anyone here fly ultralites of any kind?

[dkf1979 0]

Looking into taking an intro flight in an ultralite. Was wondering some of the pro's and con's of fixed wing ultralites, and powered parachutes. Sorry if this is off topic. It does include parachutes though.

http://bodypilot.bounceme.net

[johnnypilot 0]

i say go with the ultralight. I would say it has a better glide ratio than a powered parachute.. but thats just a hunch.

Shop Smart......Shop S Mart

[dkf1979 0]

thats kinda the way i'm thinking. the ultralite has a back up parachute if something catistrophic would happen. where the powered parachute, well, u have a parachute. if something catistrophic goes wrong there, then what?

http://bodypilot.bounceme.net

[bch7773 0]

uhhh it would be pretty hard for something to go wrong in a powered parachute so that you'd need another parachute. You open and check the parachute on the ground, and so you know it doesn't have a malfuntion. Not to mention you can't do flips or rolls in a powered parachute, so it can't get wrapped around you.

MB 3528, RB 1182

[Shawndiver 0]

You might be amazed what you can do with PP these days, there is even a national competition now for them. They can still suffer from collapses though from severe turbulence, but part of the training you get is how to recover from these. Most rigid wing ultralights these days fly with a ballistic reserve just in case, that brings both the aircraft and the pilot down.

Shawn

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[jmidgley 0]

Hi

I fly a Foot Launched Powered Hang Glider. The hang glider is a pretty standard Aeros Target (16m) and the power unit is an English made Doodlebug. In the UK the CAA exempt anything that can be foot-launched, powered or not, from the need for licenses, certificates and the like.

I keep thinking I ought to get a reserve for when I fly it...

Regards
John

[narcimund 0]

I've flown a powered parachute and can't get enough. The safety isn't a problem (but I do other crazy things like skydive and basejump so who am I to talk?)

I don't believe there is any other flying craft which lets you skim your toes in the trees, circle over a cow at 10 feet, and putter up to 15,000 for a good view before landing in your backyard.

It's not like other aircraft. Comparing it by numbers is missing the point. It's so slow you could pace a bicycle and so maneuverable you could nearly use it to search for a lost contact lens. Its closest competitor might be a blimp, if they made small ones.

(Obligatory anti-dropzone.com-authorities comment here.)

First Class Citizen Twice Over

[jdthomas 0]

Go for the PPC, they are a wonderfull experience.
PPC's have to be flown in as near perfect conditions, this insures safer flights as well as enjoyable flights.
PPc's fly slower then ultralights and hey thats the dream right? low and slow flight for longer durations?
The next positive, they are jumpable! many models are very jump friendly.
Becarefull in choosing your brand, there are alot of companys coming and going right now, stick with some that have been around and proven.
I used to work for a company that built them as a rigger, if you have any questions email me.
Choose the PPC man, it's the best.
jdthomas@terraworld.net

www.greenboxphotography.com

[sducoach 0]

Adult Film Actor???

Joe,

I've seen your audition. Find a real job............

Blues,

J.E.

James 4:8

[LouYoung 0]

Quote

I don't believe there is any other flying craft which lets you skim your toes in the trees, circle over a cow at 10 feet, and putter up to 15,000 for a good view before landing in your backyard.

That sounds really freakin' cool. Is this a foot launched powered parachute you're talking about, or a cager/Trike style?

[sleddog 0]

I've got Challenger 2pl fixed wing "fat" ultralight...Go for the intro flight...it's a blast

• Quote

[dkf1979 0]

Yep, powered paraglider is what i'm going for. The cheapest, safest, and most accesible form of flight. Supposed to be really easily flown. I need to fly!!!

http://bodypilot.bounceme.net

[Flygator 0]

Fly ultralights? Of course! I'm an ultralight flight instructor and if you come around NC, I'll introduce them to you...

Gator

here is a pic of my plane...(it's was just recently posted in the talk back section as "Gator's new toy")

[narcimund 0]

Quote

That sounds really freakin' cool. Is this a foot launched powered parachute you're talking about, or a cager/Trike style?

The ppc I've flown is a two seater, three wheel Six-Chuter brand. It's great for sightseeing, but I don't think it would be comfy to jump from. Too many cables and strange parts sticking out everywhere. It would be possible, but tricky.

There is a significant difference between powered parachute and powered paraglider. The PPC canopy looks like a basic 9-cell skydiving canopy. The PPG canopy looks like a 29-cell banana.

I know nothing about the PPGs.

First Class Citizen Twice Over

[SkydivnQT 0]

Quote

Adult Film Actor???

Joe,

I've seen your audition. Find a real job............

Blues,

J.E.

J.E.

I didn't realize you were "that type of guy!?!" hehe

Susan

If both chutes fail......track for your rigger!

[Lee03 0]

Just curious, why not just go ahead and learn to fly certified airplanes, i.e. get your Private Pilot Certificate. I've not ever flown an ultralight, and don't think I would want to, nothing against them, allot of people fly them and say that they are a blast, Hell the CFI that instructed me for my Private Pilot (80 years old and still going strong ) got into ultralights and loves them, he is now an ultralight instructor as well as a CFI. Said he likes them because it reminds him of the way flying was when he started out, he learned to fly on Piper Cubs and Aeronica Champs. Me, I'll just stick to flying airplanes and skydiving! I really can't give you an answer from any experience, but it would seem to me that a fixed wing ultralight would be better to fly than a powered parachute! Something you might also consider, look into the new catagory/pilot certificate that the FAA will be implimenting very soon, the Light Sport Plane/ Light Sport Pilot . Ultralights will fall into this new catagory when it is implimented. Good luck

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To put your life in danger from time to time ... breeds a saneness in dealing with day-to-day trivialities.

--Nevil Shute, Slide Rule

[DanglesOZQld 0]

Ultralights can be a fun cheaper way of getting into the air I must admit. I am the holder of a Private Pilots licence which I obtained before learning what fun it was to jump out of them as well. Funny thing was that my CFI thought I was a bigger crazy person than my parents! BSBD -Mark.

"A Scar is just a Tattoo with a story!!!"

[EDYDO 0]

I have owned and flown a number of them. I almost bought a powered parachute at Oshkosh where I checked them out thoroughly. I didn't buy one. The bacpac type was a real butt buster. The expert had problems demonstrating it.

I originally thought it would take less runway than my Pioneer Flightstar. It took twice as much because it takes time to get the chute overhead and stable.

I now consider them something like an elevator with a lot less maneuverability than an ultralite. The only reasons I can think of to get the thing are 1. Storage area 2. Easier to fly.

Ed D-1521 CFI

[Rhonda66 0]

I got my PPL last May too (after skydiving for 5 years) - I would do that first, before the ultralight or parachute thingy if given the choice. However (and a BIG HOWEVER it is), the others are correct in that the other ways are cheaper. You have to be extremely committed to getting a PPL cuz it drains your wallet (even worse than skydiving if you can believe that!!!).

It probably doesn't really matter though cuz I want to do an ultrlight intro. in the spring too - a guy I worked with owns one and he loves it - though I think for me they're too restrictive (fuel capacity, landing sites, etc.) - I like to be able to jump in the plane and fly over to the DZ - the guy I worked with basically flies in circles and goes back to his ultralight strip...Let us know what it's like if you do it.

Rhonda
PP ASEL