Hi all,
I'm curious if there is an ultralight instructor in SW Missouri/the Ozarks? I took a few regular lessons in a Cessna years ago and I'm ready to buy an ultralight and seek training. The closest I could find via Google was Bob Ackerman in Columbia but didn't know if there was someone closer to Springfield, MO. Thanks!
Brian
Training in an ultralight has been outlawed by the FAA. These are gone. No more ultralight training. You must train in something bigger then jump into an ultralight. Its the way they want it done. No transition training for ultralights, you must train in something hundreds of pound heaver and fast.
Good luck.
Tony
Brian/Tony
I believe you can, check this link out
http://www.usua.org/Instructors/safetyandtraining.htm
One place to try and locate an instructor is the list of sport pilot instructors listed on the EAA web site, www.sportpilot.org/instructors Ideally try to work with a CFI that is knowledgeable about the flight characteristics of the single seater you intend to purchase. What are you thinking of buying?
Have Fun & Fly Safe!
Timm
EAA 379292
MiniMAX 1600R
Challenger II
HiMAX - in progress
Thanks for the information everyone and the link; I wasn't aware of the FAA's new rule. I wonder what the rationale behind that is? I like the Fisher kits a lot, especially the FP-606 Sky Baby in tricycle configuration. I was hoping to stick with Part 103 due to lower cost, access to some farm land and the seat-of-your-pants style of flying but if the FAA is cracking down, I'm wondering if I should just save up for a PPL and an old Cessna 150, Luscombe, or other light 2-seater...
The FAAOriginally Posted by 1600vw
Tony is correct in every respect. The page Blue chips listed is the situation as it was before the FAA adopted the LSA rules ten years ago. I looked high and low for four years for UL training and found none, legal or otherwise. I ended up taking 13 hours from a CFI in a cessna 150. When I did get my UL up, I cracked it up on my second flight. Why? No training in a similar aircraft. How insane is that? I am rebuilding and will not give up. Maybe by the time I am finished for the 2nd time type training may be available. Let's do more than hope.
Paul
"I wonder what the rationale behind that is?"
Rationale? From the FAA?
(Sorry. Couldn't resist. Not that I tried all that hard...)
One Hundred Million dollar question....You would have to ask the folks whom made the rules behind close doors this question and then as we all know you will not get the answer but a lot of hog-wash. I think everyone involved in ultralights have sat around drinking their favorite beverage asking this same question. What in the heck was these people thinking.
1. This was done in order for companies to sell new airplanes for only a factory built two seat can be used for training and it must be certified by the FAA. This is where we get away from ultralights because we have those who will say you can train in a Taylorcraft aircraft or something like this. But these are nothing like an ultralight, besides they both fly, have a seat and some pedals and a throttle.
2. This was done to limit the amount of people flying in the sky or controlling who does this. Ultralight Pilots are non registered and can do as they please. We all know government does not like it when one can do as one pleases.
The people in charge will tell you they gave you Sport Pilot what more do you want. Why do you even want to fly a dog-gone ultralight anyway?
Tony
P.S. I also know of a few people almost killed since this new ruling has gone into effect. This was from lack of training and them trying to do it themselves or fly an ultralight without any in type training. Amazes me with what the FAA knows about safety and in type training they did away with training in ultralights. This is why I lean on the 2nd theory.
Last edited by 1600vw; 04-11-2014 at 08:41 AM.
It's sad to see this happening to the ultralight community. The more I read about the FAA, the more I'm convinced they have an agenda to put down any "lesser" forms of flying. Whatever their "ratonale" is, it obviously has nothing to do with safety since it encourages people to train themselves. I'd still like to meet some local UL enthusiasts if they're out there. I hate to jump ship because of dumb FAA rules.
If I may present another side of this issue (not that I necessarily agree with it). 2 seat UL trainers were allowed for good reasons, we all agree. But while they were only supposed to be used for training, I'm not sure I ever saw one at a fly-in with both seats filled. If you asked them about it, the "instructor" would say they "plan on offering instruction, and are familiarizing themselves with the operation of the UL before they start offering instruction", or some other such BS. Here's a pretty good write-up: http://www.midwestflyer.com/?p=1753
There are a couple of companies that plan on (or maybe are, by now) offering SLSA aircraft that are certificated versions of the old UL trainers, and are legal for instruction.
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