Ultralight Airplanes - Introduction To Ultralight Aviation

Gyrocopters - What Are They And Can You Have One?

The gyrocopters (known also as gyroplanes or autogyros) are quite an unusual kind of aircraft. They look similar to helicopters but by the construction and the way of flying are more similar to the airplanes. This Wikipedia article explains shortly the difference between autogyro and helicopter:

"While a helicopter's rotor is rotated by an engine during normal flight, the rotor of an autogyro is driven by aerodynamic forces in autorotation.""

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You can read the entire article if you are interested in the technical side of the things. What I want to discuss here is different - are gyrocopters interesting for ultralight pilots, i.e. for you? Should you look for gyrocopter kits or gyrocopter plans online? The short answer is yes.

As long as there is an ultralight gyrocopter, it looks similar to the ultralight helicotper - a simple construction with minimum overload, sometimes no cockpit and no fancy stuff at all.

Photo by pilot_micha at flickr

Can You Own A Gyrocopter?

First, why would you want to own a gyrocopter instead of an ultralight helicopter? The gyrocopters are not for everyone's taste - they combine the advantages of fixed wing aircraft and rotorcraft but can't compete with both on any of these advantages. Said simpler, the gyrocopters need much shorter landing field than the fixed wing airplanes, but at the same time are not as fast as most of them. One autogyro is for sure cheaper to operate than a helicopter but doesn't have the same ability for precisely vertical landing and take off. However the gyroplanes are a bit faster than helicopters.

You see, it's just an unusual animal about which you have to decide yourself - whether you like it or not.

But if you like it, is there a chance to own a personal gyrocopter? Absolutely yes! In most countries the gyrocopters are flown with experimental/homebuilt or ultralights license if such is needed - so if you can have another ultralight or microlight aircraft, you should be able to own an autogyro.

The price of personal autogyros can be quite affordable but it depends on whether you are going to buy a ready one or build your gyrocopter yourself.

Gyroctoper Kits And Gyrocopter Plans

The most popular way of obtaining a gyrocopter is by building from a gyrocopter kit. The gyrocopter kits are sold between $7,000 - $8,000 and $25,000 - $30,000 (at least those that I have seen). (You can find some kits here) Before buying an autogyro kit ask the seller if his kits are certified and who uses them. Since gyroplanes are less popular than other aircraft there is in general less information about the manufacturers so you will need to research more yourself.

Building a gyrocopter from a kit takes few months and follows the same logic as building an ultralight airplane. And as you guessed, you can build an ultralight experimental gyrocopter yourself by using only gyrocopter plans.

Because of the lower popularity of the autogyros it's much harder to find good gyrocopter plans than good ultralight airplane plans. One of the popular models is Benson Gyrocopter but its plans are not sold on any official site - just "by hand". One cheap autogyro can be build from the plans at Vortech Online although I have no information how good it is. For sure it seems to be cute and a really budget solution.

If you are selling gyrocopter plans, please contact us or comment here to let us know.

Light Sport Aircraft - The Poor Man's Chance to Soar

The reasons for their surging popularity are myriad, but one of the most compelling is the lower cost associated with owning and operating light sport aircraft. The cheapest new light sport aircraft cost around $40,000, opposed to the price tags of $150,000 and above attached to entry-level FAA-certified small aircraft.

But the affordability of light sport aircraft extends beyond their price tags. Learning to fly one of these small wonders will cost only 30 to 50% as much as being certified for a private pilot's license, and can be accomplished in half the time.

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Add to that the elimination of there required medical examination and certifications, and flying your own light sport aircraft will free you of thousands of dollars in expenses over the years! The cost for light sport aircraft flight training usually runs between $3000 and $3500. Mastering a powered parachute is less than $1000.

photo by DARRIN170

Pilots with light sport aircraft licenses are actually qualified to fly a wide number of aircraft. These include both factory-assembled and amateur-built fixed-wing models, powered parachutes, and gliders. The increased demand for all them means that light sport aircraft costs are being kept down by more efficient manufacturing procedures, which require less government oversight.

Have you felt the pinch from having to fly the commercial airlines with their fuel costs causing your ticket prices to balloon? A fuel-efficient LSA plane will average 20 MPG, outperforming many automobiles!

There's a final way to lower the costs of owning a light sport aircraft. You can qualify for the FAA's Light Sport Aircraft Repairman certificate, which has both Inspection and Maintenance rating. Having the Inspection certification will permit you to perform the required annual condition inspection on any experimental (kit or plans-built) light sport aircraft you own.

The Maintenance rating will let you to be paid to inspect and maintain any special (factory built) or light sport aircraft. These aircraft can be used for rentals and flight instruction, as well as for sport and recreation. A maintenance rating also covers experimental aircraft.

Being qualified to inspect and maintain your aircraft will save you significant amounts of money over its lifetime. You can receive an Inspection rating certification by successfully completing an FAA-approved sixteen hour course on your class of LSA.

The Maintenance rating certification offers separate courses for each LSA class, with the airplane course lasting 120 hours.

To qualify for either Repairman Certificate, you must:

Be a US citizen or permanent legal resident over the age of 18;

Be able to speak, read, write, and understand English; and

Have the skill necessary to determine the airworthiness of an LSA.

If the only thing that's been preventing your from taking to the skies has been your wallet, wait no more. Why not find the nearest light sport aircraft training center, start your engine, and see the world of aviation from an entirely new perspective?

Light Sport Aircraft - The Little Guy's Ticket to the Wild Blue Yonder

Their allowed gross takeoff weight is no more than 1320 pounds (many horses weigh more). You could buy eighty squadrons of the most expensive ($200,000.00) for the price of the most expensive ($16,000,000.00) horse ever sold at auction. Fixed wing light sport aircraft, in other words, are the common man's answer to the mythical flying horse Pegasus, and just as much fun to ride.

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Fixed wing light sport aircraft provide affordable, energy- efficient (as high as 20 MPG) air travel for a pilot and one passenger at speeds of up to 120 knots (138 mph). The FAA approved design and manufacturing standards for fixed wing light sport aircraft in 2004, and in the nearly five years since the number of people wanting to take to the air in these tiny machines has increased dramatically. Fixed wing light sport aircraft have opened the skies to thousands of would-be pilots who could never have afforded to buy or maintain larger planes.

photo by Observe The Banana

What can you expect from a fixed wing light sport aircraft?

Speeds which will get you to your destination two or three times as quickly as an automobile;

A comfortable pilot/passenger compartment;

An easily readable control panel which removes the nervousness which can accompany night flying; and

A proven safety record. That flying in general is far safer (over 25 times safer) than automobile travel has long been established. Many models of kit-built and manufactured fixed wing light sport aircraft are certified to meet (with proper maintenance) strict safety regulations in countries outside the US, including Australia, Great Britain, Germany, and France.

Many US-produced light sport aircraft comply with the FAA-approved ASTM International standards for structural integrity and flight safety. The Light Aircraft Manufacturing Association (LAMA), in fact, now has an audit program to guarantee consumers that new light-sport aircraft meet established ASTM International standards.

The demand for fixed wing light sport aircraft continues to surge. More and more people tired of the rising prices and decreasing convenience of flying with the established airlines have seen the wisdom of owning their own LSAs. In January of 2008, at the 4th annual Sport Aviation Expo in Florida, eleven new LSA models were introduced.

If you're someone who's always wanted, but could never afford, to own your own plane, your time has come. Why not join the thousands of recreational fliers who, thanks to light sport aircraft, have discovered for themselves the freedom of the wild blue yonder?

How To Become a Light Sport Aircraft Pilot

Have you dreamed for years of becoming a pilot? If so, you're in luck, because the soaring popularity of light sport aircraft means that your dream has been transformed from "pie-in-the sky" to "pilot (you)-in-the-sky!

Photo by .Dianna. at flickr

Qualifying for a light sport aircraft pilot's license will take you less than half the time of qualifying for a private pilot's license. Not only that, it will enable you to operate an aircraft you can actually afford to own! Some light sport aircraft models retail for not much more than a loaded SUV, and get better mileage (up to 20mpg.) They are allowed to reach speeds of 220 knots, or 138 MPH, and altitudes of no more than 10,000 feet.

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Being a light aircraft pilot means that you and a passenger can fly when you want, except at night, to any airports you want (if your license has additional privileges), bringing along one passenger. You'll no longer be limited to the seldom-met schedules and inconvenient routes of the commercial airlines. You can skip those long lines at the airport security checkpoints, and as long as your plane's gross takeoff weight doesn't exceed 1320 pounds, you can carry as much luggage as you need!

What sort of training is involved in getting a light sport aircraft pilot's license?

You must be at least 16 to begin training in any of the categories of light sport aircraft (excluding gliders, when you must be 14).

You must be at least 17 (16 in the case of gliders) before you can test for your light sport aircraft pilot's license.

In the US, you must have a current driver's license, which serves as your medical certification. You must also show that you are in good overall health and not using any medications which could impair your ability to pilot the aircraft.

You must (in the US) be able to speak, read, understand, and write English. While US citizenship is not required, your FAA flight certification will be invalid in any other country.

You'll need a student pilot's license, available at no charge from any FAA Flight Standards District Office.

You may qualify to take the light sport aircraft pilot certification exam with as little as twenty hours (fifteen with an instructor and five as a solo pilot) of flight time.

You'll have to pass both a written and practical test.

How much will qualifying as a light sport aircraft pilot cost?

Expect to spend between $3000 and $3500 to qualify for your light sport aircraft pilot's license, which is about half of what a private pilot's license would set you back.

Finally, every hour you spent piloting a light sport aircraft can be applied to future training for a private pilot's license if you decide to move on to a larger aircraft. So why not get your head out of the clouds and become a light sport aircraft pilot?

Where To Find Ultralight Aircraft Plans

Many aviators come to this site searching for ultralight aircraft plans, helicopter plans and free ultralight plans. We don't create or sell plans ourselves, but I have done a lot of research for you to help you find the plans you are looking for.

If you are an engineer or a company which creates ultralight aircraft plans and want to sell them on this site contact us to discuss this opportunity.

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If you want to build ultralight airplanes yourself, you'll need to buy such plans.

Ultralight Aircraft Plans

When searching the Web for ultralight airplane plans you'll unfortunately find a lot of outdated websites or sites with questionable quality. Fortunately there are several reputable companies and web stores where you can find paper plans or plans for instant download:

The Homebuilt Homepage has a long list of vendors of ultralight airplanes. Unfortunately the site doesn't sell plans directly, but their alphabetical list is big and contains the websites of the vendors where you can inquiry about plans. Some of the companies sell only ultralight kits however.

Photo by vnvlain at Flickr

eBay is probably the next place you should visit. You are unlikely to land there after searching for plans in Google, so just go there and use eBay's own search. When I visited today there were 3-4 auctions available offering ultralight plans at very affordable prices.

The plans for the famous Affordaplane can be bought directly from its website for $25.

Another place to look are the aircraft classifieds directories. You can find some of the best ones in our resource center.

In general it seems to be best if you first decide what ultralight airplane you want to build and then to search the Web, eBay and the classified sites for "model name + plans".

Helicopter Plans

If finding good plans for airplanes is hard, then to find ultralight helicopter plans is pathetic. There is no general store where you can go and pick between many models. Instead you'll have to visit many sites each of them offering plans for one model only.

One interesting ultralight helicopter can be found at Plans Delivery, another popular one is the G-1 Homebuilt Helicopter and there are maybe just a few more.

I can recommend you reading our article how to obtain ultralight helicopter kits and plans if you really want to find helicopter plans.

Free Ultralight Plans

I would not build an ultralight aircraft with free plans. Building your homebuilt experimental airplane is a big and serious project - don't try to do it with free plans. Just my 2 cents. Such plans (if you have the luck to find any at all!) can be of low quality or pretty vague. Working with them can cost you a lot more time and money than you would save.

I searched badly anyway so I could offer you at least 2-3 good free ultralight plans, but unfortunately most links were gone. You see, even searching for free plans online is a waste of time that could nuke the saving effect of not paying for the plans.

Finally, when you choose ultralight aircraft plans to buy, always do a quick research for the model and the company name. Usually you will find first-hand experience of people who have used the plans which can be very useful for your final decision.

Personal Hovercraft - Swim, Drive And Fly Over The Ground

What I am going to introduce to you now is not exactly an aircraft. It won't let you soar above the mountains. Hovercrafts are not airplanes. But still many ultralight aviation fans are interested in having their personal hovercraft. There are few reasons for that:

The enjoyment of driving a hovercraft over grass, water or snow is quite similar to flying an ultralight airplane

Hovercrafts are safer than aircfats

Hovercrafts are easier to maintnain

They don't need airports and runaways

You don't need a license to drive a hovercraft

These are pretty strong arguments in favor of the hovercrafts. The topic worths further exploring.

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So, What Is a Hovercraft And Personal Hovercraft?

The hovercrafts are amphibious vehicles supported on a cushion of high pressure air. In fact the hovercrafts fly on this thin cushion over the land or water, but unlike the aircrafts they need a flat surface very near under them.

The personal hovercrafts are small crafts usualy handling up to 10 passengers, but most often they are made for just 2 or 4 persons. One typical small hovercraft would look very simple to a flying boat or float except the wing.
The construction and way of flying of course are very different.

The Famous HovPod

This great vehicle can be used on water, grass, snow, road and other flat surfaces. You can even see people with personal hovercrafts climbing on mountains.

Where To Find A Hovercraft

If you intend to buy a personal hovercraft, I can recommend you to have a look at The HovPod. You can even get additional information on email if you fill this form.

There are hundreds of others manufacturers of personal hovercrafts which you can find thru the search engines and on other web sites.

The personal hovercrafts can be as small as your car or even smaller, and, you guessed right, you can keep it in your garage.

Hovercraft Kits And Building It Yourself

Many hobbyists build hovercrafts themselves or use hovercraft kits. Building a hovercraft is easier than building an ultralight airplane because there are less things to care about - like aerodynamics - and the hovercraft kits have less details.

Some enthusiasts build their hovercrafts from scratch, just purchasing plans online for $100 - $150.

In general owning a hovercraft is more affordable than owning an ultralight airplane - not so much because of the price itself, but because you don't have to pay licensee and education fees neither you have to pay for hangar. The hovercrafts do not impose such high requirement to your health and learning to drive them does not take so much of your time.

Of course nothing can really replace the enjoyment of flying an ultralight airplane :) But the hovercraft is a great option if you are just looking to have some great fun without too much of a hassle.

