rating to an SSEA rating?
Have looked around for this, but struggling to find the answer.
I have an NPPL (UK) license with a Microlight rating. I want to get the SSEA rating so I can fly 4 seat aircraft without basically ...
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How/why does engine torque and horsepower affect aircraft speed? [duplicate]
I'm curious as to why torque and horsepower affect an aircraft's speed. AFAIK, it's only the engines RPM that affect speed, right?
Does this mean an engine's torque/horsepower only affects the speed ...
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What's the most cost effective way to keep a PPL current with Ultralights?
I hold an NPPL(m) - which is a UK license for Micro/Ultralights only.
I wish to "upgrade" (sadly there is no formal upgrade path) to a PPL so that on occasion, I can hire 4 seaters.
My ...
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Minimum HP for ultralight
What is the minimum HP needed to fly a 200 pound ultralight? I’m looking at a 6.5 HP, 3600 RPM Predator engine, but is that enough?
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Is careless or reckless operation of an ultralight illegal?
Is flying an ultralight in a careless or reckless manner illegal?
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Is a 3 seat Microlight build possible?
Many Microlights have weights of no more than 450kg, as that was the old weight limit. Now that the limit is 650kg, it seems to me that would be enough weight to add an extra seat (80kg for the ...
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How do I get rated to fly complex aircraft that are still Microlights?
In the most recent issue of the BMAA magazine, there are new aircraft listed that are still Microlights, but have complex features. These include Autopilot(!), retractable landing gears and even ...
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What do I need to do to fly a Microlight to France?
I wish to fly a C42 to France from the UK. I can file the flight plan from Skydemon, but I have an NPPL, so I believe I need to obtain permission from French authorities and maybe do other things.
...
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What control inputs to make if a wing falls off?
If a wing is severed due to structural damage or from a mid-air collision, what is the best control input to make?
I would think opposite aileron and rudder, i.e. if right wing falls off, input full ...
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Is there anything important to know about flying at ~9000ft for the first time?
When I did my NPPL training, there was a module on flying at minimum altitude, but nothing around high altitude flying, in fact, I've never flown over 3,500ft.
This weekend, I intend to fly up to ...
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Is there a standard traffic pattern altitude for ultralight aircraft?
Many airports publish a Traffic Pattern Altitude. For those that do not, the standard that pilots are expected to fly is 1000' AGL per the Pilot's Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge. (The AIM and ...
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Can I learn acrobatics in a Microlight?
Can I learn acrobatics in a Microlight, such as a C42 or Eurofox?
I would like to extend my abilities beyond getting from A - B but don't want to get a full PPL. I enjoy unusual attitudes too much :)
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Are paramotors a good option for someone interested in flying, if so, what kind of regulations apply to them?
I am someone who wants to learn how to fly something, anything that I can ride in because it's just cool, are paramotors cheap and easy to use enough to get from novice to safe pilot in about a year ...
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Are the NPPL minimum annual hours really safe?
I am a Microlight pilot (Ultralight for U.S folks) with an NPPL(m) rating. The minimum requirements for bi-annual license renewal is:
12 hours flying
12 take-offs and landings
1 hour of instruction
...
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Can you take off from a country road in a ultralight aircraft?
Can I take off from a country road in a ultralight aircraft (In the USA). I have seen resources online saying yes and no. Does it vary from state to state?
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What are lateral boundaries? [duplicate]
In regard to:
103.17 OPERATIONS IN CERTAIN AIRSPACE No Person may operate an ultralight vehicle within Class A, Class B, Class C, or Class D airspace or within the lateral boundaries of the surface ...
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What do you need to have onboard for flights with an ultralight/sport aircraft over water (Atlantic, Pacific)? Life raft possible (weight/size)?
Remark: For us in Germany an UL is a 2 seater with 470/600kg MTOW. AFAIK those are named Light Sport Aircraft in the US/Australia. Example: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ikarus_C42
What do you use if ...
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How can an ultralight be slowed down for landing in a tailwind?
When flying an ultra light and I have a tail wind, and, with the engine at idle how do I slow down to land ?
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Is it legal to hire a test pilot to conduct the first flight of a homebuilt ultralight in the United States?
Is it legal in the United States to hire a test pilot to conduct the first flight(s) of a homebuilt ultralight? This seems like a bit of a grey area- FAR 103.1(b) states that an ultralight aircraft is ...
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Is Peter Sripol’s Mk4 ultralight design safe and/or practical? [closed]
I recently rewatched Peter Sripol’s Mk4 ultralight video
Obviously, the aircraft flew, but I have several questions as a result.
First and foremost, is a vinyl-covered ...
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Do the NPRMs & Final Rules preceding 1993 "alphabet" airspace re-designation indicate that these phrases were meant to exclude Class E "extensions"?
Note-- this question is specifically about the content in the rule-making documents leading up to the September 16 1993 "alphabet" airspace re-designation, which is when the terms "...
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Do ultralights registered in Germany require an annual inspection?
I'm trying to find out how the German Ultralight aircraft ongoing inspections system works - do German registered Ultralight need to be inspected annually before they can then be operated for a ...
