Meet the Silent family of sleek trikes
Most trikes (powered hang gliders) use fiberglass only for nose pods and wheelpants. The Silent brand of trikes from Germany is an exception as these machines use composite materials for much of the trike carriage or chassis. The Silent family includes four models, two of which are still in production.
Although the Silent trikes are well known to Germans and other Europeans, it took Australian light aviation pioneer Bill Moyes to introduce the stunning Silent Racer to American skies. I first came across this unusual machine at Florida’s Wallaby Ranch before the Sun ’n Fun airshow three years ago.
But I’ve had other contact with developer Helmut Grossklaus as he has, not once, but twice been saved by the same BRS parachute installed in his aircraft. I collected info about this in my role at BRS. Neither accident was the fault of the equipment but of flying circumstances.
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New Aircraft Arrive at Arlington
With 200-foot-tall trees and mountain peaks topped with snow throughout the year, Washington is a scenic place for an airshow. Despite a drought that caused the grass to crunch underfoot, light aviation looked alive and well at the EAA’s Arlington gathering for 2003.
Local Boys Make Good
One main attraction was the much-anticipated RV-10 four-place aircraft that drew big crowds. But a Washington-area group also revealed their efforts of past months. Sport Flight Aviation displayed in the ultralight area with the first of 50 kits in progress. Two completed Talons—the last of the old design—stood alongside a new Typhoon. The new closely resembles the old.
Company owners Todd Thompson and Ron Osborne took pride in showing me extensive CAD-generated drawings printed after a lengthy effort to document the popular northwest design. Each of the men operates a non-aviation business. They teamed up to resuscitate a company left leaderless after the death of its founder, Roger Bitton.
Turbines for Ultralights?
Just when FAA officials believe they have it figured out, individual actions can introduce new questions. I’m referring to the light-sport aircraft category of new rulemaking proposed by the aviation agency.
Consider the turbine engine. Why, you may ask, is turbine power the subject for a column that focuses on the lightest and slowest aircraft? The answer is that turbine engines are actually being used on the these aircraft, and they may be the right power for the use intended.
Turbine Tug
For two decades, hang gliders have been towed aloft by specially built ultralights. Aircraft like Bobby Bailey’s Dragonfly have succeeded at launching hang glider pilots who live in flat areas like Florida. They don’t need mountains. Just give them a Rotax engine and they’ll take to the skies in swarms.
Witness the spring ritual of dual hang gliding competitions in central Florida. Each year as the Sun ‘n Fun fly-in ends, pilots converge from all over the world.
Airtime Products Powerlite Trike
Combo to consider: light trikes and the ATOS wing.
Attention may be centered on SportPlanes™these days, but many aircraft in the rest of the world of Light Stuff can fly on as if no new regulation were pending. Such aircraft include the range of what the FAA calls ultralight vehicles, but this category isn’t limited to the U.S.
At least through the next three-plus years, two-place trainer ultralights may still operate under their present-day programs. But this month we focus on genuine, by-the-numbers, single-place ultralight vehicles, just as Part 103 rule-writer Mike Sacrey intended.
The U.S. isn’t the only country allowing very light aircraft to fly under relaxed rules. England has a sub-70 (kilogram) rule that permits powered hang gliders and superlight trikes. Australia also permits these light machines. For such machines in the U.S., Federal Air Regulation Part 103 remains the relevant rule.
Introducing Airtime Products
Continuing the theme of international brands reaching U.S.
Big Changes in the Ultralight Scene
Events of last fall changed many things, among them the FAA’s action to push through the proposed sport pilot rule with its definition of a new class of aircraft.
Work on the proposed rule has slowed as the FAA focuses on efforts to ensure the air transport system is intact for millions of airline travelers. New rules for aircraft flown primarily for fun were necessarily put on the back burner.
As we’ve noted in these pages before, the proposed rule offers significant promise to light aviation, and many experts are sure that the sport pilot NPRM (notice of proposed rulemaking) will still be released for public comment, followed at some point by a new rule. Certainly it represents a breath of fresh air, and that may be just what a beleaguered FAA needs come springtime.
Possibilities
I’ve had the pleasure of flying a great many of the light aircraft introduced over the last 25 years.
Gemini Twin
A New Powered Parachute From a Well-Known Leader
Randy Snead branches out into his own company
Once an important figure in
Buckeye Industries, Randy is
known to many as the man
who worked on the technical
side and performed flight-testing for
Buckeye. When the former company fell
into struggle (see Editor’s Note), Randy
departed to do his own thing. Customers
who followed state, “It’s the people
behind the company” that are important.