Aviation Modeling

Do you want to fly tens or airplanes and helicopters? Too bad, even with the cheapest ultralights this is not affordable at least for most of us. But we like so many of them, it's hard to decide which one you want when the time for buying come.

One way to have a closer look at different kind of aircraft and to experience some of the enjoyment which the different planes can give you is through aviation modeling. Of course nothing can be compared to real flying, but modeling and flying models are excellent way to expand your knowledge about aircraft and aviation in general. Many aviation fans start collecting models as a first step on their way to flying, others do it after they have already flown on real ultralight aircraft.

Building model airplanes is a good training step to building real ultralights. No, don't expect to use the same tools or skills, neither that the same physics apply. But building models will train your patience and dexterity and will get you know better the main principles of aviation.

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For the reasons about we created a sister site to this one which caters to Aviation Modeling. Visit it to find out a lot of articles and advice about model airplanes and helicopters.

If you know nothing about model aircraft read the introduction to model aviation to get a better idea about this hobby.

In the general model aircrafts category you will find articles about the types of model aircraft and further reading.

If you are interested in remote control airplanes, the RC aircraft articles will help you know how to choose, fly or build such models.

A great place for beginner builders are the paper airplanes, so we have an article for it too.

If you already have experience with model aircraft and have built some, let us know. We will be more than happy to write about it and show your model to the others if you wish.

Real Stories And Advice From Ultralight Helicopter Builders

This article is Part Three of a series about Building an Ultralight Helicopter. You may want to read Part One and Part Two first.

If you are embarrassed and need to quicken your spirit, you need the positive story of someone who has already experienced the process of building his own ultralight helicopter.

There are many places where you can look for real stories of people who made in addition pictures of the different stages of building. Look at this site, for example, where the successful stories are related with the building of Mosquito heli.

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Here it is the story of the Australian enthusiast Rob Hall. He built his own ultralight helicopter saying: �Take all the time you need for a perfect work. Think first, than cut or glue. And have a fun, this is the most important.� Some of the suggestions he gave to the others are related with details of the work like:

Use a mask when you paint the details. It is not a problem for your face (you can live with blue beard), but for your lungs.

Buy a pneumatic riveter � you will be happy with the result. You will need powerful senders as all.

Be careful with silicones, some of them cannot be used on fuel systems as the engine will stop.

I have used bolts instead of rivets (which were supplied with the kit) to mount the bow clamps of the front undercarriage. I needed this change, as the heli was too tall to go out from my workshop.

For some of the parts you need long extension with special holder to drill.

I will recommend you "The Glassfiber Handbook", which is used by our local craft repair station (ISBN 0 85242 820 0). It will be very useful for everyone who dedicates your time to metal planes and helicopters.

Jimmy Stuart from USA gives another suggestion: �I am a pilot, and I have tried several aircrafts. The helicopter has a lot of advantages compared to planes, but the most important is that you can take off and lend almost everywhere � starting from your own garden�� Some of Jimmy�s suggestions concerning the process of building are listed below:

The first moment of opening the parcel with the kit is quite stressful. The first impression is that this is a real mess of pieces and bits. The best think you can do is to sit down and relax.

Place the building planes on a visible spot, so as they to be all the time in front of your eyes. I have used the wall � the planes looked like a map of the world (within these months my helicopter was really my world).

One of the big problems is where to start from. I would suggest you to start with the big pieces and go down step by step to the smallest bits.

Do not be in a hurry: if you don�t sleep at all, you will probably build your ultralight helicopter in 21 days. But I am sure you are doing this not for a record, but just for a pleasure. I spent 3 and a half months building my bird.

Good advise you may receive as well from Andrea Kianti from Italy: �I have no experience at all, but I was dreaming of my own helicopter. I went to a metal factory shop in the nearby town and ask them for training. I stayed a month there and we made a good deal with the owner: I didn�t pay anything for the training, and he didn�t pay anything for my work. It was � a car service station, but I learned many tricks from painting to finery. It helped me a lot! After this I turned the garage into a heli workshop. After 6 months I had the most beautiful helicopter you could ever seen��

Have you already build or tried to build an ultralight helicopter or other ultralight aircraft? Please share your story with us!

Building An Ultralight Helicopter - Preparation

This article is Part One of a series about Building an Ultralight Helicopter

People have always dreamed to fly. After the ultralight aircraft appeared many of the aviation enthusiasts have the possibility to experience regularly the enjoyment of flying on an ultralight helicopter. If you have felt the fun to fly on a helicopter and you would like to do it frequently, the ultralight version is the reasonable choice, which will not empty your wallet.

Photo by pmilg at flickr

What Is Ultralight Helicopter?

It is actually a skeleton of a traditional helicopter without the protection of the normal shell. It has two propellers: one on the top, which has a diameter from 3.5m to 7.5m, depending on the model, and one on the tail, with a diameter between 0.6m and 1.2m. The average weight of an empty ultralight heli is between 65 and 85 kg. The weight of the pilot can be up to 125 kg. However, you will hardly find two ultralight helicopters that are similar as a construction and main characteristics.

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How To Get An ultralight Helicopter?

There are two main possibilities: to purchase a ready-made one or to build your own. Maybe you will be interested in the second option. There are quite a good number of models, which you can buy in a kit form. This means that you have to fit the pieces of your aircraft together before the first fly. However, it is necessary to know that besides the enthusiasm this is not a simple project.

Where To Start?

First answer the questions: What have you built till now? How big is your experience in reading construction plans and assembling pieces? What about the engines: do you have any idea about them?

If your experience is close to zero, the ultralight helicopter should probably be your second building project and you would start with something easier. But if you can rely on the help of someone experienced and your enthusiasm is so big� go ahead.

What To Buy?

There are many producers of ultralight helicopters, which offer different possibilities. The cheapest way to own a heli is to purchase only construction plans and to bring together all necessary parts of your aircraft by your own. This is the longest way and requires very good background in construction of machines and aircrafts. The average price of construction plans in reduced formats is $90 to $200. The plans of the ultralight helicopter G-1 cost only $32.95. An instruction manual costs in addition $35. The same is the price of a video instruction. Usually the plans in large format have double price.

If you prefer not to to spend so much time you may look for already prepared ultralight helicopter kits, which are offered by all production companies. The prices vary from $2495 for the kit of the famous Mosquito, to $15995 for a complete kit of Kestrel Jet Helicopter. You can find in between several prices for the different parts of the helies: airframe with tail section, main control hub, rotor head, engines, etc.

Let me give an example with the well-known Adams-Wilson ultralight helicopter called Choppy. It is a single-seat heli, the most famous among the homebuilt aircrafts. If you buy the complete kit you have to spend $22,995. However, if you decide to purchase separate parts you should know that the airframe of the Choppy is $3495, the same is the price of the rotor head and the price of the main control hub is $2495. The experimental version of the Choppy (with gearbox instead of a cog-belt drive system and different engine) costs almost $30000. All Choppy kits include a cockpit as well.

(You continue reading more about the ultralight helicopter kits and plans.)

What else you need to build your helicopter?

Most of the kits are prepared so as to be built with ordinary tools and minimum additional costs at home. You don�t need special workshop, but the most frequently working tools are required.

The rest is time and enthusiasm. Keep your enthusiasm as long as possible, as you will need plenty of it until you reach the first fly with your own ultralight helicopter.

So, are you ready? See what is needed to start action.

Building An Ultralight Helicopter - Start Action

This article is Part Two of a series about Building an Ultralight Helicopter. To read Part One click here.

The idea to build an ultralight helicopter on your own is very challenging, but you should approach it judiciously. The reason is that this decision will cost you money and time (which is again money).

You have probably made a search on the web for producers of ultralight helicopters and helicopter kits in order to find out the best quality, the best price or just the heli which fits best to your dreams. Before making the final step towards ordering a plan, different pieces or a complete kit, look at the following checklist, which will help you to make better decision.

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Self-confidence

Do you have it enough? Many people decide to built their own aircraft, but they do not believe in their technical skills and knowledge. What is worse, some of them give up after paying good amount of money for a kit. The companies, producing the plans and the kits have very good instruction manuals and videos to help you. If you are ready to learn and to acquire new skills, you need just a little training and time to practice in order to build your ultralight helicopter.

Photo by misterbisson at flickr

Basic knowledge

Purchasing the helicopter kit with detailed manuals and plans makes your life overlgenerally easy. However, you need to be well versed in some subjects like comprehension and reading of instructions and plans as well as organizing and planning of the tasks to be performed.

You will need as well basic skills in working with metal, like: measuring and cutting of required lengths, drilling and countersinking of holes, work with aluminum (sheets and tubes), bending of aluminum pieces, smoothing of holes and edges, gluing of metal parts, etc. You have to be good enough in fitting the components together, assembling different pieces, welding (required for the exhaust system), connection and testing of the electrical systems, setting the engine and the particular fuel system.

Timing

Unfortunately you cannot build your ultralight helicopter in one day. You will need at least several weeks, up to 6 months, depending on the time you can spend and the skills you have. Before purchasing the kit think about the following aspects of your future work:

How many hours you can spend per week? Make a detailed schedule of your ordinary duties and reasonably assess the time you can devote your attention to the helicopter building. You may plan couple of hours working every day or every second day during the week and one full day during the weekend. Do not make your schedule too squeezed, as you will soon be disappointed. Make it reasonable and try to follow it.

How many people you will involve in your work? Maybe you cannot weld and do not like to spend money for welding facilities, but you have a friend with welding skills? Ask him for help! Someone from the family is ready to help you every day? Give him the chance. Or you may invite your children during the non-working Sunday afternoon to perform a particular task for you, learning new skills? Good idea: you will have an additional working day and your half will enjoy free afternoon without family duties� However, be careful, sometimes the external help may slow down your progress.

The Design

Look carefully and select your helicopter design not only based on its price. You should like the model. Do not expect (if you are experienced enough) that you will change its design later . Do not do this! In any case you have to ask the producer of the kit, as there are construction reasons behind every detail.

The Help

There are several places where you can look for help and useful answers to your questions. First of all the companies which sells kits or plans supports forums and FAQ sections on their websites. Look at the sites of builders of ultralight aircrafts as well. What you should take into account in case of doubt is to ask before you have drilled or cut, in order to avoid a costly mistake.

Still hesitating? Read some success stories and advice from people who already built their ultralight helictoper.

How To Fly An Ultralight Aircraft Even When You Do Not Own Any

Photo by udannlin at Flickr

On this site we have published some articles showing how affordable owning an ultralight airplane is. Indeed this depends on where you live - but in general you can own an ultralight airplane at the price of a decent car.

Unfortunately not every one of us can afford even so much when it's just for a hobby and leisure. But this is not a reason to forfeith your dream of flying on an ultralight airplane. There are options for you to experience this wonderful activity even without owning an airplane.

Here are they:

Buying a share

This is a very popular option within the pilots of light airplanes and light sport aircrafts. Usually 3, 4 or 6 people buy one plane together and share not only the purchase price but the ongoing costs. This otion can drastically reduce the costs of owning an ultralight aircraft. Of course you won't really own all of it, but still will be able to fly frequently and enjoy it.

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Few things to consider:

You need reliable partners. You have to find pilots that will care about the airplane as good as you would care for it. They have to be serious people and to keep the agreement regarding the time of flying and the ongoing costs.

You need to find people near you. If you have to travel few thousands milles each time when you want to pick up your ultralight, you won't save any costs and will lose time. In such sense, if you are from UK or USA you have much better chances to find good partners, because these countries have traditions in sharing airplanes.

It's hard to agree on the exact airplane. Unfortunately it is not easy to find other people who want to buy exactly the ultralight or microlight that you want to buy. Some will want a Challenger, other will look for Colb Ultralight etc. You may have to make a compromise with the model and make

Participating in a club

There are various flying clubs where aviation enthusiasts go together, discuss, make competitions and fly. The clubs allow you to share airplanes with others, to attend cheaper training etc. In most clubs the members can also trade or rent airplanes to each other or from the club.

While talking about renting, let's see the next option:

Renting an ultralight airplane

What do people do when they can't afford buying a home? They rent one! Of course you can do the same with an airplane. But with the ultralights it's not that easy. Many owners would be fairly concerned about your pilot skills and the potential damages you could bring to their airplane and your health.

The best way to find an ultralight airplane for renting is to contact training companies and clubs and inquiry them. Some may refuse you, but some won't mind. Typically the flying schools will allow you to rent an airplane for $75 - $125 per hour. It's pretty expensive indeed!

If you plan to fly more often, you can consider membership in some club or company. For example Ultralight Adventures will let you use their airplane for only $35 per hour if you pay $100 monthly fee.

Paying for a piloted flight

This option is good if you don't even own a pilot license. Many companies offer piloted ultralight flights for amateurs. The flights are usually short, 20-30 minutes or so and start from $70 - $80. That's not cheap either, but it gives you the oportunity to experience your dream for less than $100 - even if only once.

If you are not from UK or USA, it may be harder to find such companies, but recently they started popping up even in much smaller countries with less aviation traditions. (For example here in Bulgaria you can purchase a 15 minutes ultralight flight as a gift to someone).

Attending pilot's education

This is a way to combine the pleasure with a practical use. If you dream of owning an ultralight airplane, why not start with the education? The pilot education is not cheap at all (see more details here), but will give you enough hours of guided and even solo-flights.

Especially if you really plan to own an airplane sooner or later, it's much better to start with pilot training rather than spending money on paid flights. Of course this option is not useful for people who already can fly.

From all the options above, I would consider best buying a share if you are already a pilot. Renting is too expensive and is ok only if you want to fly very few times. Joining a club or company which gives their airplanes for lower price plus a fixed monthly fee is a good option too, but you should very well calculate the expenses depending on how often you plan to fly.

Whichever option you choose, you see it's possible to fly on an ultralight airplane even if you don't have much money. There are very few dreams that can be achieved for less than $100 and ultralight flying is one of them - even if done just for 30 minutes.

Light Sport Aircraft

In USA there is a category of ultralight airplanes called Light Sport Aircraft. If you are from Europe, Asia or Africa you may never need to deal with that term... unless you want to fly in USA of course.

Wikipedia says:

"The Federal Aviation Administration defines a light-sport aircraft as an aircraft with a maximum gross takeoff weight of less than 600 kilograms (1320 pounds) for aircraft designed to operate from land, 649 kilograms (1,430 pounds) for seaplanes; a maximum airspeed in level flight of 120 knots (222 km/h); a maximum stall speed of 45 knots (83 km/h); either one or two seats; fixed undercarriage and fixed-pitch or ground adjustable propeller; and a single reciprocating engine, which includes diesel engines and Wankel engines."

