Where is UL growing?

[Bill Berson]

With my amphibian LSA project, I have been kicking around the idea of "removable" sponsons/floats and possibly a detachable lower hull (or at least the minimal drag and weight profile I can pull off and still operate safely). .

Yeh, I was thinking something like Norm's tri-hull could be attached to a conventional fuselage, instead of the usual twin pontoons.

[zaitcev]

It downed on a few people that if they want to see UL continue, LODAs are unavoidable, so they set about obtaining them. There was an article in Powered Sport Flying about it. Of course it's not going to be a thriving industry, but it is some kind of instruction at least. I still need to check myself out in Belite or Aerolite, but it's not going to be a daredevil stunt.

[Norman Langlois]

Stevenindy If you are in my neighborhood and you fit the design That could be arranged, flying her that is. the cockpit is small and the static margin fits 160# to 200# but not too wide or too tall legged. I would say a 34 inch leg is about max.

I cut from the video a problem seine. The sponsons are to small to prevent roll when static and in a breeze. I plan a significant change to the tricycle arraignment a shortening and contour mod to the hull and adding additional displacement to the sponsons. With a UL its put and take . This will of course be a pain in the you know what I'd rather fly it not work on it. as stated by Bill it has exceptional longitudinal stability High speed taxi and step turns are smooth as silk can virtually fly on the water if you choose to be like a jet ski. The landing a self straightening even if crabbed at touchdown. a little different affect with power off.Like a jet ski it needs the power to go on a favorable course. The longitudinal stability under way and the flying stability pitch an roll Make it fun and easy to fly.,

[rawheels]

Norm,

I like the cantilevered high-dihedral wings. Maybe you could sell that design to quicksilver for the next version of the MX.

[jedi]

ULs are not dead, they're on life support. Two-placed ULs merged into LSA as converted E-LSA up until 2008 I think. But single seat true ultralights are still being developed as evidenced by this legal Part 103 "flying float" called the Connie, an amphibious UL still in the flying prototype stage. So for those that want to legally operate and fly with no licence and no medical, this could be the one. But you'll still have to learn in a 2 place LSA.

http://youtu.be/VMjLR_cktZo

I think you will find these video's are all ten or more years old and the aircraft is or never was in production. Baily made some nice designs but none were ever produced due in part to the comments you see here. Somebody please tell me if this plane is available anyplace.

[jedi]

Our airport has had a lot of ultralights in the past. However, most of the pilot's in the group have transitioned through the years to LSA or GA, and nobody is back-filling the void. I get questions all the time about how someone can get into ultralights, but my standard answer is you basically have to get LSA training and then buy a used UL and train yourself in the single seat. There is one CFI in the area who spent the money to buy a SLSA powered parachute to train people, but for fixed wing it is pretty much cub/champ or plastic LSA training because the SLSA aircraft are so expensive.

So, it just makes me wonder where in the country UL flying is growing, and what is the secret?

Check with the manufacturers. UL 103, Belite, etc. I just got off the phone with CGS Avation and the answer is there is no action. Aircraft are available if you want to purchase though. Follow the Flight Traing thread to get training ideas. CGS, 103, Belite and others will be at Sun n Fun, April 9th for one week. Pick up a plane there or get some introductory training or more.

[Norman Langlois]

I have seen this kind of post . One that reflect how poorly the UL future looks. and for nearly 8 years nothing has actually come forth to solve or stave of the end of the UL. The argument over SSM and Dual will not solve anything.. Dual will not serve and SSM is not being initiated . I am not an instructor and do not wish to become one. I do believe that the way I came to fly is very acceptable. but very controversial. Because you only know half the story and will never accept the other half. My story is tainted by the test pilot action. Something I should never have done. I refer to the straight ahead hops I never flew the go around the patch till after the test flying.

Enough of that we need a program now not later . SSM needs to come back to serve and instructors need to come forth to do that job. As buzz stated in learning to fly UL's there are new tools that have come along since those days put them to use get it done the hell with the argument .Its obvious that there are people that do not agree. there always was and always will be.

[steveinindy]

Stevenindy If you are in my neighborhood and you fit the design That could be arranged, flying her that is. the cockpit is small and the static margin fits 160# to 200# but not too wide or too tall legged. I would say a 34 inch leg is about max.

I'm smack in the middle of the weight limit (170-180 lbs depending upon clothing) and I have 34" inseam.

[rawheels]

for nearly 8 years nothing has actually come forth to solve or stave of the end of the UL.

This all seems like a normal progression to me. However, we are probably a year or so behind. I would assume that any new aircraft regulation would be tried for 3-4 years, and if it proved to be too cumbersome, then something else would start to emerge as the alternate option. (or, that part of aviation would die out)

The 2-place ultralight exemption expired Jan 2008. So by Jan 2011 or 2012, it was probably already determined that requiring instructors to buy SLSA or Certified Aircraft wasn't working out. Three alternates have been (re)introduced; self-teaching, find a friend who will teach you illegally, or the SSTM. The first two options are too limited at best, actually killing future pilots at worst.

If you figure that any new method will take 3-4 years to catch on, then a replacement should be in place by 2014-2016. If we are starting this year with the SSTM we are probably behind. The good news is that if ultralights were originally taught in this way, there should be some good historical info and helps to get this going quickly.

[Buzz]

If we are starting this year with the SSTM we are probably behind. The good news is that if ultralights were originally taught in this way, there should be some good historical info and helps to get this going quickly.

Rawheels-
I've been working on an "ultralight training club" idea centered around using Quicksilver MXs and the SSTM since October 2010. I've done a LOT of research. [Even attending the AOPA Summit in '10 to look at their research to why people drop out of GA flight training to see what can be learned from that to keep a training club vibrant.]

I share what I've learned and some of my ideas in my thread "Has GA Missed.........."

All my work until now has been in developing a "scalable" ultralight training club idea. My interest is in more than just being an ultralight instructor [done that] and teaching a few local people [done that].

I think one of the other things the SSTM created in the early days was a social environment for learning. All the training up through solo and then a couple hours beyond lends itself well to a group setting where students are interacting with each other. That not only accelerates a student's learning but provides a social structure that research shows is lacking in GA flight training.

As for the SSTM, if someone documented the process from start-to-finish with a couple of complete aviation neophytes with a series of youtube videos of their lessons, the conversation about the efficacy of the SSTM would be put permanently to bed. There is entirely too much misinformation and misconceptions about the methodology.

My thoughts.

-Buzz