So I sold the sled yesterday, and with all this cash in my pocket I need a new hobby to keep me busy this summer. I have started looking into ultralight aircraft more and more but am still unsure about them. The planes that look fun to fly and more my caliber are considered light sports and require a license. If I need to spend the money to get a license I might as well go all out and get my pilots license and find a cheap tail dragger for a few grand more than a LSA. Does anyone know of any utralights that are as close to a LSA as you can get while still being 103 legal? I have a friend who is getting his commercial ratings and his dad has logged over 5000 hours and a few hundred in ultralights so I can get the training to fly it for free. He has been out of the ultralight loop for so long he doesn’t know a lot about them anymore. Does anyone know if a LSA can be grandfathered in as a ultralight, because I believe they changed the requirements a few years ago?? I guess I am just looking for some tips and input, I would rather just get my pilots license buy a share of a cheap tail dragger but I do not have the time or money right now for that type of commitment. Is getting your light sport license as expensive as some of the websites say ($4000 +). Anyone have ultralight experience and input?? Thanks!
ultralight aircraft questions....
- Thread starter zach477
- Start date
I am a Challenger dealer not as active as I used to be but have alot of people that are still in the "loop" Pretty much all of the single seaters are still eligable but if you are trying to grandfather in a two seater even as a trainer it wont work anymore.
I have looked at alot of GA airplanes and if you are just wanting to piddle around your local area I would most definately go with a ultralight. The Challenger has a nice enclosed cockpit and has a respectable cruise speed of 65 long wing and 75-80 in a short wing. You can pick one up for as cheap as 5k that is pretty darn nice.
I have looked at alot of GA airplanes and if you are just wanting to piddle around your local area I would most definately go with a ultralight. The Challenger has a nice enclosed cockpit and has a respectable cruise speed of 65 long wing and 75-80 in a short wing. You can pick one up for as cheap as 5k that is pretty darn nice.
Ultralights and airplanes are 2 different things IMO, both are fun but if you want to go places the light sport is what you want. If you want to go out and fly around in a 30 mile radius on a calm morning then the ultralights are a great way to do it and economical too. If you want to fly, fish and travel check this one out: http://www.iconaircraft.com/news.html#icon-featured-live-on-fox-news The light sport guys I've talked to have said they wish they would have just got the private, old pilots are trading their privates for light sport because you don't ever have to pass another physical. Most of the light sport guys I've been around are a PITA in the pattern because they don't train them to fly in traffic and they're scared to use the radios.
Revpilot,
You are right if you are reffering to the true to color ultralight stereotypical airplane however, with a cruise speed of 75-80 and a cross wind capability of 20 knots I hardley consider that to be a fair weather flyer. I wouldnt want to cross county in it but I have flown over to events 200 miles away and back with no troubles.
You are right if you are reffering to the true to color ultralight stereotypical airplane however, with a cruise speed of 75-80 and a cross wind capability of 20 knots I hardley consider that to be a fair weather flyer. I wouldnt want to cross county in it but I have flown over to events 200 miles away and back with no troubles.
You bring up a good point, location is a factor too. Where I am, 30 miles North East and West takes me over 12,000 ft. Mountain ranges and 8,000ft to the South. Guys in Texas use ultralights as their daily drivers with no issues AND have a lot of fun while getting about 70MPG.
Thanks for the input guys! I am still up in the air with what I want to do…… I will be keeping the aircraft at my parents farm about 30 miles west of SF so other traffic and navigating around populated areas is not a problem. The land adjacent to my parent’s acreage is pasture owned by the family and there is actually a grass strip already on it, the previous owner of the land used it to land his tail dragger. It would need some TLC and I would prob need to check for holes and cow pies but it would be a great strip for me. I don’t have the extra cash to get my privates yet and once my friend (mentioned above) gets his commercial he will be getting his CFI and has offered to teach me in his citabria but that is still 2 years down the road. If I could managed to get my light sport certs for less than $1500 I would go that route but the requirements on the FAA site are a little vague to me. You need 25 hours of instruction but it never mentions if the instruction has to be performed by a pilot with CFI certs or not. Besides the 25 hours of training you need to take a written test which I am not too worried about. Like Rev mentioned I do not know if you learn how to use the radios in your light sport certs but I would defiantly want to learn that because I can see myself getting board flying 30 mile radius’s around my landing strip. I guess when it comes down to it, it’s about $ right now….. I have been searching barnstormers and have found a number of ultralights that are 103 legal for $6k or less but I don’t know how comfortable I am flying in something that resembles a kite with a 340 sled engine strapped to it. I think getting into a plane in that $10k range with radios, two seats, a BRP and more power would be more my route but then it comes back to the cost associated with getting my light sport certs. Also a LSA would need annuals and a tail number correct? What is the cost associated with those? As far as safety is concerned is one route better than another? Do you guys have any tips for if I were to purchase something whether it be a ultralight or light sport? THANKS!
I found a PHANTOM X-1E and a Aerolite 103 that both caught my eye, Himark do you know anything about these aircraft? I am not finding any challenger aircraft that are in my price range or considered ultralights, they look like they are all LSA to me....or am I looking at the wrong models?
I have a few hours flying a Phantom and enjoyed the airplane. As for meeting the requirements all the Challenger single seaters with a 5 gal. tank will fall within the guidlines. I was watching ebay for a while and Challengers were going really cheap there. I almost bought a clipped single for 6k that was under 100 hours and had a 502 dual carb setup with the newere redrive.
S
Snow Flake
Guest
Before you buy one of those "Legal" ultralights ask the seller if you can weigh it on your scales. Reality is it is very difficult to keep them under 254 pounds and many flying as part 103 leagle are over weight and Illegal.
If you sold your sled for $120,000 or more then you have enough money to take lessons to get a sport pilot rating and buy a used LSA aircraft. The sad truth is LSA has been a way for old boys that can't pass a medical to keep flying. They have deep pockets and the LSA manufacturers are taking advantage of them.
Here's the Part 103 rules http://www.eaa.org/Ultralights/part_103.pdf
Here's an example of a LSA manufacturer. Check out the prices.
http://cubcrafters.com/
If you sold your sled for $120,000 or more then you have enough money to take lessons to get a sport pilot rating and buy a used LSA aircraft. The sad truth is LSA has been a way for old boys that can't pass a medical to keep flying. They have deep pockets and the LSA manufacturers are taking advantage of them.
Here's the Part 103 rules http://www.eaa.org/Ultralights/part_103.pdf
Here's an example of a LSA manufacturer. Check out the prices.
http://cubcrafters.com/
Ya the new LSAs are damn near as much as a newer cessna 172. The plane I am looking at is a two seater that holds 10 gallons of fuel right around the $7k price but the two seats and 10 gallons allone put it in the LSA class.
There's a few for sale in the hanger next to mine, one is a challenger and the other is a ??? both in the $5k range I think. They used to hunt coyotes with them around here until the whiners got them shut down. If your serious about wanting one PM me and I'll get the scoop on them, Himark could fly it home for you and beat his previuos record