To operate a Light Sport Aircraft you need a Sport Pilot License, similar to the Ultralight/Microlight license in UK for example.

photo by Brad Pennock

Here are Some Examples of Popular Light Sport Aircrafts

If you still wonder how exactly the light sport aircrafts are different to the ultralights, the best is to have a look at some of the most popular models.

Cessna 162 Skycatcher is one of the most popular two-seat light sport aircrafts. Its price is around $100,000. You can find tons of information and other people who like this airplane at 162 Skycatcher Forum.

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Eurofox is lovely ultralight, licensed as LSA in USA, provided by Eurofox Corporation. Its price is about $50,000 - 70,000. A very cute and affordable light sport airplane.

Jabiru J250-SP is advertised as one of the of the largest and most comfortable light sport aircrafts in USA. Its base price is around $100,000. The company offers also other models, experimental ultralights and kits.

At this point you probably have gotten the picture - LSA can be considered a sub-category of the ultralight airplanes. There isn't bid difference at the end.

Some Useful Resources About Light Sport Aircraft

Ultralight Flying Magazine hosts an informative small site about LSA. You'll find answers to most of the questions you ever had.

If you are interested in getting a sport pilot license, AOPA Online knows everything about Regulatory and Certification Policy

Looking to buy a good LSA? Find A Plane and Controller.com have plenty of stuff.

And of course, Ultralight-Airplanes.info is always here to answer any other questions you may have about LSA.

Ultralight Flying

How and where to fly? Is it safe or dangerous? Is it getting more expensive with the rising fuel prices? What are the rules of flying in my country?

Read the articles here and find the answers. I can't promise to cover each country and state, but will do my best to help you know more about the ultralight flying.

How To Fly An Ultralight Aircraft Even When You Do Not Own Any

What Factors Rule The Performance Of Ultralight Airplanes?

You have to ascertain that you have good flying conditions and your aircraft is in good operating condition before setting out on your flight. The performance of your ultralight aircraft is affected by multitude of environmental factors. Atmospheric Density One of the major factors that impact on performance is atmospheric density. Atmospheric... Continue >>

Ultralight Aircrafts - As Safe As The Birds?

Ultralight Flying In USA

Aircraft School

Receiving good flight education is the key for your successful and safe ultralight flying. Selecting an aircraft school is complex process and the education costs a lot so spend enough time on this.

The articles on this page will help you not only choose a flying lessons provider, but also decide when to do it. You will also learn about the alternatives of attending an aircraft school.

How To Find Good Ultralight Flying Lessons For Helicopters And Airplanes

Should You Attend An Aircraft School?

Microlight Airplane

The microlighting is a version of the ultralight aviation which generally is considered even lighter. A microlight aircraft is a term used widely in Europe and UK.

There are different opinions and definitions where is the border between the ultralight and the microlight airplanes, but this is not as important.

What really matters for you is that the microlight aircraft are giving you in general easier and cheaper way to fly. Here you will find information about all kind of weird and cool planes - experimental and home built, powered paragliders, delta planes and more. The microlight aviation is a really exciting venture!

How To Fly Easier With Flex Wing Ultralight Aircrafts (Ultralight Trikes)

Touch The Sky With An Affordable Microlight Airplane

Almost everyone has seen and has flied with a standard light airplane or a helicopter. These vehicles are cool and fast - but when you fly you are enclosed in the cabine and can't feel the air. And sadly, if you want to own an airplane you need really big... Continue >>

How To Find Good Ultralight Flying Lessons For Helicopters And Airplanes

When it comes to the things that keep us from learning to fly you will see the ordinary suspects to show up. Not enough time, not enough money, inappropriate season, health issues... Most often the thing which really stops us is lack of information about what exactly to do.

To operate an ultralight aircraft in USA you need a license from Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). In other countries there are different regulations, but almost everywhere in the world you'll need a specific flying license. So here is the first answer you searched for.

So How To Obtain A Flying License

Depending on where you are localted and what kind of aircraft license you want to apply for, you will need to pass a medical examination with various strictness.

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Once approved, you need to receive the required hours of flying instruction given by a Certificated Flight Instructor.

At the end, you'll have to pass written and practical exams.

While the medical and the pilot exams will be held at place that you won't choose yourself, the flying instruction is something that you can fully control.

Find A Good Aircraft School

Should you wonder if going to flight school is a good idea, you may want to read the article about ultralight aircraft schools. You'll also find information about the pricings and the flight school alternatives.

If you have decided to go ahead, you should have in mind that locating a good flight school can be a challenge, especially if you live in a less populated area.

When choosing a flight school, take these factors into consideration:

The price of the education (of course)

How long are the instructors in business

What airplanes are offered for the students

How many students are there

Are the flying hours flexible to suit your schedule

Does the school have website? If so, do a search for sites linking into it to read comments and feedback

Is there a good insurance coverage?

Get The Most Of Your Flying Lessons

Your flying education does not stop with choosing a flight school. The entire process of selection has one main purpose - to help you get the most for your money and time.

When doing your lessons, try to absorb everything that the instructor says. If needed, write down small notes to refresh you mind later.

A good flight education package will include a short discovery flight. You will be introduced to the feeling of flying an ultralight airplane - try to compare this to flying a big aircraft.

Make sure that you learn well the following topics:

Aircraft systems

Aerodynamics

Aircraft operations

Navigation

Regulations

Weather

When you finish the flying education and complete the exams, you must feel convenient in your flying skills. If you feel unsure, better attent additional hours with an instructor before going completely on your own. Your safety matters most.

Build Ultralight Airplane

One of the most exciting thing in the ultralight aviation is the fact you can build your airplane yourself. I know it sounds scary if you are a beginner. It scaried me as well.

But building your ultralight aircraft yourself does not require engineer knowledge (although it helps!), neither a big professional workshop.

There are many enthusiasts like you and me who build their aircrafts themselves with the help of construction plans or aircraft kits.

Read on, I'll show you how you can go ahead on this amazing, exciting and glorious route.

Building an Ultralight Aircraft: Get Yourself Prepared!

Are you ready or not so sure? Begin with understanding of what you want to do and how you want to go about it. Most people build the ultralight aircraft they have been already flying. It is something they are familiar with and have a fair understanding of the different... Continue >>

Building an Ultralight Aircraft: Using Construction Plans

Using The A10 D Aircraft Kit To Build Your Own Ultralight Airplane

The Glorious Aircraft Building Journey Of Alan and Dale Klapmeier

Every one of us has dreams. Very few have the persistence required to make them realities. Most of us give up if we are faced with problems or someone points out to us how divorced from reality our dreams are. The world would not have airplanes if the Wright brothers had not tried to translate their dreams of flying into a reality!

The story of Dale and Alan Klapmeier is a saga of dreams that became realities. What began as an indulgence in a fancy became the mainstay of their lives!

The Brothers Were Fascinates By Ultralight Airplanes

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The brothers were fascinated by airplanes as children. They loved to play with toy versions of planes and dreamed of building a plane themselves. Alan Klapmeier is often heard to say �You have to be dumb enough to start and smart enough to finish�. They plunged into airplane design naively with a Glasair kit aircraft in early 1980�s and stayed on despite difficulties to build and market the VK-30 in 1984 and found �Cirrus�--the company that manufactures the plane. Today the airplane designed and manufactured by them is FAA certified, composite, four place, single engine piston and turbo powered aircraft.

The Beginning

The first thoughts of building a real ultralight aircraft entered the minds of the brothers when Alan turned 15. The December 1973 issue of Flying Magazine showed a piper warrior on the cover and he was to give a speech at school on aviation. Inspired by the article and another on Skyhawk the Grumman Traveler and his own fascination with building and modeling toy planes, prompted him to excitedly approach his dad with a spontaneous � Let�s build an airplane!� only to be greeted by a laughing rejoinder �My kids are all insane!�

Re-building their first airplane

However, the thoughts took root and grew and they brought their first wrecked 7 GC airplane in 1979 with an intention of rebuilding it. They began work with an optimistic idea of completing the rebuilding in four months and ended up working on it for two and a half years! However, the learning was great and the brothers gained confidence in their ability to build airplanes.

Building their ultralight airplane from scratch

In 1980 they decided to further their understanding by building a plane from the scratch. They brought a Glasair kit form Stoddard-Hamilton and began work on it in 1981. The aircraft was a two place, side-by-side composite taildragger. They began putting it together in the garage and finished the job in the farm�s barn. They flew their first home built airplane in the Spring of 1984.

In that year they began the design of VK-30. The rest is history. The journey from the barn to the hanger and the hanger to owning a manufacturing company was a hard one. It was their dreams and their determination to realize their dreams which led them on to the success they enjoy today. It is a story of hardship willingly borne and a commitment unwaveringly pursued.

You too, could be a Dale or Alan Klapmeier! The first ultralight aircract you can build with a kit or plans could be the learning ground for bigger things to come. So why dismiss dreams as mere castles in the air. Begin by laying strong foundations. Build your first aircraft with the grit an determination of an Alan or a Dale.

What Factors Rule The Performance Of Ultralight Airplanes?

Atmospheric Density

One of the major factors that impact on performance is atmospheric density. Atmospheric density reduces with height and this affects the lift generation and the angle of attack. The concept of establishing a safe aircraft flight envelope within the critical range for best performance airspeeds emerges from this fact. This is the range within which the aircraft can be safely operated by an average pilot at varying density altitudes, airframe states, power outputs, wing loading and atmospheric turbulence.

ASI Position Error

The pilot also needs to know the ASI position error on his ultralight. The static vent is an opening connected to the cockpit via a tube and supplies ambient atmospheric pressure to the pressure sensing instruments. At specific altitudes disturbances can result in a position error. The ASI may under read by 10 knots at stalling.

If there is a sideslip the fuselage mounted static vent may experience dynamic pressure and the ASI and VSI readings may be erroneous. Consequently position error corrections for instruments should be noted and corrected in the Pilots Operating Handbook and placed in a placard on the instrument panel for ready reference. Before take off, the pilot should also check validity of claimed stall speeds and the type of wings used for evaluating performance.

Other Factors

Ultralights and microlights apply the same principles of flying as other aircraft. If speed is reduced the aircraft becomes less efficient. The elevator will normally deflect more downwards than upwards and this has to be taken advantage of, to have better elevator control at low speed (especially during descent or stall). However, the downwards deflection can be a hazard if the nose wheel has to hit the ground while one flares a little high and allows the speed to bleed off. Many microlights have stall speeds of 35Kt mark approximately and the elevator loses the ability to raise the nose at 40-45 Kt. This can have an impact on the calculation of approach speed.

Ultralights like microlights have high drag at low speed. Therefore a slightly higher approach speed is recommended to ensure that you won't have problems. These airplanes also have very little inertia. If the throttle is closed at 4 or 5 feet then, the aircraft will slow down rapidly and fall down to the ground. In cross winds the low inertia makes the crab technique difficult and the wing technique will have to be used. Sufficient bank should be used to keep the aircraft centerline and the nose pointing down the runway. However, you will find that there is not enough rudder to do so and the crosswing is too much. It would be better to keep power on till the aircraft hits the ground in a strong wind.

In short, you need to know his aircraft well and must be aware of its specific characteristics if you want the best performance out of it.

Using The A10 D Aircraft Kit To Build Your Own Ultralight Airplane

If you have dreamed of flying your own aircraft but have shelved the thought for want of funds, it would be a good idea to revive your dreams and have a look at the variety of aircraft building kits that are available at nominal prices in the market. Maybe there is some little aircraft out there waiting to be your own.

One of the best affordable ultralights you can build is the A-10D airplane. It has a cruise speed of 60 mph; a range of 300 nm; seats one and it takes about 100 hours for a beginner to build.

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So which A10 are we talking about? All A10s are essentially the same. The D models may differ because of the fiberglass pod or podsterior and fiber glass trim pieces. The D models also have an electric start which is not present on the B and so on. These are only cosmetic differences between the airplanes. The innards of the plane are the same.

What's In The Kit?

The kit will have the inboard wing, the two outboard wings, two rudders, two stabilators in a semi-assembled condition. It will also contain the tubes for the cage assembly. These tubes will be predrilled or pre-bent and all that needs to be done is to put them together with the instruction manual or video that comes with the box. Of course the kit will also contain the wheels, axles, brakes, instruments and everything that your plane needs. However, you will need to equip yourself with the rivets and you will have to familiarize yourself with the assembly process by watching the video or reading the manual several times.

Assembling The Kit

First Steps:

To reiterate, you will have to watch the video several times and read the manual again and again till you are familiar with the steps. When you feel confident that you know the process, spend some time looking at the different parts in the box and figuring out how they fit into each other. This is not very different from assembling Lego pieces that entertained our childhood. Take your time about this, as it will make your job easier and more fun as you go along.

Next Steps

Fit the wings together. There is a rudder hinge assembly that is attached to the outboard wings and that is where the process begins. Now position the wheels under the completed wing. Assemble the cage as per instructions with all the bolts loose so that you can fit them to your wing without stress. Now tighten the wing attach points, then move on to tightening the bolts on the first part of the cage.

Now pause awhile and study what the engine mount looks like. The supports will be designed to mount the engine you want to use with your plane. The engine will be tucked into the mount and occupy very little space. However, it is important to understand that weight and balance can make a lot of difference to the feel of your aircraft after assembly. So it may be a good idea to watch the video once more at this point or refer to the manual before proceeding.

Now you can go ahead and install the wheels, brake assemblies, seat, fiberglass pod, instruments and other parts of your plane.

The process is so simple that you will have fun doing it. Of course it will be a lot of hard work but the creative in you can be unleashed without fear. You will have an A10 ultralight airplane that you can be proud of!

Building an Ultralight Aircraft: Using Construction Plans

The ultralight aircraft construction plans are designed to provide the newbie and the professional builder with everything he needs to build a small plane on his own. Each package would contain complete step by step instructions on the art of ultralight aircraft building and all the parts required to execute the project from the scratch--Photos, CAD drawings, full size fittings drawings, a materials list, informative articles, the instruction manual. And of course the details of the parts of the plane you are going to assemble and the source from which you can purchase them. Some plan kits offer construction videos and have websites where the enthusiast can register and access their storehouse of information.

