69
votes
Accepted
What control inputs to make if a wing falls off?
This one:
Yes, an F-15 has once landed with a lost wing. However, the landing was a close call - 20 more feet and the plane would've overrun the runway. That landing took both skill and luck, as well ...
51
votes
Accepted
What is this object in the cockpit of an ultralight?
It's an airspeed indicator for ultralights. The pitot inlet is at the bottom and the pitot air pushes a little red plastic disc up and down on a central rod, with a calibrated clearance between the ...
- 126k
48
votes
What is it exactly about flying a Flyboard across the English channel that made Zapata's thighs burn?
He's using the angle of his legs to control the attitude of the platform (and as a result, the direction he's flying in). So he can't take a relaxed pose, he's standing with his knees slightly bent ...
- 10.2k
46
votes
Why does Canada recommend a minimum rate of climb for ultralights of 300 ft/min?
When you fly gliders you discover it's quite common to run into air that's descending at 1-200 fpm, or "sink" in soaring-talk. Descending air next to a thermal, or air descending due to downsloping ...
- 126k
41
votes
Accepted
What is it exactly about flying a Flyboard across the English channel that made Zapata's thighs burn?
This is what he said after the 1st attempt
"When you fly with your body, even your hands affect the direction you want to go in. You feel the turbulence and the air through your fingers," Zapata ...
- 8,765
27
votes
Accepted
Could I use a powered parachute to fly around New York City?
Pretty simple, powered parachutes fall under the ultralight vehicle category, which is 14 CFR 103:
14 CFR 103.15 Operations over congested areas.:
No person may operate an ultralight vehicle over ...
- 36k
26
votes
Accepted
Is there anything important to know about flying at ~9000ft for the first time?
There's really not that much difference between flying at 3,500ft and 9,000ft, however yes there are a few things you should be aware of. The most important, as usual when operating an aircraft, is ...
- 31.6k
24
votes
What is it exactly about flying a Flyboard across the English channel that made Zapata's thighs burn?
There is another bit of information worth mentioning in the CNN link in CrossRoads' answer
The flyboard looks like a chunky skateboard and is powered by five
small engines. It is fueled by ...
- 909
23
votes
What is wrong with a high-speed landing for an ultralight or GA aircraft?
Keeping too much speed in an approach in any airplane can be risky depending on how much runway you have as it all has to bleed off before you can stop. It's a great way to end up in a hedge. Extra ...
- 52.9k
23
votes
Why do tail dragging seaplanes not exist?
It's been tried before (there isn't all that much in aviation that hadn't already been tried by WWII). The tail float means the aircraft CG is aft of the hydrodynamic center of the main floats, and ...
- 126k
21
votes
Accepted
What are the disadvantages of using just rudder to roll an airplane?
It works in a half-assed way but the key word is half-assed. You'll always be skidding around the sky since sideslip is required to obtain and maintain any rolling moment. Control response can be ...
- 126k
21
votes
Did the twin engined Lazair ultralight have a throttle for each engine?
I've examined a Lazair, and actually taxied one around on the ground once, and yes there are two throttles.
Two reasons:
In any twin engine airplane you want to minimize or eliminate single-points-...
- 126k
20
votes
Accepted
How does the FAA define fuel capacity for ultralights?
FAA Advisory Circular AC 103-7, Paragraph 19 has this to say:
MAXIMUM FUEL CAPACITY OF A POWERED ULTRALIGHT VEHICLE.
The maximum fuel capacity for a powered ultralight vehicle is 5 U.S.
...
- 216
18
votes
Accepted
Why do fabric skin constructions not show up much in larger single engine piston aircraft?
This answer assumes that "GA" means "little piston planes."
Aluminum (or non-fabric) aircraft tend to "hold up" better against the elements. I would not store a Stinson 108 outdoors but would not ...
- 6,018
18
votes
Is a VW Beetle engine a good choice for a light two-seat aircraft build?
The resemblance between the air-cooled engines sold in Volkswagens for more than three decades and a conventional light aircraft engine is no coincidence -- Volkswagen chose this engine type because ...
- 17k
17
votes
Accepted
What is a biplane propeller and how efficient is it?
It is essentially two propellers stack on top of each other. You can see it in this picture of a Lazair.
As for why they were chosen for the Lazair,
Many have asked why Ultraflight opted for ...
- 100k
17
votes
Accepted
In the United States, are ultralights legally considered aircraft?
Yes, under FAA regulations, ultralight vehicles are considered to be aircraft.
14 CFR 1.1 states:
Aircraft means a device that is used or intended to be used for flight in the air.
Ultralights ...
- 5,761
16
votes
Accepted
What is wrong with a high-speed landing for an ultralight or GA aircraft?
You can, in theory, fly a faster landing speed than the default Vref of 1.3*Vso. But it’s wasteful in the round out and potentially very dangerous on short field landings.
When an airplane lands, ...
- 72.8k
15
votes
Accepted
What callsign should an ultralight use?
One of the suggested communication strategies for uncontrolled airports is to announce the type of aircraft and color. e.g. “Brown and white Cherokee entering downwind”.
Rather than using your ...
- 7,371
15
votes
Did the twin engined Lazair ultralight have a throttle for each engine?
This image would suggest it had two throttles, located in the usual position on the pilot's left side:
- 8,531
14
votes
What is this object in the cockpit of an ultralight?
It's indeed an airspeed indicator. Here's one at Oshkosh 2018, with me blowing about 27 knots into it.
- 10.6k
13
votes
Accepted
Is it safe to fly ultralights at 6-7 weeks pregnancy?
Ultimately the decision of whether or not a pregnant woman should be piloting an aircraft is between her and her doctor, and you shouldn't take the commentary of strangers on the internet as medical ...
- 68.3k
13
votes
Why do gliders have bungee cords in the control systems and what do they do? Are they on all control surfaces? What about ultralights?
The bungee is just a bidirectional spring that tends to hold the elevator at position x, and if you move the stick you are stretching the spring in one direction or the other. They are used in the ...
- 126k
12
votes
What callsign should an ultralight use?
I fly a Part 103 Ultralight. I simply use "Ultralight" when announcing my position and intentions. If there are any other ultralights in the area, I will add the color for a more descriptive ...
- 338
12
votes
What is this object in the cockpit of an ultralight?
I don't see an ASI in the panel. I am unable to confirm this guess, but it could be an airspeed indicator (ASI). Google Dwyer Wind Speed Indicator. The Dwyer is plastic, wider at the bottom, and ...
- 10.3k
11
votes
How can filling a tube with foam help prevent buckling?
A simplified analysis of column buckling shows that the axial load required for buckling is directly proportional to the second moment of area of the column's cross section: $F=\pi^2EI/(KL)^2`$`, ...
- 3,671
11
votes
What control inputs to make if a wing falls off?
Yes, it is indeed possible to come out of such an event safely..... if you happen to be in an aircraft where some of the lift is generated by the body, have an excess amount of thrust available by way ...
- 31.6k
10
votes
Which parts of class E airspace can an ultralight (part 103) fly in without prior ATC authorization?
NOTE: This answer was originally given based on a conservative interpretation of available interpretations of the regulations. New guidance may shed new light on the issue. The interpretation ...
- 16.5k
10
votes
Why does the Ikarus C42 pitch down when stalled?
Most aeroplanes are designed with the Centre of Gravity being ahead of Centre of Lift, so when the aeroplane's wing cannot produce sufficient lift anymore -- due to a high Angle of Attack, the nose ...
- 617
Only top scored, non community-wiki answers of a minimum length are eligible