| Can you afford flying when the gas and oil prices are | | | | Many fixed wing or flex wing aircraft have water |
| raising like crazy? Hardly. But the fuel has never been | | | | devices - such are often called amphibians or |
| free and not all people who like flying are rich. That's | | | | seaplanes. |
| one of the reasons why engineers and enthusiasts | | | | One flying boat (float) on the other hand looks like a |
| invented the ultralight aviation. The ultralight flying | | | | mix between a boat and an ultralight trike. Instead of |
| machines may not be the most comfortable or | | | | the standard corpse, the float uses its fuselage as a |
| luxury, but they are affordable, cute and simple. | | | | floating hull. The float is the cheapest and easiest for |
| Besides that the ultralight aircraft lets the pilot feel | | | | maintenance seaplane, that's why it is preferred by |
| much better "in the air" than the ordinary aircraft. | | | | most enthusiasts. |
| There are different kinds of ultralight flying machines | | | | Powered paraglider |
| you can use to fly. Here are the five most important | | | | If all you want is to be able to fly, you could do it |
| of them: | | | | with a simple paraglider. But the standard paraglider |
| Fixed wing ultralight airplane | | | | needs good wind condition and a high place for taking |
| The most popular ultralight aircraft looks just like a | | | | off. For this reason the aviation people created the |
| standard airplane. The fixed wing ultralight is usually a | | | | powered paraglider - probably the simplest and most |
| two seat or single seat aircraft, can fly quite fast (up | | | | affordable ultralight flying machine. |
| to 150 - 200kmh cruise speed) and is very stable. | | | | The powered paraglider is not very different than his |
| The disadvantages of the fixed wing ultralight | | | | standard "brothers" besides the fact it has a |
| airplanes are its cost and the need of large hanger | | | | powered propeller staying on the back of the pilot. If |
| space. Since you can't remove the wings, you need | | | | you want to take off, all you need to do is to run |
| space which is both wide and long. Just like a normal | | | | for few meters. You don't need a mountain or a hill - |
| airplane, the fixed wings ultralight needs a runaway to | | | | with a powered paraglider you can take off from a |
| start flying. | | | | smooth place. |
| Flex wing ultralight airplane (ultralight trike) | | | | Ultralight helicopter |
| The flex wing ultralight aircraft is an easier and more | | | | After the simplest, let me introduce you the most |
| affordable option for pilots who don't require to fly | | | | complex ultralight flying machine - the ultralight |
| on a "real airplane". The flex wings are also smaller | | | | helicopter. But regardless of its structural complexity - |
| and lighter and their wing is flexible, just like the name | | | | which is typical for any rotorcraft - the ultralight |
| of this aircraft suggests. | | | | helicopter is much simpler than the real helicopters we |
| This wing gives you one big advantage - the ultralight | | | | can see at the airport. |
| trike takes much less place so it can be hangared in a | | | | Very often the ultralight helicopter has no cockpit or |
| barn or garage. The wing can be completely taken | | | | fuselage at all - or there is very light and simple |
| off if needed so the aircraft may need even less | | | | version of them. That's why the ultralight helicopters |
| space. | | | | are not more expensive than the other aircraft - |
| The flex wing airplanes can also take off from a | | | | except of course the powered paraglider which |
| normal road, of course if there are no cars on it. | | | | beats them all. But if we talk about control |
| Float (ultralight flying boats) | | | | complexity, the helicopter is definitely the hardest to |
| One of the greatest things about the ultralight | | | | control machine. This aircraft is not appropriate for |
| airplanes is that they are ultra-light. This allows them | | | | beginner pilots. |
| "land" on water if they have the required appliances. | | | | |