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The Affordaplane Construction Plans

The Affordaplane is one of the most popular ultralights available in form of construction plans. Each plan sold by this company has a registered serial number. It contains around 49 CAD drawings of the aircraft and each part is laid out in a large legal size paper in three views. There are drawings which show the user how the parts of the plane fit together and what materials have been used to an advantage. Full size drawings which come with this package are very convenient as there is no scaling up operations to be performed before implementation.

The 60 page builders manual provides easy to read step by step instructions with a lot of �how to� information that are great time and cost savers. The lists of materials that come with this plan also give details of suppliers in different locations. A bonus article from well known aviation experts is included. Affordaplane also provides its members access to its exclusive online builders section. This section is content rich and members can access information on a variety of aircraft related topics, tips and free updates on products of the company.

The Fighter Ultralight E-plans

The Fighter Ultralight e-plans provide aircraft building enthusiasts for a small sum of $24.95 with detailed instructions on how to build a simple fighter ultralight. Aluminium alloy tubes, steel tubing, sheets, bolts and rivets, fabric for the detachable wings are listed in its bill of materials with sources for purchase. The plans show the parts dimensions and the drawings provide exploded views and assembly instructions that can be grasped at a glance. The website managed by this company also provides a number of sample plans that users can view before deciding to go in for the products.

Aeros Ultralight Helicopter

The helicopter enthusiast who is looking to build a home built experimental helicopter would find plans for building one at Aeros helicopter. The Aeros construction manual that comes with the plans gives detailed construction prints, photos and assembly instructions to guide the builder. A bonus guidebook titled �Homebuilt Helicopter Guidebook� that is provided as part of the kit has several illustrated examples of how helicopters work and factors that go into the design of the various systems.

A comprehensive list that is included provides information on sources of engines, metals, AN hardware, cables, controls, rotorblades, instruments and all the regulations that need to be followed. The manual can be ordered separately without the plans too.

Evans Lightplanes Design

Evans lightplanes design is another company that provides ultralight aircraft building plans. The plan kit comes with a ready source of data used in the field of light plane design. The plans are well laid out on paper with easy to grasp diagrams and illustrations. About 145 pages of simplified tables and charts inform the user on Aero, engines, props, properties of wood, Aluminum, steel, composites, flight and landing loads.

The G-1 plans

G-1 plan from Gyrobee is designed for those who want to build an affordable, easy-to- build ultralight helicopter / gyroplane. The construction manual provides the constructor with all the details he needs for building Gyrobee. The package includes a valuable guide for the gyrobee hobbyist. The guide contains information on gyroplane basics, rotorblade and hub designs and specifications of various helicopters and gyroplanes. The guide also gives details of construction materials commonly used, a glossary of terms and a list of suppliers of parts and materials. Tables of weights, formula and conversions are a bonus.

Panzamy Aircraft Corporation

Panzamy Aircraft Corporation offers introduction packages for their PL-2, Pl-4A and PL-9 Stork designs in PDF format.

Plans for Boredom fighter ultralight aircraft can be at http://adap.com/Plans.htm.

The list above is only a small sample of the gamut of ultralight aircraft building plans that are available in the market and by no means complete. But these should be enough give you a very good start.

Ultralight Aircrafts - As Safe As The Birds?

Why are birds safe? Because they are physically engineered for flying safely and have evolved into a creatures who know just what to do and how to survive in an emergency. So, if you want to emulate the birds, you need to acquire an airworthy ultralight aircraft and the instinctive flight control that the birds have achieved. While airworthiness of the craft is a matter of judgment, certification and maintenance, mental perfection can be achieved only through excellent training and sustained airmanship. You can be safe as the birds if you desire so!

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Ultralight Airplane Safety Sertification

Strangely, ultralight aircrafts do not have to be certified for airworthiness. Most countries categorize ultralight aircraft as recreation or acrobatic aircraft and are only concerned about weight in the context of categorization. The rules stipulate that the aircraft should be manned by single occupant; used for recreation purposes; should not have an airworthiness certificate; unpowered aircrafts should weigh less than 155 pounds and powered ones should weigh 254 pounds or less. They also state that the fuel capacity should not exceed 5 U.S gallons or 19 liters and have a calibrated speed of 55 knots. The power off stall speed should not exceed 24 knots calibrated airspeed. The ultralight aircraft too, do not have to be registered or to bear any markings of any type.

Safety Requirements

However, most countries have rules prescribed for the types of persons who are authorized to maintain the ultralight aircraft. The details of qualifications of such mechanics are available in their update Air Directives, Advisories, Service Manual, and Air Worthiness of the Ultralight documentation. The mechanic who maintains the aircraft must have rights in accordance with the qualifications required for de-assembly, assembly, repair and maintenance. He must be able to certify that the repairs will not change the characteristics of the ultralight and the performance features. He must make sure that there are no issues under the skin and engine. He must certify that the frame and wing of the ultralight aircraft is in good working order. Even amateur ultralight enthusiasts who have built their own ultralight aircraft must acquire the certification if they want to maintain their aircrafts themselves.

As per these extant rules, the airmen too are not required to meet any aeronautical knowledge, age or experience requirements or any medical certifications. However, it must be emphasized that the aircraft is only as safe as its pilot makes it so. In reality, good airmanship is not definable. The predominant characteristics could be listed as a measure of awareness of the aircraft, its flight environment, his own capabilities and limitations and his behavior under stress. Self discipline and good judgment are integral to the concept. The pilot can fly only in good flying whether and must maintain his aircraft himself. He should ensure his physical safety by wearing helmet and keeping handing the emergency parachute.

Ultralight aircrafts are safe or unsafe depending on the time and effort devoted by the pilot to maintenance it and the awareness and airmanship with which he handles the aircraft.

Building an Ultralight Aircraft: Get Yourself Prepared!

Purchasing construction plans

Photo by hyper7pro from flickr

The first step in the preparation for aircraft building, therefore, will begin with purchasing or acquiring aircraft construction plans. The plans must contain complete details of all the different parts, materials, tools, drawings and instructions on how to build the aircraft. If the drawings are full size, you will be able to save time and avoid problems that arise from inaccurate scaling up operations. A complete list of materials and sources for the same will help you cut out the time and expense of scouting around for the different parts you need for your plane.

If the company that sells the construction plans will also sell you an aircraft kit, you have got a winner for yourself (unless you really want to build from the scratch). If the instructions are detailed as they should be, you will have no difficulty in assembling the different parts. So you need to focus on the different construction plans available in the market and pick the one that suits you best. You will have to set about acquiring the different parts you need for assembling your plane.

Read more about building an ultralight airplane with construction plans.

Using Partial Kits? Why not!

If you feel that you need some expertise before investing large sums of money in building your aircraft you could take advantage of using the partial trial kits offered by some companies. The partial trial kit will focus on parts of the plane. For instance, you could buy a tail kit and assemble it. If you decide not to build the plane you can put up the tail for sale, or else you can go ahead and order the rest of the kit. The trail kits also come with an offer of on-phone help. You can call up the company for help and guidance as you go along.

Once you are done with acquiring the basic components, you will need to focus on getting yourself the necessary tools. Some building kits come with the tools, but not all of them. You need very simple tools you use for everyday things. If you have purchased a kit it will contain a table top drill press, metal cutting band saw(or hacksaw), various hand files, a dremel belt sander, hand drill, prop rivet gun and a table to build things on. You will also need a one inch tubing bender 8� radius, Jigsaw Pinking Shears, a paint brush, screwdriver, sandpaper, bench vice and so on. You will need no welding tools.

Take Care For Your Health

It is also important to remember that working with chemicals of any kind poses certain health hazards. The chemicals and resins can cause allergies. For instance, the materials used in the filler and ground glass can be health hazards. So providing yourself with dust masks and paint filtering masks with good ventilation may be a good idea. Though skin irritation and allergic reactions are rare it is commonsense to take care that you do not expose yourself unnecessarily to harmful irritants.

If you are ready with all the above, you will have to set aside around 2500-5000 hours for the building process if you are a newbie and use only construction plans without a kit. Professionals can do it for less. Beginners can do it for 500 - 1000 hours if using an ultralight aircraft kit. The fundamental idea is to take on the job slowly and systematically and not rush it.

Happy building!

Ultralight Helicopter

Why an ultralight helicopter? The helicopters are beautiful and unique, but very complex and expensive aircrafts. It's usually said that the helicopters are only for the very rich, not only because of the high start price, but also because of the high support costs.

The ultralight helicopters are simplifier, lighter and cheaper than the ordinary ones. They have all advantages or a helicopter and ultralight aircraft combined together.

On this page you will find not only information about the ultralight helicopters in general, but also a lot of useful advice how to build your own.

Building An Ultralight Helicopter - Preparation

People have always dreamed to fly. After the ultralight aircraft appeared many of the aviation enthusiasts have the possibility to experience regularly the enjoyment of flying on an ultralight helicopter. If you have felt the fun to fly on a helicopter and you would like to do it frequently, the ultralight version is the reasonable choice, which will not empty your wallet... Continue >>

Building An Ultralight Helicopter - Start Action

You have probably made a search on the web for producers of ultralight helicopters and helicopter kits in order to find out the best quality, the best price or just the heli which fits best to your dreams. Before making the final step towards ordering a plan, different pieces or a complete kit, look at the following checklist, which will help you to make better decision... Continue >>

Real Stories And Advice From Ultralight Helicopter Builders

If you are embarrassed and need to quicken your spirit, you need the positive story of someone who has already experienced the process of building his own ultralight helicopter.
There are many places where you can look for real stories of people who made in addition pictures of the different stages of building... Continue >>

Homebuilt Ultralight Helicopters

Many ultralight enthusiast build their airplanes on their own. They use kits or work "from scratch". The produced ultralight airplanes are known as Experimental/Home Built Aircrafts. Although doing this requires a lot of work and passion, it does not require engineer skills or knowledge. These enthusiast are just people like... Continue >>

Do You Want a Helicopter? Get an Ultralight!

How To Obtain Ultralight Helicopter Kits And Plans

Ultralight Flying In USA

The sport ultralight flying in USA is probably as popular as sports like paragliding and sky diving. The low costs, the large choice of aircrafts and the great infrastructure have helped the ultralight aviation in USA to grow a lot in the last years.

Additionally it is just very easy to buy and fly an ultralight aircraft or helicopter in America. There are so many USA based manufacturers of ready ultralight airplanes, kits and plans so you can find good choice in any US state.

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The Specifics Of Ultralight Aviation in USA

The definition of an ultralight is different in USA than it is in the other countries. But the newly introduced "Light Sport Aircraft" category is very close to the ultralight categories in the rest of the world. This article - and the entire site - is about both Ultralight Airplane and Light Sport Aircraft categories.

The Light Sport Aircraft is similar to the New Zealand and UK "Microlight" category in terms of licensing and definition. Its maximum gross takeoff weight should be less than 600 kg or 1320 pounds and the maximum airspeed is 120 knots (222 km/h).

In USA the Ultralight airplanes can be operated only in the daylight hours.

Ultralight Aircrafts And Helicopters In USA

Some of the most popular ultralight aircraft manufacturers are located in USA:

Quicksilver Ultralight is located in Iowa.

Quad City Ultralight - the producer of the famous Challenger Aircraft is located in Illinois.

The exciting Toucan ultralight trainer can be found in Florida.

Fantasy Air USA from North Carolina produces the beautiful Allegro Light Sport Aircraft.

Just Aircraft is produced in South Carolina.

The producer of my favorite RANS S6 Coyote light sport aircraft is located in Kansas, USA.

And so on... You see some of the greatest ultralight airplanes and helicopters are produced in USA or delivered by dealers there. There is huge list of offers and the prices are as good as you can imagine. This gives the USA pilots and enthusiasts the ability to fly easier and to buy the airplane they like most without paying overseas delivery.

USA Ultralight Fly Training & Schools

USA is the place where you can get all kind of flight training and education at reasonable prices. Whether you are a beginner pilot working on your Private education or experienced pilot looking for a professional career, you'll find tons of instructors offering teaching at reasonable prices.

Sites like AviationSchoolsOnline will help you locate the the most appropriate fly training school near you. There are helicopter training schools, mechanics schools, dispatcher schools, air traffic controller schools and more.

If you wish to learn flying ultralights under Part 103 you can receive Ultralight Instruction for about $1,800 - $2,500.

If you are more interested to fly an Light Sport Aircraft, you can apply Sport Pilot Training course for slightly more than that.

There are a lot of Sport Pilot Test Courses sold online for about $300. They are good, but they are only for test preparation. Only practice can teach you to fly.

The pilots of ultralight aircrafts and helicopters in USA are favored with a lot of affordable options to learn and fly. If you ar an US citizen, you won't need to search too much. You can check our airplane resource center for links to classified sites, magazines, books, stores and forums where to find more information.

It's also a good idea to check for used ultralight aircrafts or used ultralight trikes, because there are many US based sellers in this business too.

Used Ultralight Aircraft

Buying an used ultralight aircraft allows many pilots with low budget to fly. But the low price is not the only advantage of doing this. The used airplane may come with first hand instructions and improvements which can make your flying better.

There are many things you should consider when buying used airplane. Many of them are discussed in the articles below.

If you are looking to sell your used ultralight or microlight aircraft, you will find a bit of advice and useful information too.

Used Ultralight Trikes - The Shortest Way To Start Flying

You have probably read the article about used ultralight aircrafts and already know that you can save a lot of money and time buying an used airplane. Of course, doing that has its disadvantages too and you should know how to choose a good one. Why trike and why used? Cheap for... Continue >>

See How Easily You Can Get Used Ultralight Aircraft

Ok, so you are not so keen on building your airplane from a kit yourself, are you? But the new aircrafts can be a bit expensive, even if they are ultralights. So it is a wise decision to consider buying an used ultralight aircraft and save money and time. But... Continue >>

Ultralight Airplanes

If you are interested in owning, buying or building an ultralight airplane, or you are just interested in knowing more about the ultralight airplanes in general - this page is for you.

Here you will find articles about pricing, licensing and registering your ultralight aircraft. If you want to know more about the other aspects of the ultralight aviation - gliders, flex wing trikes, helicopters or microlighting - just browse the other categories. If you want to know something that is not covered here, just email me at admin[at]ultralight-airplanes.info and we'll do our best to research and publish more information.