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Is a VW Beetle engine a good choice for a light two-seat aircraft build? [duplicate]
What do you think of an air cooled Volkswagen engine for building a light two-seat airplane?
This is probably the only engine I can get my hands on that needs no reduction gear and has enough HP. ...
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I'm trying to replace the Colomban CRI CRI engines with twin 72v 3000w dc electric motor. Will the plane fly?
This is the 72V 300W DC motor:
(source)
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Can an ultralight be flown at night or IFR?
In Canada, can an ultralight be flown at night or IFR by a PPL pilot with a night flying or IFR endorsement if the ultralight is equipped for night flying or IFR ( eg. heated pitot tube, nav lights, ...
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May a US citizen fly a US ultralight into Canada?
May a US citizen (no pilot license) fly a US ultralight into Canada or any other country?
Due to a special exemption, Canadian pilots may fly a basic ultralight (registered but no certificate of ...
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Are vortex generators considered high lift devices on US ultralights?
Are US ultralights allowed to have vortex generators?
I understand US ultralights are required to have a landing speed of 28mph without the use of high lift devices. I understand this is so that the ...
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Can a single seater airplane fly with 50 lbs of thrust
An airplane with 10 sq meters of wing five meters fuselage and including one person. can it fly with 50 lbs of thrust? And the max weight is 400 lbs
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Can we get 0:40 thrust to weight ratio from three small engines
Because I have an engine of 13 hp four stroke 1 cylinder that pulls about 0:20 T/W ratio. and is it possible to multiply the thrust by two? Using two more small engines which is 6.5 hp each on the ...
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If operating an ultralight with private pilot certificate, which rules apply?
If a holder of a private, commercial, or ATP pilot certificate operates an ultralight aircraft; and that aircraft is also equipped with the radios and transponders required by an airspace for GA ...
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Do hours flying "advanced ultralight" aircraft contribute towards your license in Canada?
I'm interested in the business possibilities of offering flight training in Southern Ontario, in particular using advanced ultralight aircraft. I realize that this is uncommon, of course, but my ...
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Can I use Stihl fs250 engine for ultralight aircraft? [duplicate]
RPM 9000
Hp 2.2
Engine weight 6kg
Plane weight 40kg
Body weight. 70
Propellers(2blades) length 30 inches
Wings length 120 inches
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Do dark conditions due to high-altitude smoke prevent ultralights from flying?
According to FAR103, you have to operate ultralights between sunrise and sunset, or between the times laid out in the Air Almanac (if you're in Alaska.) This means that the FAA has determined that ...
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Is there an official English version of LTF-UL?
I have found the German version of the ultralight regulations under Germany airworthiness authority, but I have not found a link for English version of that. is there any?
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Why don't aircraft owners put vortex generators on the top of their flaps to extend single flap lift creation past 40 degrees?
Why don't ultralight/LSA aircraft owners put vortex generators (VGs) on the top of their flaps?
I understand that the maximum flap angle for a single lift creating flap is 40°, but 80° with a double ...
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Why do tail dragging seaplanes not exist?
I am in the process of starting to build an ultralight that will be a tail dragger with floats, and in my conversations with the fellows I'm building it with, we've realized we've never seen a plane ...
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Is PVC tubing a good material for helicopter airframes?
Been thinking of getting into the hobby of building ultralight helicopters, and would PVC tubing be a good choice to build the overall airframe?
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How do I obtain permission to fly in surface class E airspace under FAR-103?
I'm a paramotor pilot operating under FAR 103, and I'm trying to determine who I need to ask for permission to fly in class E airspace that extends to the surface and is designated for an airport. For ...
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Why should I not use a "lifting tail" on my ultralight design?
In my misspent youth I designed and built many rubber, gas, and RC models. When I wanted good climb and glide I used a aft CG [60 to 80%] and a lifting tail. I had no stability or control problems, ...
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What is the minimum weight aircraft in which someone can build logged flight time?
What is the minimum weight aircraft in which someone can build logged flight time? Is logging flight hours in an ultralight possible?
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Why would the propeller of a lightsport plane or ultralight w/ Rotax engine be connected to the engine through a clutch, and not turn at low rpm?
Why would the propeller of an ultralight or lightsport plane be connected to the engine through a clutch, and not turn at low rpm?
I've often witnessed the engine start of a Bailey-Moyes Dragonfly (...
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Can an automatic gearbox improve engine transmission for an ultralight? [duplicate]
I am working on my dream to build and fly an ultralight aircraft so I wouldn't like to know the following:
Does adding a motorcycle automatic gear box to an engine improve on the strength for an ...
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Can I use motorcycle engine in aircraft [duplicate]
I am trying to build an Aircraft, The weight of the Airplane will be around 40 Kg with engine and 8 liters of fuel and with me the total weight will be around 90 to 100 kg and I want to use a ...
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What is the approximate range of the Pelegrin Tarragon?
I recently read about the Pelegrin Tarragon ultralight aircraft made in my country, and got interested in it.
Is it possible to have a reasonable estimate of the average distance you could cover in ...
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What should I build my ultralight out of? [closed]
I have always wanted to fly and I have taken some ground school but I don’t have enough money to finish my ppl and get a plane so I think ultralights are the next best thing, it is just what should I ...