I can find no argument with this
approach; we all tend to trust those we
know.
In turn, Randy is assisted by people he
trusts. His wife, Fern, is the business
manager and also operates the parts and
ordering department for the young firm.
Their son, Jeremiah, has experience in
general aviation aircraft, weight-shift
trikes, and powered parachutes, and he’s
built many powered parachutes. In the
EAA way, Gemini Powered Parachutes is
a family affair.
Introducing Gemini
Powered Parachutes
“It’s the American way” say others.
Phamous Phantom
Phantom ultralights continue to charm many pilots
The proposed sport pilot and light-sport aircraft rule changes have been
the focus of much discussion and anticipation over the last several
months, and good reasons for such unbridled attention are plentiful.
Under the proposed rule, you can obtain
an FAA sport pilot certificate in as
little as 20 hours and then carry a passenger
without having to become a flight
instructor. Many interesting aircraft will
become available for purchase either as
kits or ready-to-fly light-sport aircraft
(LSA), and these machines will be more “capable” in that they will be faster, better
equipped, more comfortable, and
more closely resemble conventional aircraft.
In many ways, they will outperform
the general aviation aircraft they may
come to replace.
Experts expect financing and insurance
to become more readily available.
And access to America’s 12,000 airports
should follow. You’ll be able to buy fully
built LSA that will qualify for commercial
operations like flight training or rental.
Honoring Mike Sacrey – Sidebar
Editor’s Notes: The following article is reprinted from the April 1981 issue of Ultralight, the original title of the current Experimenter magazine. I recently came across this article while reviewing EAA’s early ultralight publications searching for other historical information and felt it gives us a great understanding of the “mood” surrounding the development of FAR Part 103 … and that, perhaps, it parallels today’s situation as we anticipate a sport pilot/light-sport aircraft rule. Charlie Schuck, EAA’s Washington representative, who recently retired, wrote the article. It’s also interesting to note that this article was written in April of 1981 … and the notice of proposed rulemaking that eventual became FAR Part 103 was not published until the summer of 1982. Hmmm! … Mary
Why a Notice of Proposed Rule Making (NPRM) for Ultralights
We all would agree that no federal regulations concerning ultralights would be a utopian situation. However, when we are sharing the airspace with other flying vehicles, there needs to be some coordinated effort, or chaos will soon take over.
Sky Ranger
The Leading Trainer in French Flight Schools
To many observers, the Sky Ranger looks like a RANS Coyote. Based on general appearances, it appears the French light plane borrowed heavily from the popular model sold by the Kansas light plane kit leader. But, Sky Ranger importer Richard Helm bristles a bit when he hears that statement and retorts, “People compare the Sky Ranger to the RANS Coyote. They say it’s a knockoff, but the French designer didn’t take anything from the Coyote. It’s built completely different,” although he admits, “It does look a lot like the Coyote.”
Give a Yankee welcome to the Sky
Ranger. The French-designed
ultralight is typical of a trend I
think we’ll be seeing with increasing
frequency—imported light planes from
Europe. Sky Ranger is built in the
Ukraine by Aeros, Ltd. I visited this
factory with Phil Lockwood of
Lockwood Aviation in the spring of
2001. Once built by Synairgy in France,
Sky Ranger production moved to this
former eastern-block country in 1997.
Honoring Mike Sacrey
Note to readers — This article first appeared in EAA Sport Pilot magazine. The layout is unusual because of magazine formatting, but all the text and photo information is as it originally appears… —DJ
AND LEARNING THE HISTORY OF FAR PART 103
Not long after takeoff, the airline captain’s deep voice transmitted the following: “Ah… Los Angeles Center, I see hang gliders not far off my wing. They aren’t in our airspace, but I’m surprised to see these guys up here.”
Thus began the impetus to create
Federal Aviation Regulation (FAR) Part
103. Of course, the rule had no name
at the outset, but one FAA official saw
the future.
Honoring the foresight of this
man, EAA recently inducted W.
Michael “Mike” Sacrey into the EAA
Ultralight Hall of Fame during
ceremonies on November 2, 2001, at
EAA headquarters in Oshkosh,
Wisconsin.
Mike holds an airline transport pilot
(ATP) rating with numerous sign-offs
for a variety of jets and multiengine
seaplanes.
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