Light Sport Aircraft - The Poor Man's Chance to Soar

The reasons for their surging popularity are myriad, but one of the most compelling is the lower cost associated with owning and operating light sport aircraft.... Continue >>

Light Sport Aircraft - The Little Guy's Ticket to the Wild Blue Yonder

Their allowed gross takeoff weight is no more than 1320 pounds (many horses weigh more). You could buy eighty squadrons of the most expensive for the price of the most expensive horse ever sold at auction. Continue >>

How To Become a Light Sport Aircraft Pilot

Have you dreamed for years of becoming a pilot? If so, you're in luck, because the soaring popularity of light sport aircraft... Continue >>

Light Sport Aircraft

In USA there is a category of ultralight airplanes called Light Sport Aircraft. If you are from Europe, Asia or Africa you may never need to deal with that term... unless you want to fly in USA of course. Continue >>

Ultralight Airplane - What Do You Need To Know?

Read this page to undertsand the basics of the ultralight aviation and the things you always wanted to know. Continue >>

Are Ultralight Airplanes Right For Your Budget?

The ultralight aviation made it possible. Everyone, and I mean really everyone can have their aircraft today. What is your budget? What kind of flying vehicle do you want to own? This short article will give you some suggestions. Over $100,000 You can get almost everything from the Ultralight aviation. Continue >>

Popular Ultralight Aircrafts

Ultralight Gliders - Flying Without Engine

Do you know how the ultralight aviation started at? No, it is not coming from the general aviation. The ultralight airplanes have evolved from hang gliders. But this evolution did not kill the gliders. They are still widely used and available in many variations. What exactly is an ultralight glider? Continue >>

Ultralight Seaplanes - Amphibians, Flying Boats and Floats

All these are different types or just names of an interesting category ultralight aircrafts - the Ultralight Seaplanes. Are you already asking what's so great about them? Imagine what were you going to do if you had both a boat and an airplane. (Or maybe you already have them?) Continue >>

Here Are Some Of The Best Discussion Forums About Ultralight Airplanes

Seven Good Books and DVDs About Ultralight Aviation

Thrity Thousand Feet - A Complete Respource About Aviation

If you want to know more about the aspects of the aviation which are outside of the ultralight topics, you probably would be happy to discover sites like ours on different topics. Thirty Thousand Feet is not similar to Ultralight-Airplanes.info by any means but it may help you discover many similar resources. And a lot more than that.

Thrity Thousand Feet is a complete directory and portal about aviation. It's one of the best aviation sites I have ever seen so I wanted to share it with you. In this short review you will see how to use Thrity Thousand Feet for finding the best aviation information on the Web.

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The main page contains an Aviation Directory. You can browse the categories and discover thousands of useful and carefully selected links sorted by topic. If you own an ultralight or other kind of aviation related site, you can suggest it for addition to the directory.

By clicking the Aviation News tab at the top you will discover a selection of sites providing fresh news.

There is also a Blog written by the site owner "Max Flight" where you can find news and comments on what's going on in the sky. The author does not post very frequently, but quality is more important than quantity.

Max Flight also writes in another blog accessible from Thrity Thousand Feet main menu - a Travel Security Blog. He's following close the security related events and issues in the general aviation.

Thrity Thousand Feet accordingly to its authors own words is created by just an enthusiast. Pretty professional work for enthusiast I would say. It's a must-bookmark site if you are interested in aviation - and I guess you are, otherwise you wouldn't be here.

Seven Good Books and DVDs About Ultralight Aviation

I hope you have found a lot of interesting info on this site. Are you already looking for more? There will be more articles and even a blog is coming on the way (to be notified about that, don't forget to subscribe to our newsletter). Do you want to go deeper into some aspects of the ultralight aviation right now? Then maybe you should consider reading some of the best e-books in this market.

We will be interested to hear your feedback. If you buy and read or have already read any of the books, let us know what do you think about them. You can shoot us an email at info@ultralight-airplanes.info.

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The links below will open in new window.

1. A Professional Approach to Ultralights

This book written by Carol Carpenter and Brian Carpenter contains a practical guide about buying your ultralight airplane, maintenance and support. There are ten well illustrated chapters covering everything you need to know about this process in about 250 pages.

The material in the book is based on more than 25 years of the author's experience in ultralight flying.

The book will help you to save time, money and frustration. There is no hype or empty talk - just straight tips and answers of the questions that you might want to ask.

Unfortunately there are many grammar errors which could be really boring, but I guess I'd prefer that instead of a book with perfect grammar and no useful information.

2. Microlighting: Affordable Aviation

This book by Chris Finnigan is well written and a nice read. However it does not really answer all the money related question as you would assume from the sub-title. It's accent is mostly on the technical aspects of microlighting and the pro's and con's of the two basic styles of aircraft.

Finnigan is an active pilot and shows good knowledge, but the book is more appropriate to beginners in microlighting rather than the experienced pilots.

3. Simplified Aircraft Design for Homebuilders

Probably the best book about home built airplane fans. The 143 pages written by Dr. Daniel P Raymer contain step by step and easy to follow guide to create your homebuilt aircraft.

The information is from first hand and brings a lot of inspiration and new ideas. The author gives you all the basics of how the airplanes work and this is done with a sense of humor and easy language. It's hard to say anything negative about Dr. Raymer's work.

4. Aircraft Design: A Conceptual Approach

Yet another book by Dr. Daniel P Raymer, this time much bigger - 838 pages - and containing a lot more details. The book is used in many universities around the globe and is a favorite choice of practicing design engineers.

The book covers the entire aircraft design process and defines clearly all its principles. The approach is practical and supported with statistical and history data.

The only disadvantage I can think about is the price. But this book is not for beginners anyway. You should buy it only if you have serious plans to learn aircraft design.

5. Paragliding - A Pilot's Training Manual

This is a true bestseller (book and DVD inside) simply loved by everyone who is interested in paragliding. There is a wealth of information not only for beginners, but also for experienced pilots. It's the most up-to-date paragliding guide you will find.

The DVD clearly demonstrates the concepts discussed in the book and can be used as a great teaching tool.

If you are a complete beginner, you'd better first read a simpler guide about the paragliders.

6. Be A Sport Pilot, Learn to Fly a Fixed Wing Light-Sport Aircraft

This is a 75 minutes DVD which will show you how to get a sport pilot sertificate for a fixed wing aircraft. The creator of this video - Paul Hamilton - has been flying for more than 30 years.

Program Outline:

First Flights, Fundamental Maneuvers: Ground Operations, Straight-and-Level, Turns, Slow Flight, Climb/Descent
Student to Solo, Practical Maneuvers: Steep Turns, Stalls, Spins, Ground Reference Maneuvers, Takeoffs and Landings, Communications, Collision Avoidance, Emergencies
Solo to Pilot, Further Study: Responsibilities, Checklists, Aircraft Performance, Weather, Navigation, Maps, Airspace

7. Flight Deck 3

This is one of the most loved flight simulators available on the Web. The company producer - Abacus - has completely revised the previous version and prepared this new carrier-based aircraft software.

I've seen some criticism about the realism of the flight and the carrier landing system from many users. But even the critics confess that Flight Deck 3 is a great fun and the best product of this class on the market.

Here Are Some Of The Best Discussion Forums About Ultralight Airplanes

The Web is huge and full with all kind of sites on about every topic you can think of. But for us, the fans of the ultralight aviation, there are very few places to visit. Except this site there are just a few ones which pay attention to the ultralight airplanes and helicopters (excluding those which try to sell you something).

Fortunately there are many people like you and me who are interested in the ultralight and microlight aircrafts. Some of them have a lot to share if you can find a way to communicate with them. One of the best things you can do in order to find other people who share your aviation interest is to look at the online discussion forums.

Doing the research for this site I have looked at many different aviation forums and newsgroups online. Most of them are not specialized only in the ultralight flying, but have the appropriate sections. In this small article I want to share with you the few good discussion forums that you can visit and talk or read more about the ultralight airplanes.

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The membership in all the forums listed here is free. Why am I saying that? You probably expect that all online forums are free? Well I expected the same, but discovered that many of the forums in the aviation business require you to pay for membership.

The Aviation Forum
This is a small, very friendly and nice discussion forum. Covers General Aviation, Military Aviation, Airlines, Flight Simulation and more. Saying "small" I mean it does not contain huge folders with hundreds of subforums. But otherwise it is pretty active having 7,608 members and 11,324 threads at the time of writing this review.

Sport Pilot Talk
Sport Pilot Talk is not very active forum, there are just few posts each day. At the time of writing this there were 458 registered users. The topics are divided into more categories - Hangar Talk, Light Sport Aircraft, Training, Partnerships, Flying Clubs and more. You can also get a specific question answered by professionals in Ask The Examiner, Ask The Insurance Agent and Ask The Mechanic sections.

Wings Forum
Wings Forum started ambitiously with a lot of sections and folders. Unfortunately the forum is not very active today and worst of all, there are some spammers who are flooding the discussions from time to time. Otherwise it's a good discussion board giving you the opportunity to find threads about specific aircraft types very easy. I would be happier if there was also a folder dedicated only to ultralight aviation. Currently they have 194 registered users.

rec . aviation . ultralight
This is an Ultralight Discussion Group on Google Groups. It is not exactly a forum, but is one of the very few resources dedicated only to the ultralight airplanes. You can ask or discuss everything as long as you stay on topic. You can also check the related groups rec.aviation.homebuilt and rec.aviation.rotorcraft which appear on the right side there.

I hope you will find the above discussion forums interesting and sometimes very useful. There are also some paid forums which look nice. I am planning to register in some of them and as soon as this happen, we will add more reviews. Thus you will know if it is worth to join them and pay the fees.

Are you interested in a forum especially about ultralight aviation? We can create a free one here, just let us know. You can use the comment option below this article.

How To Obtain Ultralight Helicopter Kits And Plans

Are you passionate about flying an ultralight helicopter? Do you dream to have a small heli sitting in your courtyard, waiting for you to come and raise it in the sky?

As you can see in this article, there are many options to buy used or new ultralight helicopter. It's also quite possible that you would prefer to build it on your own, like the people who have homebuilt ultralight helicopters do. If you choose that route, you have a long and glory way to walk.

Photo from flickr

Download Homebult Helicopter Construction Plan

I already wrote a little about this in "Homebuilt Ultralight Helicopters" page. I want to elaborate more on that here. The Web is full with construction plans sold for few bucks (usually $20 - $100) and the question is which to choose.

It's hard to do due diligence on the plans seller, because in rare cases you will have enough information about him or her. There are some main guidelines that you can follow in order to download a quality construction plan:

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Pay attention to the seller's website. It's logical to conclude that a "good" website will offer good plans. What does good website mean? No, it does not need to have fancy design or even to look professional. Many of the people who sell plans are engineers who created the plans themselves and have also created their site on their own. They are not professional web designers. However a site which offers good plans will most probably be quite popular because many others would be linking to it. To measure that you can use two main criteria - Google PR (Check it here) and Alexa Ranking (check here). Make sure that the site which sells the plan has at least Google PR 3 (the higher, the better) and Alexa Ranking no more than 1,000,000 (the lower, the better)

Is the helicopter model discussed on the Web? This is probably the best Due Diligence you can perform. If you type the model of the helicopter whose plans you are about to buy in your favorite search engine, are you finding many results? Are there discussions about this model in forums and newsgroups? Spend some time reading them, you may learn a lot good or bad things

Who links to the seller site? Open Google and type link:www.sellerssite.com. This will give you sites which link to sellersite.com and you will see what comments have posted other people bought from them.

Look for money back guarantee. It's not always offered, but when it is, this is a very positive sign.

Get downloadable plans. Choose a site which offer PDF or other software format of the construction plan. Why pay posting expenses and wait weeks for the plans to come? Choose a seller who offers instant download so you can get the plans right now and save some money.

Free Ultralight Helicopter Construction Plans

Some visitors are coming to our site searching for free construction plans. I don't want to disappoint you, but you will find very few people to give their hard work for free. Usually you will find only sample plans like on Plans Delivery for example. Many of the links offering free plans, which can be found via the search engines no longer work. Others are just sites full of crappy affiliate links, offering nothing useful.

Since good plans can be found even for $50, I think you will lose more costy time if you try to find free helicopter plans on the Web. I already did it, trying to find good sites for you and for this article. It's simply better to purchase good plans and use them - finally your homebuilt helicopter will probably cost few thousand dollars. It makes no sense to lose days searching the Net for free plans with questionable quality, only to save 50 - 100 bucks or even $20 for OMH Eagle Plans (for example).

Buying Ultralight Helicopter Kits

Most of the advice given about ultralight aircraft kits is also valid about the helicopter kits. In addition you can perform the same due diligence procedures on the seller's site like you did for the plans.

But because, unlike the plans, the kits are offered by big companies rather than enthusiast engineers, searching for a good helicopter kit is much easier task. One place where you can find a lot of helicoper kits is Vortech Kits and Parts, but the best option is to search the Web for "the desired make of the aircraft" + kit.

In our blog, which will be created soon, I'll try to review some of the best ultralight helicopter kits which you could purchase.

Ultralight Seaplanes - Amphibians, Flying Boats and Floats

All these are different types or just names of an interesting category ultralight aircrafts - the Ultralight Seaplanes. Are you already asking what's so great about them?

Imagine what were you going to do if you had both a boat and an airplane. (Or maybe you already have them?) If you want to go fishing in an Idaho lake, but you are from Montana, you'll have to use either your plane or your boat. Well, in most cases getting your boat will be even impossible.

Why not go fishing with your favorite boat and plane together?

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Ultralight Seaplanes - Easy Flying, Easy Sailing

In short, the ultralight seaplanes are airplanes which can land on and take off from water. Some of them can also be used on the ground, others can do it only in water. Here are the two main types of ultralight seaplanes:

Ultralight Amphibians - they can be used both on the ground (i.e. race) and in the lake. Usually they have slender pontoons mounted under the fuselage which help them to sail. They look almost like regular fixed wing airplanes. Often they are called Floatplanes

Flying Boats (or Floats) - Unlike the amphibians, these aircrafts use their fuselage as a floating hull. Often they are flex wing machines and in general are cheaper than the other seaplanes. Most often they can only land on and take off from water.


Ultralight Amphibian Seaplane Photo from www.challenger.ca	Flying Boat Photo from retrothing.typepad.com

How much do the ultralight seaplanes cost?

The normal light seaplanes - which can be classified in LSA (light sport aircraft) category - can cost very high. I have seen offers at $75,000 and above. However ultralight amphibian aircrafts can be found for $8,000 - $15,000 (second hand or new). The new floatplanes and flying boats usually are sold for at least $20,000. In general the seaplanes are more expensive, but that's for a reason.

