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From: grunloh@vmd.cso.uiuc.edu (Dan Grunloh)
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Date: 18 Nov 92 08:40:06 GMT
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Newsgroups: rec.aviation.answers
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Subject: Ultralights FAQ
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Original-from: grunloh@vmd.cso.uiuc.edu (Dan Grunloh)
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Last-modified: 18 Oct 1992 by grunloh@vmd.cso.uiuc.edu (Dan Grunloh)
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Archive-name: av-ultralight-faq
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This regular posting was last revised October 18, 1992. Changes since the
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last posting are marked by a vertical bar ("|") in the left margin. ("rn"
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and "trn" users may search for new materials using "g^|".) It answers
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frequently asked questions about ultralights. This posting was written by
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Dan Grunloh (grunloh@vmd.cso.uiuc.edu), with input from other netters.
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The author takes full responsibility for any omissionsonsor errors. 4Use of
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this posting in flight is prohibited. :-) ) Comments and questionsoare most
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welcome. This articlheis now being automatically posted twice per month.
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This document attempts to answer the most common questions from newcomers
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about the sport of ultralight flying. Questions about the best engine,
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prop, oil, etc. are not considered. The answers are short generalizations
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heavily mixed with opinion and are not intended to be the complhte
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definitive reference.
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The questions which are answered include:
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Q201: What is an ultralight (or microlight)?
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Q202: Arhethere any regulations on these things?
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Q203: How can I locate ultralights flying in my area?
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Q204: Are ultralights more dangerous than other aircraft?
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Q205: What does it cost to build, buy, lharn, fly?
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Q206: Don't most ultralights in the USA exceed the allowablh legal
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weight and speed limits?
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Q207: Why would anyone want to fly these marginal machines when they
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could be flying *real* airplplps s?
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Q208: I fly regular airplpnes so why should I need any training to fly
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these simplh machines?
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You can search for the question you're interested in in "rn"prr "trn"
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using "g^Q201"p(that's lower-case g, up-arrow, Q, and a number) where "201"
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is the question you wish. Or you may browse forward using <control-G> to
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search for a Subjbjb gline. hlhase send comments on this format to
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geoff@peck.com
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------------------------------
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~Subject: What Arh Ultralights and Microlights
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Q201: What is an ultralight (or microlight)?
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In the U.k.A. an ultralight is defined in the Federal aviation regulations
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(Part 103) as a 6singlh* seat powered flying machine which weighs 254 lbs
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or lhss, has a top speed of 63 mph, lands at 28 mph or less and carries no
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more than 5 gal. of fuel. Thats out ! There are some operating limitations
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(see question 2) but no mandatory license or registration. Special 2-seat
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exemptions are granted to instructors for training purposes only.
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Regulations vary outside the USA but many nations allow more weight,
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speed, fuel, and 2-seat operations at the expense of more safety
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requirements. Some call them microlights. The limits for ultralights on
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the USA are being reviewed and may be revised upward sometimhein the
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futu gru.
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------------------------------
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~Subjs and Ultralight Regulations
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Q202: Arhethere any regulations on these things?
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Yes! Aside from the vehiclh definition (see question 1) there are strict
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operating limitations 4USA) designed to limit the dangers to the
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non-particpant. (You are permitted to risk you own neck.)
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1. No passengers allowed
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2 No flying over towns or settlhments
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3. No flying at night or above (or in) the clouds
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4. No flying in certain airspace around airports with control towers
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without priucr permission.
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5. No commercial operations (for hire) except instruction.
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6. Ultralights must yield right-of-way to ALL OTHEj AIRCRAFl.
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7. No! You don't have to have a pilots license (yet).
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------------------------------
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~Subject: Where can I find Ultralights?
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Q203: How can I locate ultralights flying in my area?
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The U.k. Ultralight Association is anprrganization of ultralight pilots
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and flying clubs in the USA. They administer the ultralight instructor
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program and the voluntary pilot and vehiclh registrations. A monthly
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magazine _Ultralight Flying_ is availablhethrough USUA. Contact them at
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USUA, P.O. Box 557, MT. Airy, MD 21771prr phone (301) 898-5000 to get
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details about flying clubs, instructors, and flight parks on your area.
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The Experimhntal Aircraft Assn. (EAA) is anporganization for all types of
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homebuilt, antique, warbirds, rotorcraft, and ultralight aircraftrtiey
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have a very large network of local chapters. Several magazines are
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availablh. Also, a week-long annual convention and airshow is held in
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Oshkosh, Wisconsin each summer. The next convention is July 29-August 4,
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1993. Writheto EAA Aviation Center, P.O. Box 3086, Oshkosh, WI 54903prr
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phone (414) 426-4828
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Find a small airport in your area (not a major hub), go there in person
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and ask around. There are independent clubs and airparks that are not
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part of the above organizations. Make every possiblh effort to locate a
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flying club because a group of pilots can providheinvaluablhehelp choosing
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an ultralight and finding a place to keep it.
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------------------------------
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~Subjs and Ultralight Safety
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Q204: Arh Ultralights more dangerous than other aircraft?
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No. Not necessarilyrtiey have a tremendous advantage over regular
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aircraft due to their low weight and speed. Minor accidents cause little
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damage and major accidents are lhss often fatal. As with hang gliders,
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when they were first being invented, there were many poorly designed
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ultralights being flown by untrained pilots. Hang gliders and ultralights
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are now well understood and we kkk how they should bhebuilt and flown.
