Hello, my name is Ben Lovegrove and in this video I'm going to introduce ultralight or
microlight flying.
This video was inspired by watching a video of a 16 year old successfully completing her
first solo flight in an Ikarus C42 at Popham Airfield, Hampshire, UK in early 2019.
Ultralights (USA) or microlights (UK) offer a much more affordable way for people to enjoy
learning to fly and owning their own aircraft.
Ultralight flying is growing in popularity due to advances in materials and innovations
in design. Microlight aircraft manufacturers all over the world offer a growing number
of light aircraft with surprisingly good performance and comfort.
As well as lower costs than conventional general aviation aircraft microlights & ultralights
offer an authentic stick and rudder experience, often with the wind in your face, although
there are many that offer the comfort of an enclosed cockpit.
Mention microlights to non-flyers and they probably think of flex wing microlights with
a single or two seats in tandem suspended underneath.
But as all aviators know the world of microlights includes many types, including fixed wing
aircraft that at first glance look like any other general aviation light aircraft.
The advantages of microlights are many; they are cheaper to buy and maintain, they can
operate out of small airfields and farm strips, and they are much more fuel efficient.
This reduces the cost per hour of flying and makes them an ideal choice for recreational
pilots, as well as for some flight training schools who want an ab initio training aircraft.
Microlights have flown all around the world (albeit with a lot of refueling stops), and
it's not unusual for UK owners to spend a few days flying south to visit European and
Mediterranean countries.
These aircraft can be bought in kit form thus reducing the cost and giving you the satisfaction
of building it yourself, or they can be bought ready to fly for those keen simply to get
airborne.
The cost can be reduced still further by joining or forming a syndicate of owners. This method
also brings the advantages of shared experiences, tips and advice, and the social side of it.
So if you are attracted to flying low and slow in VFR conditions, perhaps hopping from
airfield to farm strip, then here are just three examples of aircraft for sale.
1. The Ikarus C42.
The German built Ikarus C42 ultralight or microlight is a best-seller. It first flew
in 1996 and quickly became a popular choice among flying schools and private pilot owners.
It has two side by side seats and a single central control stick, though the rudders
are dual controlled.
The cabin is actually 10 inches wider than a Cessna 152's.
There are four variants, A & B models, each with a Rotax 912 or 912S engine.
So depending on the variant the range is about 375 NM or 800 NM with long-range tanks.
The price for a new Ikarus C42 is about 42,000–62,000 Euros or 48,000 to 71,000 US dollars, depending
on variant and extras.
2. The Remos G3 Mirage and Remos GX.
Another high-wing, two-seat, Rotax 912 powered ultralight from Germany is the Remos G3 Mirage
and Remos GX.
This aircraft provides a gentle introduction to flying for student pilots and is a popular
choice among experienced pilots as well.
Again, the cockpit is wider than a Cessna 150/152.
The range of a Remos GX is about 480 NM whereas the Remos GXiS will take you 780 NM.
You can pick up a ten year old Remos for about $60-70,000 US dollars or £47-55,000 GBP but
if you want a brand new one it will cost you twice that amount.
3. The Eurofly Minifox.
If you want bare-bones flying with no frills at all how about the Eurofly Minifox?
This is a single seat monoplane that has no cockpit as such, merely a seat, stick & rudders,
and minimal instruments.
It requires a take-off run of at least 70 metres and minimum of 75 metres to land.
The wings can be detached in minutes and the aircraft can be disassembled for tidy storage
or trailer.
The price is around £20,400 GBP pounds, $26,000 US dollars, or 23,000 Euros.
Those are just three of many types available.
You can pick up second hand ultralights for a few thousand pounds, and as you can see
from the aforementioned prices you can spend much more for a new aircraft with all the
latest gadgets and gizmos.
If there's one disadvantage to microlights it's the fact that being so light there are
some that are not suitable for the heavier person when flying with an instructor but
if you decide to try one out the flying club will be able to advise you on that score.
The fly microlights in the UK you need an NPPL, a National Private Pilot’s Licence.
The NPPL is UK specific and doesn't necessarily mean you can fly outside UK airspace with
this alone.
This differs from the LAPL and PPL - see another video in my channel about those two licences.
For more information about microlight flying in the UK visit the British Microlight Association's
website at www.bmaa.org.
For more information about ultralight flying in the USA visit the United States Ultralight
Association's website at www.usua.org.
For more information about microlight flying in India visit the Directorate General of
Civil Aviation's website at dgca.nic.in.
If you have any tips or advice about owning and flying an ultralight or microlight, please
post a comment below.
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