Although the ultralight seaplanes are so good and functional, their market is not so huge. Therefore you will not find too many classified ads for second hand aircrafts. You can eventually check our Aircraft Resource Center for some classifieds sites where to look for floatplanes.

Seaplane Kits And Plans

Like with any other ultralight airplanes or helicopters, you can find floatplanes offered as kits. For example check out this cool Aventura amphibious single place ultralight aircraft kit. If you visit this site for example you'll find other kits starting from $2,000 for the basic part.

If you don't understand very well what I am talking about, take a look at our Ultralight Aircraft Kit section for more information.

Many sites on the Web also offer plans for "do-it-yourself" fans. If you are enthusiastic and like to construct things yourself, you may like this option. Since the providers in this business change often, I can suggest you to use your favorite search engine. Try phrases like ultralight seaplane plans, ultralight floatplane plans or just ultralight float plans. As soon as we find some good ones to recommend, you'll find them on the site here.

Powered Parachute Float

Have you read this article and especially the section about the motorized paragliders? If so, you already know how extremely easy and simple the flying can be.

The engineers and enthusiasts have taken care to make the floats affordable like the other ultralights and microlights. The powered parachute float systems will cost you under $5,000. They are easy to launch and if you own one, you won't have big problems with the hangar. The wing fits in a large backpack, the rest can go into your garage and the boat can even be inflatable.

The world of the ultralight aviation is so amazing, you never know what else to expect. The seaplanes can help you enjoy flying and sailing at once. All you need to do is to choose the right one for you.

Used Ultralight Trikes - The Shortest Way To Start Flying

Why trike and why used?

Cheap for sure is one of the main reasons. A brand new flex wing ultralight airplane can cost $10,000 - $25,000 or even more. An used one can be found for $5,000 - $6,000 or even less. Another advantage of the used aircraft is that a real person has flown on it and has eventually taken care well after it. Some used ultralight trikes may even have improvements made by their previous owners.

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Another advantage of the used aircraft is that you can own a model which is good, but is not manufactured anymore (or not accessible as new in your country/area). Some good models have been stopped either because the company who produced them no longer exists or because it moved to developing other models. You can still find many of these aircrafts to be sold as second hand and you can buy one.

Why trike and not fixed wings airplane? I can suggest you reading How To Fly Easier With Flex Wing Ultralight Aircrafts (Ultralight Trikes) - you will find out some advantages and disadvantages of the ultralight trikes.

Safety of used trikes

Like with any used aircraft, you should be extra careful about the safety. Check the instructions in used ultralight aircrafts article for most of the issues you should look at.

In addition to what's said above, check out if all the needed equipment comes with the aircraft that's been sold. See also if they'll give it to you with a parashute or you'll have to buy one. Perform any other safety "common sense" checks - in general the airplane needs just to be hale.

Flying a trike you'd better have also a helmet, so take a look if such is included in the offer too.

Some popular ones

The ultralight trikes are probably the widest category of ultralight airplanes (in Europe often call them microlights, see our microlights section) and there are really thousands of models and experimental/homebuilt ones. Still, I know for few who are very popular and are easy to be found or sold as used aircrafts.

Do a search for example at Pegasus Aviation ultralight trike. Pegasus is one of the most popular trikes - very good and produced by UK company. If bought new, it's not cheap at all - I've seen ones to be sold for $20,000 - $30,000 and even more. Second hand offers are available from $5,000 and above.

Quantum is another cute flex wing ultralight aircraft which is easy to find. The sell offers usually start from $15,000 and go up.

If you are looking for another good two-seater, I can recommend you COSMOS, which can be found used at a base price of only $4,000.

Of course you can simply choose to search your favorite search engine and type flex wing ultralight for sale or ultralight trike for sale and you'll find classifieds mostly of used airplanes.

I am not giving direct link to classified sites (at least until we create our own section for that purpose), because they may not be there tomorrow or when you read this.

Although buying an used ultralight trike is probably the cheapest way to fly, it's still not free or trivial. Make sure you are not risking your life just to save money. Look for good deals, but better miss some offer which may look too much like a bargain. Don't try to save from parashutes and other equipment or from flight training. If you approach buying your second hand flex wing airplane seriously, chances are you will enjoy cheap and smooth flying.

Popular Ultralight Aircrafts

There are some ultralight airplanes which are so widely known that every aviation enthusiast have either heard, seen or flown on them. Certainly the ultralight and microlight model aircrafts are too many (especially if you add the homebuilt/experimental ones) and there is a chance at least one of them will fit exactly what you need.

However some of the aircrafts are still preferred and loved by thousands of ultralight pilots all over the world. They combine affordability, beauty, stability, security and easy usage and have becomed the most popular ultralight airplanes in the world. If you have not choosen an exact model airplane yet, chances are you will like a lot some of them.

Here is a list of some of the best ones - they are not sorted in any specific way except our own preference :)

Challenger Ultralight Aircraft

(photo from http://edburkhead.com) This is my personal favourite: beautiful, cheap and easy to support. Challenger Ultralight can be bought new for $14,000 - $18,000 and second hand for $4,000 - $5,000. Challenger II Special can be sligthly more expensive than that. The plane qualifies for Sport Pilot License and reaches 55 - 95 mph cruise speed.

You can find Challenger Ultralight sold on many classified sites or discussion boards (check also in our resource center) or check for brand new models on Challenger Official Site.

Rans "Coyote"

Rans is a company which now produces more bikes than airplanes, but their "Coyote" remains one of the most loved microlight aircraft ever. Currently they offer S-6ES Coyote II at kit base price $16,800 which is a very cool and beautiful plane. S-6S Coyote II kit is slightly more expensive with basic price Base price $17,500

Photo from ultralightnews.com

On the official site of Rans you'll also find offers for used airplanes or demo planes for sale.

A ready used Rans Coyote can be bought from owners for about $30,000. If that is over your budget you can consider it's alternative Rans S-14 ultralight Aircraft which can be found for $10,000.

Pegasus GT450

It's one of the coolest ultralight trikes - we really needed to take a look at the trikes, didn't we? The Pegasus isn't so much popular, but I like it because of its nice design and good price. However it's definitely not a cheap flex wing airplane (because it's good) - I have seen it to be sold for $25,000. But don't get discouraged - there are other models like Q 462 which can be found for $7,000 - $8,000 second hand.

Kolb "Firestar"

This gorgeous airplane can be bought directly from Kolb Firestar site as a kit for several thousands dollars. It has unique design and often can be seen painted in sharp hot colours.

It's cruise speed is 60mph, 70mph max and needs 225 ft. to take off.

Photos from www.rans.com

At the ultralight aircraft classified sites it can be found ready built (second hand) for $10,000 - $13,000. It's really a very cute one and many people like it - so if you get it, you'll easy find other owners on the Net and get useful advice for anything you may need.

T-BIRD II

T-Bird (aka Tierra) is really a microlight aircraft and this is easy to see if you look at its very light construction. Regardles of that, it can handle 500lb useful load. It is very cute and small one and can be found at its suppliers - Indy Aircraft site.

As a used airplane I've seen it to be sold for $12,000 - $15,000 which is a great price/quality ratio.

Pulsar XP

Pulsar is modern and expensive ultralight airplane. It's sold as kit on its official site but you can find it ready built from owners, usually for more than $40,000.

It is a serious machine by any means - Its max speed is 160mph with 150mph cruise speed. The useful load is 500 - 550lb and you can fly 900 miles with full tank.

Pulsar XP is certified as Experimental, LSA or Ultralight in some European Countries.

I am sure there might be other very cool and popular ultralight aircrafts which we have missed in this short article. Do you know about some? What is your favourite one? Please, share with us (hint, use the "comment" link below).

Homebuilt Ultralight Helicopters

Many ultralight enthusiast build their airplanes on their own. They use kits or work "from scratch". The produced ultralight airplanes are known as Experimental/Homebuilt Aircraft. Although doing this requires a lot of work and passion, it does not require engineer skills or high level knowledge. These enthusiast are just people like me and you who are eager to achieve their dream to fly.

Being a helicopter fan, when I found out about the homebuilt airplanes I was immediately interested in having a homebuilt helicopter. Is it possible? Yes, of course. Am I the first who thought about that? Of course not!

The helicopters by default are much more complicated vehicles than the airplanes. But the experimental/homebuilt industry took care for that and created many simplified models. They are perfect for building a helicopter on your own in your garage or personal workshop.

Some of the most poplar simplified homebuilt ultralight helicopter models are the famous G-1 ultralight helicopter, the Indian Ultralight Helicopter or OMH-Eagle Ultralight Helicopter. There are of course many other models with plans available on the Net.

Photo from http://www.vortechonline.com

What do you need to build an ultralight helicopter on your own?

Of course you can purchase a kit and make the things easier. The kits are available for most experimental models and are easier to build up than if you do it from scratch.

The real fun however is to start with a construction plan and your two hands. This will not only save you money (and cost you time), but also give you a lot of entertainment and make you a proud owner of an aircraft that you have really built on your own.

If you choose the second route, you only need standard parts and materials which can be bought from an auto store. The plans which are sold for building experimental homebuilt helicopers consider working with approachable parts.

Isn't it too risky?

The practice shows that the homebuilt helicopters are as safe as any other ultralight helicopters available on the market. Of course, you need to follow the instructions in the construction plans and consider flying in good weather conditions.

As many people in the ultralight aviation like to say, flying is as safe as good the pilot is. Saying this, it's good to know that some countries (USA) don't require pilot's license to fly on homebuilt helicopter (if they weight at the range between 150-190 lbs), so the accidents mostly happen because of inexperienced pilots.

The costs of your homebuilt helicopter

If you start from the scratch the parts might cost you as low as a thousand of US dollars. The kits prices start from several thousands USD. The total cost can be kept under $10,000 just like the advertisement of the Indian Ultralight Helicopter says.

Of course, there are much greater models whose kits can cost $20,000 - $25,000 - but even this is nothing compared to the price of a regular helicopter.

Another thing to consider is that the ultralight helicopters are not so hungry for fuel like their bigger brothers.

If you have decided to build an ultralight aircraft or helicopter, it costs you almost nothing to try. The plans start from just $20 and rare exceed $100. Many sites offer digital plans for download so you can start right away!

How To Fly Easier With Flex Wing Ultralight Aircrafts (Ultralight Trikes)

When I first learned about the microlight airplanes, I was very excited. The idea to buy my own aircraft for less than $10,000 was really very tempting. But then I started thinking about the related expenses - hanger, airport taxes, support of the plane, license costs... And the things were not so great anymore.

Sometimes (and especially when we talk about ultralight aviation) the cost and troubles of buying the aircraft itself is nothing compared to the related expenses. That's it, the airplane is not a car, you can just drive it on the streets or keep it in your garage. Or at least this is valid about the fixed wing ultralights.

The Flex Wings...

The flex wing microlights and ultralights came on the scene in 1970s as a solution to many of these troubles. If you choose to own a flex wing microlight instead of ordinary ultralight airplane, you won't have to think about many or all of the following troubles:

Hanger

Airport taxes

Runaway

Licensing

And most often you'll get even the aircraft itself for cheaper.

Photo from http://www.start-flying.com

So what is a Flex Wing Aircraft? (Also known as Ultralight Trike)

Most flex wings consist of a delta bar, similar to the hang gliders, an engine and a place for one or two pilots. Usually there is no cabin and during the fly the pilots are able to feel the air.

Easy to guess by the name, the wing of the trikes is flexible to some extent and often can be taken off. Because of it's form, the entire aircraft dimensions are smaller than these of a fixed wing. This means if you have a large garage, you can hanger the trike there.

The ultralight trikes can get off the ground from the automobile road and can land almost everywhere - so you save another huge expense and trouble, because you don't need an airport and runaway.

The engines of the ultralight trikes are generally four or two strokes with 25 to 75 Horsepower. The speed is traditionally lower than with the fixed wings - 30-60mph cruise speed is something normal.

Control of Ultralight Trikes

If you have not yet flown on a fixed wing aircraft, controlling your flex wing airplane will be easy. The trikes have two axes�roll and pitch, that are controlled by a bar connected directly to the wing. The trike warps the wing to the one or the other side when the pilot shifts his own weights. Controlling the flex wing ultralight is intuitive.

Safety and Licensing

At the beginning the flex wing airplanes did not require license at all. As a result of that everyone was building trikes themselves and was flying with or without experience. The ultralight trikes were known as very unsafe flying vehicles.

Today, in USA, UK and Canada and for most other countries a sport pilot license is required to fly your ultralight trike. This has turned the things on the other side and we can stay assured that the modern flex wing aircrafts are one of the safest planes for leisure aviation.

... And the Costs

As mentioned above, the flex wing microlights and ultralights are generally cheaper than their fixed wing "brothers". The brand new ones still cost $10,000 - $30,000, but you can own a safe and ready to fly second hand one for as low as $5,000.

The associated costs of owning such one are often compared to the costs of owning a second car - it's definitely affordable.

The extreme simplicity - motorized paragliders

Do you think you have seen everything that people do to fly easy and for cheap? Maybe. But not if you think that the ultralight trikes are the simplest way to fly with engine.

Photo from http://www.paramotor.us/

Some pilots have gone further in simplifying the flying process and making it cheaper. Why not fly with paraglider? The ordinary paragliders have some disadvantages, because you need to go at some high place (mountain) and jump from there. And of course flying without engine has some limits.

That's why there are people who invented the motorized paragliders - a very simple aircrafts, which can be built for less than $2,000! These microlight aircrafts contain a propeller, a seat a simple control. They require no license at all. Of course you can't feel like an airplane pilot in such a vehicle, but if you are on budget, that is for you - it's nearly free!

Whatever of the options you choose, the flex wing ultralight airplanes will provide you with exciting low cost way to fly. They are one of the best options for amateurs who are not interested into mastering pilot skills and managing complex machines. The others of course will still prefer the fixed wing airplanes.

Ultralight Gliders - Flying Without Engine

Do you know how the ultralight aviation started at? No, it is not coming from the general aviation. The ultralight airplanes have evolved from hang gliders. But this evolution did not kill the gliders. They are still widely used and available in many variations.

What exactly is an ultralight glider?

The gliders are unpowered aircrafts, used for sport and fun. In rare cases they might have engines, but the standard gliders are flying without any. The ultralight gliders are lighter version gliders, just like the ultralight airplanes are subclass of the light airplanes.