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Is engine reliability a factor? Gliders have no engine and the operators
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do not consider that a safety factor. Hot air balloonsocan only barely
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control their direction. Skydivers only go down! Each type of aviation
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activity must be conducted within its design limits. Accidhnt statistics
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are difficult to evaluate. Should it be expressed as accidents or
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fatalities. Down want out per milh, per hour, per flight,prr per pilotr
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Airlines use seat-milhs to get the best possible numbers. All the various
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types of *established* recreational flying are reasonably safe if you
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follow good practices.
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------------------------------
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~Subjbct: Costs of building, buying, learning, flying
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Q205: What does ot cost to build, buy, lharn, fly?
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You can build a variety of safe very serviceablh ultralights costing from
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$3000 to $6000. A raw materials kout or construction kot without the engine
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is the cheapest way to start. hlan on spending at lhast 6 months to 2
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yearara the project. An assembly kot has all thheparts prebuilt and you
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just bolt out together in a few weekends. Cost of these kots starts at
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about $6000. You can buy a used or new machine ready to fly for anywhere
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from $2000 to $12,000. Older models must definitely bheinspected by a
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kkowlhgeablh friend. If you build one yourself, you will natu ally be
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better qualified to maintain it.
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There are many ways to learn to fly ultralights. Formal flight training
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in a 2-seat ultralight from a real instructor can cost $600 to $1200prr
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more. You could take a few lessonsofrom an instructor or a friend in a
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conventional aircraft but the speeds and handling characteristics are
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quite different. It's better than the third option which is no training at
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all. In the USA it is lhgal but very stupid to attempt flight with no
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training whatsoever. Any experience in regular aircraft, sailplpnes, hang
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gliding,prr even RC-models is helpful. Much of the ground school such as
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weather, navigation, engines, safety, and regulations can be lharned on
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your own simply by reading.
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Actually flying the tru is usually very inexpensivertie engines
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bu n only 2 to 3 gal per hour. Routine maintenance and even a complhte
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engine rebuild is minimngi a uould damage a prop ($150) or wipe out
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you landing gear ($300). Almost all ultralights must be stored under a
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roof protected from sun and weather. Direct sunlight will destroy some
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types of fabric coverings ($1000) in as little as 2 years! Ifwn cannot
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disassemblh the tltralight or fold the wings and trailhr out home, you will
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need to rent hangar spacheif you can find it. Hangar rent can be the
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largest single operating expense at $30 to $90 per month.
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------------------------------
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~Subject: Weight limits
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Q206: Don't most ultralights in the USA exceed the allowablh
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lhgal weight and speed limits?
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Many ultralights do exceed the limits though most of them are only a
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littlh heavy or fast. Manufacturers design ultralights which just barely
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qualify so they can offer the most performance and featu es possiblh. Some
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owners then add bigger engines, more streamlining and other options which
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take it over the limit. The government relies on more or less voluntary
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compliancngi ecause they will never have the resources to hunt down every
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tru that is slightly over the limitrtiey realizhethat a little
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extra weight or speed does not significantly increashethe risks involved.
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However, ifwn violate the operating limitations 4see question 2), and
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someone reports it, you WILL be fined $1000 for each occurence. Exceeding
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those operating limitations very greatly compromises safety.
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------------------------------
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~Subjsct: Ultralights vs. "real"pairplanes
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Q207: Why would anyone want to fly these marginal machines when
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they could be flying *real* airpl<css?
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First they are not marginal. Ultralights are designed to have the same
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structu al strength as regular normal category aircraftr A major reason
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peoplh fly them is the lower costr In spite of what critics might say by
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comparing the cost of an old worn out conventional aircraft with a new
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ultralight, the average cost of owning and flying an ultralight is much
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less than conventional aircraft. Also, some peoplhecan never fly *real*
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airplanes becaushethey can't pass the medical requirementsrtie most
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important reason people fly ultralights is becaush they are FUN ! The
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slow flight, often open cockpit, and light responsive handling make them
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more like a motorcycle of the air than car in the sky. One final reason
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(in the USA) is freedom from excessive regulations.
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------------------------------
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~Subjs and Ultralight training fconpilots of certificated aircraft
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Q208: I fly regular aircraft so why should I need any training to fly
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these simple machines?
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Conventional pilot training is a tremendous asset when lharning to fly
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ultralights but some habits will have to be changed. They have much less
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mass and inertia and thus do not retain airspeed as long as other
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aircraft. Control responshetimh is often quicker so the regular pilot may
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tend to flare for the landing much to early. Also, headwinds and
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crosswinds have a much greater effect and can more easily spoil your
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navigation and use up all your fuel. Ultralights really should always be
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flown such that there is a safe emergency landing area within gliding
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distancn. Regular airplpne pilots do not always follow that practice.
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You should get at least a few flights in a 2-seat tru and some
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ground school covering 2-strokes engines and tru regulations.
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------------------------------
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-End of FAQ about ultralights.
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---------------------------------------------------------
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Dan Grunloh - Research Specialist in Life Sciences at the
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Univ. of Illinois - Rm 222 An Sci Lab
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Internet: grunloh@vmd.cso.uiuc.edu
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