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Ultralight (or microlight)
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Ultralights usually refer to self-made planes and
FAA recognizes them in FAA Part 103. There is no FAA license for
this category. As such there is no training requirement!!! USUA
(United States Ultralight Association) helps in bringing structure
to this sector. They recommend that training is required as well
as necessary to operate Ultralights.
Lets clarify what Ultralight is and how much it costs to get up
in air…
Definition of an Ultralight (or microlight)
An Ultralight plane is defined in FAA part
103.1 as:
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Is used or intended to be used for manned
operation in the air by a single occupant;
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Is used or intended to be used for recreation
or sport purposes only;
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Does not have any U.S. or foreign airworthiness
certificate; and
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If un-powered, weighs less than 155 pounds;
or
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If powered:
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Weighs less than 254 pounds empty weight,
excluding floats and safety devices, which are intended
for deployment in a potentially catastrophic situation;
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Has a fuel capacity not exceeding 5 U.S.
gallons;
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Is not capable of more than 55 knots
calibrated airspeed at full power in level flight; and
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Has a power-off stall speed, which does
not exceed 24 knots calibrated airspeed.
Please note that FAA's definition of an Ultralight
is significantly different than that of most other countries and
can lead to some confusion when discussing the topic. In 2004
the FAA introduced the "Light-Sport Aircraft" category,
which closely resembles other countries' Ultralight categories.
Different types of Ultralights - Several
types of aircraft qualify as ultralights, which include:
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Weight Shift - Weight shift
ultralights use a hang glider-style wing, below which is suspended
a three wheeled pod which carries the engine and aviators.
These aircraft are controlled by pushing against a horizontal
bar in roughly the same way as a hang glider pilot flies.
Trikes generally have impressive climb rates and are ideal
for rough field operation, but are slower than other types
of fixed-wing ultralights.
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Powered parachutes - Cart
mounted engines or motor scooters with parafoil wing, similar
to parachutes used in skydiving.
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Powered paragliding - Backpack
engines with parafoil wing, which are foot-launched.
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Gyroplane - Rotary wing
with cart mounted engine (see autogyro), a gyrocopter is different
from a helicopter in that the rotating wing is not powered,
the engine provides forward thrust and the airflow through
the rotary blades causes them to autorotate or "spin
up" to create lift. Most of these use a design based
on the Bensen Gyrocopter.
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Helicopter - There are a
number of single-seat and two-place helicopters which fall
under the microlight categories in countries such as New Zealand.
However, few helicopter designs fall within the USA's more
restrictive ultralight category. One of these is "Mosquito."
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Hot Air Balloon - There are
numerous ultralight hot air balloons in the US, and several
more have been built and flown in France and Australia in
recent years. Some ultralight hot air balloons are hopper
balloons, while others are regular hot air balloons that carry
passengers in a basket.
Requirements for flying Ultralight
None!!!
However, it is highly advisable. A typical USUA Ultralight flight-training
course will include 10 - 15 hours of dual flight instruction and
a similar amount of ground instruction. Completing the course
may take a couple of months if you fly every weekend.
How much will it cost?
Approximate costs = $1,500
The average charge for dual flight instruction is $60-$90/hr and
$20-$35/hr for ground instruction.
Relevant links and flying schools
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Source: FAA regulations, USUA, Wikipedia, www.georgiasportflyers.com
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