These aircrafts usually have place for only one person - the pilot. They may have seat and even cabine, or might have only hangs like the unpowered trikes. The heavier gliders look more like airplanes and usually have closed cabines.

In most cases you don't need pilot's license to fly a glider. This is one huge advantage of the gliders against the ultralight airplanes.

Once in the sky, you can fly your glider for hours without engine. There is nothing closer to soaring like a bird than that.

How do the gliders take off the ground?

There are 2 main methods for lifting up your glider:

The most popular approach to start flying is to get the glider dragged and lifted up with a powered airplane. The glider and the airplane are tied with a rope and when the rope is released, you can start your free flight. This is an easy way, but of course you'll need to find someone with an airplane :-) This method is also called "aero-tow".

I was more interested to learn about the second way of lifting up the glider. It's called "winch launching" and a land locked engine is used for it. The winch is connected with a long rope to the glider. The winch is quickly picking up the plane and the pilot can release the cable when he decide he is ready for free flight.

In case you want to picture it better, see Understanding the Winch Launch written by by John Gibso.

Ultralight gliders safety

One of the accidents which happens often with gliders is the "mid-air collision". It is a wide topic, that I can't cover here. If you want to know more check out Collision Avoidance in Gliders.

There is also bunch of very useful advice on Gliders Safety Pledge.

Other than the mentioned issues, there is not much to worry when flying a glider. Since there is no power, you will not have problems with sudden engine downtimes or fuel outflow. The gliders are fully manageable in the air, so don't think that you just fly where the wind takes you ;-)

How much do gliders cost?

I was hoping that the gliders will be much cheaper than the powered ultralight aircrafts, but unfortunately that is not the reality. The cheapest single place gliders I found start from $6,000 - $7,000. This is not bad at all, but for the same money you can get a microlight airplane.

However the hang gliders (some are just delta planes) can be found for as low as $2,000 - $3,000 or even few hundreds (see here).

The two place gliders start from $30,000 and go up.

So why glider?

If the gliders are not much cheaper than the ultralight airplanes, is there any economical reason to buy one? Well, think about it. Once you are in the air, you can fly for hours - and for free. No fuel. No smoke. No noise.

Add to that the great feeling that you experience - flying on the wind. With some ultralight gliders you will feel the air around you. It's really an option to consider.

The main issue with the gliders is taking off the ground, as you don't depend entirely on yourself. But even this issue is solved in most hang gliders.

Aircraft Resource Center

This is a small collection of resources about ultralight airplanes. I have carefully selected most of these sites and am offering them to your attention. If you think you have or know an useful resource, please use the comment option to let us know.

- Site Reviews

- Aircraft Discussion

- Aircraft Classifieds

- Ultralight Aviation Magazines

- Aviation Jobs

- Books about ultralight airplanes and helicopters

- Aircraft Stores

- Web Directories

Site Reviews

Thrity Thousand Feet - A Complete Respource About Aviation

Aircraft Discussion

Google Ultralight Group
Light aircraft in general, all topics.

Aviation forum
Not very active, but still a good forum

Airliners Aviation Discussion Forum
This one is quite large and active

The Aviation Forum
One of the best and rather active discussion board about general and military aviation

Aircraft Classifieds

Aviation Classifieds
Maybe the largest site with aviation classifieds

AOPA Online
A site with good search engine for classifieds

US Aviation - America's Aviation Headquarters
Classifieds and message board for USA pilots

Ultralight Aviation Magazines

Kitplanes
The Independent Voice for Homebuilt Aviation, is the premier publication for people interested in building, flying, designing and maintaining their own amateur-built category, manned aircraft.

Light Sport & Ultralight Flying
Covers all aspects of ultralight and light-sport aircraft, and a wide variety of other air sports, including powered parachutes and paragliding. Each issue feature exclusive pilot reports, maintenance and flying tips, new products and special features. January issue features yearly buyer's guide.

Todays Pilot
This is our personal favourite. Simply great UK style - reviews, lessons, news and inspiration

Aviation Jobs

Careers.Aero
An excellent site about aviation job

Airline Career
A flight attendant career guide. Probably not exactly what you are looking for, but still it may help you to fly

Books about ultralight airplanes and helicopters

Ultralight Airmanship: How to Master the Air in an Ultralight (Ultralight Aviation Series)
"This book is for pilots beyond the beginner stage. Pick any subject and you'll frequently notice that there's a scarcity of valuable information beyond the student/introductory level, or else the information is too theoretical and analytical to be of much use." (Bruce Boatner, Reviewer)

Air Sports: The Complete Guide to Aviation Adventure
A new wave of flight-related sports has captured the imaginations of the adventurous among us -- taking thrill-seeking to ever higher heights. With McGraw-Hill's new Air Sports, you can soar right along with them.

The Encyclopedia of Aircraft: Over 3,000 Military and Civil Aircraft from the Wright Flyer to the Stealth Bomber
From the earliest single-engine biplanes to today’s wide-bodied airliners and superfighters, this comprehensively researched encyclopedia provides detailed information to satisfy the most devoted aviation buff. (Amazon Editorial Review)

Aircraft Stores

Recreational Mobility
Quite rich aviation store

Web Directories

Monarch Air - Monarch Air is a Dallas, Texas based Integrated Cessna Flight Center offering flight training, aircraft sales, maintenance and parts.

Find us on AviationDomain.Com A new way to look at the world.

UGA internet guides

UGA media is the European publisher of internet guides, business portals,
travel guides and reference cd-roms.

Aviation History

Aviation Links

Thirty Thousand Feet - Aviation Directory

PilotMix - ULM & LSA Aircraft Information

Automotive Link Directory - Carjunky.com

See How Easily You Can Get Used Ultralight Aircraft

The Price

The price of the used aircraft - pretty obvious - must be lower than its equivalent if bought new. But how much? Depending on how many years the airplane is used and how it has been kept, you'll buy your machine for 30% - 80% of the price of new one.

If you take a look at some classifieds (for example here or there) you will see ultralights starting at $5,000 - $6,000 (and exceeding $50,000 of course) and microlights or flex-wings for as low as $3,000 - $4,000. Now that is really cheap. You just need to find the right deal for you and to ensure what you are buying is good enough.

Was it hangered

This is the second question you should ask. Obviously an ultralight aircraft which has not been kept in hanger would be much more damaged by the weather, rain or snow. A well hangered airplane can be in perfect condition even 50 years after the date it was built.

The fuselage

Next, take a look at the fuselage. Does it look ok, do you see any wear and tear. It's easy to notice wear around the connections with the wings, the areas next to the moving parts and the wheels.

The engine

It is the hearth of your ultralight aircraft. You don't want to buy it with damaged engine. It, together with the fuel and reduction drive form the Propulsion system. The engine must be started after draining and cleaning the complete fuel system. If you miss to do that, it can seriously damage the propulsion system - so you must check if there is a fuel left in carburateur.

Never ever consider having fuel in the used airplane as advantage - you will have to empty it and clean the engine.

The wings

Don't forget the them. Check the colors - the fabric should NOT have significant differences. This is not because of cosmetic concerns - the different colored areas usually are decayed or corrupt. The decayed fabric will have to be replaced and this will cost you a lot.

Check also the places where the wings connect with the corpse - any tears may cost you much more than money!

The parachutes

Finally, when buying used ultralight aircraft you must check the parachutes. If there are none or they are more than 5 years old, you will have to buy new. Add this to the costs.

In addition to all said above, you have to check any other moving parts for corrosion. Don't underestimate this, as it could lead to unpleasant extra costs or danger.

There are really a lot of things to be careful for. If you are seriously planning to buy used airplane, you may want to get Illustrated Buyer's Guide to Used Airplanes - an excellent choice for buyers of user airplanes.

If you thoughtfully check the airplane for various problems you can also end up with lower price. Once made a good deal, you'll hopefully realize that you have saved a lot of money from buying a new aircraft and a lot of time which would go in building it from a kit.

Do You Want a Helicopter? Get an Ultralight!

You did not really think only the airplanes can be ultralight, did you? There are microlight and experimental helicopters, just like it is with the aircrafts.

The helicopters have many advantages over the airplanes, especially for personal use. You don't need an airport or a track - the helicopter can land and take off almost anywhere. They are fun and offer greater views than the airplanes.

But they are so much more expensive. A light helicopter can cost several hundred thousands of dollars and it's maintenance will exhaust your budget - unless you are very very rich.

Then, you have to look for ultralight helicopter

Usually the ultralight helicopters are small and bare bones - built without a protective shell (which is normally available on choppers). Like everything in the ultralight and microlight aviation, there is hardly a consolidated definition of the weight and speed that an ultralight helicopter should have.

Most of these vehicles do not exceed 80kg weight and allow one or two pilots with total weight of 125kg. Unlike their bigger brothers, the ultralight (microlight) helicopters usually burn 15 litters (4 gallons) or less fuel per hour. You can't expect them to fly too fast however - at best 85mph (70 knots), thought I have heard for 100mph ones (but never seen them). But high speed is not what you look for, is it?

The costs - plain and simple

The price of an ultralight helicopter may vary hugely depending on the model and the characteristics. But after doing a lot of research, I was very happy to find that there are used helicopters for about $10,000 - a really affordable price, but to be honest, these are usually quite experimental and quite unusual ones.

For ordinary looking ultralight helicopter you will have to spend $20,000+ for 2 seats or $12,000+ if it is 1 seat. Still it is affordable way to achieve your dream to own a helicopter. If you are really willing to research more, you can check the classifieds on this or this site (you will also find gyroplanes and other strange stuff).

Of course, the better choppers will cost you $50,000 and more.

Building ultralight helicopter from a kit

Of course there are kits. In fact most ultralight helicopters are experimental, homebuilt or built from kits. The kits are a bit cheaper than buying a ready-to-fly one (lowest prices are $4,000 - $8,000 and that often means a gyroplane kit), but require time to be built. [Check the article on aircraft kits]. The timings and requirements are similar.

Want an example site? Here you are: http://www.indianhelicopters.com/. [Check the resource center for more]

The licensing...

... is one of the things which certainly tickles your curiosity. Most countries now require an ultralight aircraft license and pilot's license. In some cases though (example: see here) pilot's license is not required.

It's not required for gliders or some gyroplanes, but it is required for standard helis. In most countries! In some - not. You see the situation is not clear at all - so the conclusion is simple. You'll have to ask in your country for the exact model or helicopter you want to buy or build.

Owning an ultralight helicopter has never been so easy and so much fun that it is now.

Are Ultralight Airplanes Right For Your Budget?

Over $100,000

You can get almost everything from the Ultralight aviation. Most ultralight and microlight aircrafts are much cheaper than 100,000 USD. If you can pay more than that, you can have luxury or even a light airplane. Here are some nice suggestions:

Fixed wing airplane: Cessna 182 P SKYLANE (Used or New), Cessna 172 Skyhawk (Used or New), Evolution (New)
Flex wing aircraft: you can afford any which is sold out there
Microlight: all new microlights cost under $100,000
Helicopter: most helicopters are really expensive, so it depends how much more than 100k you have. Robinson R22 HP (new) is quite a good idea for slightly over $100k.
Kit: all of them, you only need to know how to build a plane from a kit

$50,000 - $100,000

We are getting into more reasonable amounts, although when we speak about affordable ultralight aircrafts, I mean cheaper than that. Anyway, here are some ideas about what you can buy with USD 50 - 100k :

Fixed wing airplane: Cessna 172 Skyhawk (Used), Jabiru J400 (new), Pulsar Pulsar XP (new), Cessna 310 (Used) and many more of course
Flex wing aircraft: you must have talent to find a flex wing which costs more than 50k. Idea: buy two ;-)
Microlight - just like the above price category, you can have everything, unless it is something very unusual
Helicopter: Exec 162F Ultralight is one of the best things you can buy with such money
Kit: most ultralight helicopter kits, the airplane kits are usually cheaper

$20,000 - $50,000

This is the range which can be called the most reasonable. One of the biggest advantages of the ultralight aviation is that the price of a good aircraft does not exceed the cost of a good new car. 20k - 50k range is both affordable and ensures you are buying a quality and safe aircraft.

Fixed wing aircraft ideas: Eurostar (Used or New), Skyranger (Used or New), Challenger (Used or New) - the best idea!, Avid Flyer C / STOL (New or Used)
Flex wing aircraft: Pegasus GT450 (Used or New), Quick 912. Most flex-wings are closer to 20k than to 50k or even cheaper than 20k.
Microlight: you can afford almost any used and most new microlights for such money.
Helicopter: the things are getting harder here, but you can find home built/experimental choppers. Revolution Mini500 is one of the good deals. With some luck you can find used Aerospatiale Djinn to be sold for around $50,000
Kit: the best aircraft kits fall into this price category. Don't worry, budget is big enough to choose the best one

$10,000 - $20,000

We are getting into the real fun :-) This price category will allow you to buy mostly a kit, microlight, used aircraft or some other experimental or home built machine. Let me give some ideas:

Fixed wing aircraft: Thruster (Used), Xair 582 Rotax (Used), RANS S6 COYOTE (Used) - great idea, some old Cessna, Ultralight T-bird
Flex wing aircraft: You still can afford most of them. Pegasus Quantum (Used) is a good deal, MAINAIR BLADE 582 (Used) can be even better.
Microlight: this is the price category of the microlights. The best choices are RANS 4 Coyote and Challenger if you find the chance to buy such one. But any other microlight which fits here could make you happy for cheap.
Helicopter: you'll have to search for some experimental homebuilt ones. Usually they will be just an airframe with one or two seats, no cabine at all
Kit: In most cases you can find good aircraft kits for $10,000 - $20,000. Rotax 912, Mark III, Kolbra and hundreds of other models are available as cheap kits.

$5,000 - $10,000

With such budget you still have the chance to find a decent used aircraft or kit. Just make sure what you buy is safe enough and also that it won't cost you more to repair.

Fixed wing aircraft: T-Bird Tierra (Used) or Thruster (Used) are among the best fixed wings I have seen to be sold in this range
Flex wing aircraft: many good flex wing are available even for such money. Take a look at Pegasus XL-R or other Pegasus models (Used), you most probably will find a nice one.
Microlight - check the flex-wings or look for Rans Koyote or any other experimental vehicles
Helicopter - sorry, I haven't seen any to be sold so cheaply
Kit - look for old kit (unfinished vehicle), most good new ones will cost more than $10,000

Under $5,000

Now, this is too little for an aircraft really, but still there is a hope that you can buy a decent one. Forget the fixed wings or helicopters. You can eventually find a nice used flex wing aircraft or experimental machine.
For such low budget you may find some used glider or gyroplane. But better try to collect more than $5,000

Ultralight Airplane - What Do You Need To Know?

