The Ultimate Guide To Ultralight Flying

This is a resource list containing articles, websites and guides that can help you in the not-so-easy journey to flying your own ultralight aircraft. There is already plenty of info on our website, but it's never possible to cover everything and it makes no sense to just repeat information seen elsewhere. Of course it's possible that some of the information in the guides in the list overlaps.

How To Use This Guide?

If you have plenty of time, maybe you should visit all the links in the given order. They are all useful and interesting, and I have arranged them in logical sections. However you may prefer to use this guide as reference. We may add and edit resources in it with the time. If you really plan to fly an ultralight, it's best to bookmark this page and get back to it at any time you may need the information.

Don't forget also that there are many important topics covered in our site, so bookmark the site map too.

Learn To Fly

In no event can reading replace practice! You can't and shouldn't try to fly without getting proper training first. But it's always useful to get prepared with some theory and instructions even before you decide to attend a flying school. Here are some of the best introductory guides which can help you learn about flying and how to fly an ultralight or microlight aircraft.

- Introduction to ultralight flying - A good intro guide explaining the costs, learning and licensing of ultralight flying.

- learning to fly ultralights, floatplanes, etc. - this is a forum thread with a bit mixed info, but useful

- Learning to Fly - this page will help you ask yourself some really important questions and will guide you what to do in case the answer to them is "yes". Sometimes people think they want to do something without really having an idea what it's all about.

- Sport Pilot Training is a site with self-descriptive name. Worths a visit.

- How To Fly a Powered Paraglider Trike: Video Series - a wonderful video guide which gets you straight to the point: flying!

- microlights, ultralights and ULMs is a technical guide with a lot of specific information - for example how to read an air map.

- Be a Trike Pilot will inform you about the specifics of flying an ultralight trike. Trikes are one of the most affordable ultralight aircraft types.

- Learn to Fly a PPG Trike! - while they call it trike, it's actually about powered paragliders, which are even more affordable.

Learn About Licensing

Licensing is the dry and boring part of ultralight aviation and I admit we haven't done enough to make it easy to understand on our site. But that's why we have collected some very good resources right here. Visit them if you want to get that license!

- Sport Pilot or Private Pilot? What's best for you? - this is a good intro guide clarifying the difference between these licenses.

- Simple Ways to Become a Sport Pilot, in case you have decided this is the license you want.

- Australian Recreational Aviation - Australians, no doubt, should have a look here

- What kind of license (permit) do I need to fly an ultralight in Canada? - and Canadians, here

- How to become a PPL - an easy to follow Q/A style guide

- Pilot certification in the United States - USA pilots can get a lot of information from Wikipedia

- Sport pilot license and approximate cost - and of course it's fairly important to know the costs of licensing.

- Getting a Sport Pilot License... for the wrong reasons? - a good forum discussion you may want to check out

Learn About Various Aircraft

If you manage with all the license and flying stuff, you will perhaps want to learn more about various aircraft and choose yours. Wait! After education many pilots fly on similar aircraft they have been trained for. So it might be a good idea to first learn about aircraft and decide what type you like most prior to getting trained!

- The Wikipedia Ultralight aviation page is a good start to get to know about various airplanes and helicopters

- The Microlight & Ultralight Aircraft Guide is a big database of ultralight and microlight models. A huge work!

- All About Powered Paragliders - don't forget that they are always an affordable option.

- Aviation guide to experimental aircraft, homebuilt kits and plans. - the title says it all

- The World of Homebuilt Helicopters is a commercial site selling helicopter plans but also providing useful free information and pictures.

- What is an Ultralight Helicopter? - the Wise geek has the answer. And we have answers, too.

Aircraft Clubs

Aircraft clubs can be very useful especially for the young pilot. You can get help from more experienced pilots, you can get to know them there, sometimes you can even fly someone else's aircraft. Many clubs also get people to buy aircraft together so they own only shares of it which can greatly reduce the costs. The flying clubs can greatly help you to fly, so consider joining one if there are such around you.

- Flying club - if my description wasn't detailed enough, Wikipedia's page is the next stop for you.

- USUA Club List - for these in the USA

- home built aircraft clubs and support groups - a list of online and offline clubs

- and of course the largest list of aviation clubs is at ThirtyThousandFeet directory.

Buying an Aircraft

Not every ultralight enthusiast buys an aircraft, but everyone wants to. This is an expensive purchase for most of us however - so it's a good idea to learn and read a lot before spending your hard earned money.

- Ultralight aircraft buying tips, how to buy a used not abused ultralight - a really good and detailed guide by Ultralight News.

- Aircraft buyer's guide - another guide with a lot of specific info on aircraft models and manufacturers

- Tips On Buying an Airplane by Charlie Spence, Aviation Writer and IFA Member

- Light Sport Aircraft Buyers Guide Video - if you prefer video, this one is good.

- Learn to Fly also have a short Guide To Buying An Airplane

- Aircraft Buyer's Checklist. When you are really about to buy, don't skip this one! Very detailed and very good article series.

Build Your Aircraft

Buying is good, but building an ultralight airplane is even better. For many aviation entusiasts building their aircraft themselves is at least the half of the pleasure and challenge of flying. If you are one of them, check out these links.

- You can start with this very short article just to get a basic idea.

- Then you can visit HomebuiltAircraft.com which is an entire site devoted to the topic

- You need a kit or at least construction plans to build your aircrtaft. Here is how to obtain them.

- How to Build your Own Ultralight Trike - another short guide

- And one with a bit more specifics

- How to Build a Microlight. This guide however is a must-see! It's great because it shows a real experience and includes good pictures.

For more detailed information don't forget to check our building category.

Blog Masterclass

To be honest, most aviation blogs won't directly help you start flying. While some of them contain very useful advice, the bigger use of reading them is learning from person's real world experience and knowing about flying from personal point of view rather than learning specific facts. Most of these blogs will further feed your passion in flying. And I'm not saying this is bad :)

- Essex Flyer

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User comments:

Andrea at Dec, 25 '11 10:31
how is this script used... meaning, where do I put the parts? Does the script go in the page itself or do I put it in a separate .js script?
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