You don't have to be rich to own an aircraft

Do you dream for affordable way to fly - at a time and place chosen by you? Owning an ultralight airplane is the way to achieve this reverie. The ultralight aviation was the answer of the aircraft industry to the constantly exploding interest of people for affordable flying.

What exactly is an ultralight airplane?

The definitions vary in the different countries and jurisdictions. You will find the term also mixed with the microlights (learn more about the microlight airplanes) - again depending on where you live. But in general an ultralight aircraft is a flying machine having 1 or 2 seats, very low weight, low fuel usage, low requirements for registration and... low price of course!

In the USA, an ultralight aircraft is considered a vehicle with weight under 254 pounds (115 kg) and fuel capacity not exceeding 5 U.S. gallons (19 L). The maximum calibrated airspeed has to be 102km/h (55 knots)

The European definition of ultralight airplane is a lot more "democratic". The vehicle can weight 300kg - 450kg and have 1 or 2 seats with same allowed maximum speed.

The definitions vary, but you don't really need to remember them - when you are buying an ultralight airplane you will be informed what category it belongs to (microlight or ultralight), as this matters when you register the vehicle. Again, depending on your country law you may or may not need to register your airplane as an ultralight.

Some of the ultralight airplanes are also known as experimental homebuilt flying vehicles. Yes, this basically means that you can build one at home... well, for example in your garage. Many enthusiasts build new models themselves. If you are not an engineer, don't be disheartened. For addicts who are interested in building their planes themselves there are thousands of airplane kits available. [read more about the kits]. Building your vehicle from a kit can take quite some time and efforts, but it is a true enjoyment and can make the cost much lower.

Did you just hear the word "cost"? Sure, you are asking yourself how much the ultralight airplanes cost. Well, here is the greatest aspect of the ultralight aviation - it is affordable! The prices of the new machines often are under $25,000 (see "Are Ultralight Airplanes Right For Your Budget?) and the fuel usage slightly exceeds the one of your car.

Do you still think it's expensive?

Here are some more good news - you can buy used aircraft. There are plenty of sites [for example check our resource center] where people offer their old vehicles for sale. The prices are different, but we have seen used ultralights at $15,000 and microlights starting as low as $6,000! If you like Ultralight Trikes (known also as flex wing airplanes) you can even find some at $3,000. That's like an old car, but so much greater :)

There are many cheap options for flight training, for example you can check many sites with online classifieds. But again, it depends what are the requirements in your country to get a pilot's license. It's important to practice at least 10-20 hours with instructor before you try flying on your own.

How safe is to fly an ultralight airplane?

In the past the incidents with ultralights and microlights were happening often. Nowadays, most countries require ultralight pilot's license for flying. The quality of the aircrafts has to meet the requirements for certification. And they are not lower than those needed for the light aviation. Therefore, it all depends on you. The safety of the ultralight aviation has dramatically improved in the last years and the future is bright.

Flying with an ultralight airplane is easy achievable, low cost and extremely exciting venture

The number of pilots from the General Aviation who own ultralights is increasing every day. The vehicles and training are getting more and more affordable to anyone. Have you only dreamed to fly on your own aircraft? Now is the time to seriously consider it.

Building Airplane Yourself Is Easy With A Kit

Building an ultralight aircraft with a kit is like assembling your first Lego or similar meccano. Do you remember doing this as a kid? It was not easy, but everyone did it. It was exciting and fun and you were proud when you had it done, weren't you?

Later in the years some kids continued to build more complicated meccanos and to enjoy this, while other preferred to move into different activities. If you are from the first group, keep reading this article to understand the basics of using an ultralight aircraft kit.

Ultralight aircraft kit in a nutshell

The ultralight and microlight aircraft kits are documented and tested packages of parts, which allow you to build a fully functional airplane. If built properly, your new vehicle will be in no way less safe or less high-grade than any other completed aircraft.

The planes built from kits are considered experimental category and they should be registered as such after completion. Just like with any other aircrafts you need a pilot's license to fly with your home built one. In some countries the building process is observed by specialized agencies, otherwise you won't get registered (as usual, check your country law).

Almost all companies which sell aircrafts also sell kits. Usually there are many more models, colors and variations offered as kits rather than as ready airplanes.

Ultralight aircraft kit specifics

A good airplane kit must meet the following criteria:

low weight - high strength

corrosion resistance

low cost

easy to work with

simple to repair

All of the kits offered by the reliable companies are not only complying with the above, but have many more advantages.

How much does it cost

Like with the prices of the ready planes, it varies a lot. Most kits starts at $10,000 - $20,000 but $20,000 is not the limit. On the other hand, with some more research you can get an ultralight aircraft kit for less than $6,000.

If you don't want to build the airplane yourself, there are companies who can do it for you. Of course this will add to the costs. And of course, this is not what the original idea of the aircraft kits is.

So you purchased the kit - now what?

Well... start building! Most aircraft kits require very minimal technical skills. All you need to do is to carefully follow the instruction manual. The most difficult part is to get started - especially if you don't know where to start from.

Its a good idea if you can visit a nearby factory shop and take a look how they do it, and eventually get some useful advice.

Building your airplane from a kit can take 3, 6 months or more - depending on how much free time and passion you have. In working hours it usually takes between 500 and 1,000 hours. So yes, if you don't sleep at all you can have your vehicle ready in 21 days. But probably you are building it for pleasure, not for competition?

Using an ultralight aircraft kit is a more affordable way to own an airplane - and it to be exactly the one you want. But remember, it takes work and passion, and if you are not such kind of person, then it is not for you.

For these who like to build - now it's time to turn your garage into aircraft factory. In fact most of the homebuilt airplanes are done exactly like that. So what stops you to be the next one?

Touch The Sky With An Affordable Microlight Airplane

your own aircraft for cheap

staying in your garage

flying for the same price as driving your car

flying like a bird and feeling the wind surrounding your face

This all is achievable with a microlight! It's really a flying in the way it has to be and the best of all - it's affordable.

So what exactly is a microlight?

No kidding, It's an aircraft. Some microlights look exactly like an airplane - these are known as fixed wing vehicles. Some of them are closed just like any other airplane, while the other's cabines are open and you can fly like the Wright Brothers.

Others, called flex wing aircrafts - also known as ultralight trikes - look more like a motorcycle with wings or a motodeltaplan (which actually they are). Their cabines are always open.

By definition - which of course varies depending on your country - a microlight aircraft is considered an airplane not exceeding 390kg including pilot's weight and fuel. Often it is messed with the ultralights [more about the ultraligh airplanes], but in general they weight more.

So cool... and safe

The statistics are pretty clear - proportionate to the number of hours they fly, the microlights are one of the safest airplanes. It's not more dangerous than driving your car. Stop worrying.

And affordable

Affordable? I would even say cheap. Some of the new microlights are not as cheap actually - they may cost more than $20,000. But if you look at used machines offered in various classifieds sites, you can find airplanes sold for $5,000 - $6,000!

The flex-wings and the various hybrids can be even cheaper. A new one is often sold for about $10,000 - $12,000 and you can find a second hand aircraft for as low as $3,000.

The microlight airplanes use standard motorcycle or car fuel - 2-3 gallons per hour at cruising speed. So they can be even more economical than your car!

Storage fees? Do you have a garage? It's a perfect place for your flex-wing. A fixed wings aircraft may need a bigger place though - depending on how large your garage is.

There are some additional fees like license and various club fees - which depend on where you live - but rare exceed $100 - $200 per year.

The requirements

In the old days of the microlight aviation these airplanes were unregulated. Nowadays you need to have your plane registered and own a pilot's license.

The licensing of a microlight is much cheaper and easier in USA than in Europe. But in both continents it's easier than getting an ordinary airplane license.

Building one yourself

Well, there are a lot of kits for ultralights and some for microlights [read more about the aircraft kits]. You can even find microlight helicopter kits. If you are an engineer you can build one yourself from scratch. The possibilities are limited only by your imagination.

The microlight aviation is the most exciting and affordable way to fly - for the ordinary people.

Continue reading about microlight aircraft.

Should You Attend An Aircraft School?

Your life and your safety are the most important things you have to consider when flying. No wonder that the safety is a major concern for many beginner pilots, but it's a pity that a lot of them don't even try because of that fear.

The ultralight aviation is not unsafe. The inexperienced pilots are. More than the half of the ultralight aircraft incidents happen because of human mistakes and not because of technical issues.

You do need to take care about your pilot's education

The requirements in many countries will allow you to fly your airplane without being prepared enough. It's only you who can force yourself to take more flying hours.

One of the best approaches to getting better pilot's training is to attend an aircraft school. You do not definitively need to do it. But it is a very good idea - if you can afford some expenses. It's not only very useful for improving your skills and safety, but it's also a way to experience what the microlight and ultralight flying is even before buying your aircraft.

What should you expect and require from your aircraft school?

Some aircraft theory. Maybe you think you don't need that. Better reconsider, you need it. And you will like it, it's a fun

Learning to fly. Of course, this is why you are there at first place.

Aviation methodology.

Flight planning and navigation.

Radiocommunication. All aircrafts are required to have radiocommunication equipment and you need to know how to use it.

Emergency. What to do in case of a trouble.

Builders education. Not all aircrafts schools will offer you this, but if they do, consider it a great offer. It will be great knowledge to have, especially if you plan buying an ultralight airplane kit

The pricing

This is a very flexible matter. The various aircraft schools offer a very different range of services and prices. In general you can expect to pay between $50 and $150 for introductory flight. Then consider about $125 per hour training. You will need at least 10 guided hours and 3-4 supervised solo flight. You can try calculating yourself.

Some schools will have a package price and teach you fly in just 15-20 hours for total $2,000. Such an offer is a bargain, if they can offer you some theoretical education too.

In most countries to become a certified pilot, you will need to pass a Pilot Written Test. Check if your aircraft school offers education for this.

Are you from USA? Check out this list of US ultralight aviation schools for more ideas and information.

Aircraft School Alternatives

Of course, you may just ask a friend pilot to help in your education. If your friends can't fly, why don't you try to join some aviation club? See for example some clubs in Australia.

Many of the clubs have their own aircraft schools and offer discounted services for members. Some have various joint effort initiatives which can significantly reduce the costs.

A good way to start in the ultralight aviation (except reading this site) is to subscribe to some of the best aviation magazines.

Ultralight Flying covers all aspects of ultralight and light-sport aircraft, and a wide variety of other air sports, including powered parachutes and paragliding. Each issue feature exclusive pilot reports, maintenance and flying tips, new products and special features. January issue features yearly buyer's guide.

Today's Pilot,
although not concentrated only on the ultralight aviation, is maybe the best magazine about flying. It will regularly offer you tutorials on flying and information about getting flying education.

Whatever you choose to do, you must take care and get well educated and trained before you start flying on your own. Flying is safe if you can fly good. If you spend more time learning, you'll be able to fully enjoy the ultralight aviation once you buy your aircraft.

Ultralight Airplanes - Introduction To Ultralight Aviation

Gyrocopters - What Are They And Can You Have One?

Can You Own A Gyrocopter?

Gyroctoper Kits And Gyrocopter Plans

Light Sport Aircraft - The Poor Man's Chance to Soar

Light Sport Aircraft - The Little Guy's Ticket to the Wild Blue Yonder

How To Become a Light Sport Aircraft Pilot

Where To Find Ultralight Aircraft Plans

Ultralight Aircraft Plans

Helicopter Plans

Free Ultralight Plans

Personal Hovercraft - Swim, Drive And Fly Over The Ground

So, What Is a Hovercraft And Personal Hovercraft?

Where To Find A Hovercraft

Hovercraft Kits And Building It Yourself

Aviation Modeling

Real Stories And Advice From Ultralight Helicopter Builders

Building An Ultralight Helicopter - Preparation

What Is Ultralight Helicopter?

How To Get An ultralight Helicopter?

Where To Start?

What To Buy?

What else you need to build your helicopter?

Building An Ultralight Helicopter - Start Action

Self-confidence

Basic knowledge

Timing

The Design

The Help

How To Fly An Ultralight Aircraft Even When You Do Not Own Any

Buying a share

Participating in a club

Renting an ultralight airplane

Paying for a piloted flight

Attending pilot's education

Light Sport Aircraft

Here are Some Examples of Popular Light Sport Aircrafts

Some Useful Resources About Light Sport Aircraft

Further Reading

Ultralight Flying

How To Fly An Ultralight Aircraft Even When You Do Not Own Any

What Factors Rule The Performance Of Ultralight Airplanes?

Ultralight Aircrafts - As Safe As The Birds?

Ultralight Flying In USA

Aircraft School

How To Find Good Ultralight Flying Lessons For Helicopters And Airplanes

Should You Attend An Aircraft School?

Microlight Airplane

How To Fly Easier With Flex Wing Ultralight Aircrafts (Ultralight Trikes)

Touch The Sky With An Affordable Microlight Airplane

How To Find Good Ultralight Flying Lessons For Helicopters And Airplanes

So How To Obtain A Flying License

Find A Good Aircraft School

Get The Most Of Your Flying Lessons

Build Ultralight Airplane

Building an Ultralight Aircraft: Get Yourself Prepared!

Building an Ultralight Aircraft: Using Construction Plans

Using The A10 D Aircraft Kit To Build Your Own Ultralight Airplane

The Glorious Aircraft Building Journey Of Alan and Dale Klapmeier

The Glorious Aircraft Building Journey Of Alan and Dale Klapmeier

The Brothers Were Fascinates By Ultralight Airplanes

The Beginning

Re-building their first airplane

Building their ultralight airplane from scratch

What Factors Rule The Performance Of Ultralight Airplanes?

Atmospheric Density

ASI Position Error

Other Factors

Using The A10 D Aircraft Kit To Build Your Own Ultralight Airplane

What's In The Kit?

Assembling The Kit

Building an Ultralight Aircraft: Using Construction Plans

The Affordaplane Construction Plans

The Fighter Ultralight E-plans

Aeros Ultralight Helicopter

Evans Lightplanes Design

The G-1 plans

Panzamy Aircraft Corporation

Ultralight Aircrafts - As Safe As The Birds?

Ultralight Airplane Safety Sertification