Ultralight options that can be trailered easily?

I've always been an aviation enthusiast and I'm very interested in getting into ultralight flying. I'm having a hard time finding a good resource regarding planes that can be trailered easily. I have multiple small airports in my area and the option to trailer to one of these, roll the plane off the trailer and be on my way in a few minutes is very attractive. But I have a few questions...

1. Do airports typically charge for this type of thing?
2. What about taking off from rural public places like parks? (I must admit I've seen totally empty parks with a big grass area and thought...I bet you could easily take off and land there)
3. Which planes have folding wings and are 103 legal?

I really like the Kolb Firefly. But anything along the same lines that can be folded up quickly to transport I'd be interested in. I know many ultralights can be transported but I don't want to take an hour to put the wings on and another hour to take them back off after flying.

Also any good info about ultralight flying would be greatly appreciated. If and when this becomes a reality I plan on getting proper instruction. I'm not a fan of the "strap in and hope for the best" option. I'm just beginning this journey but I caught the bug years ago when my uncle let me take the controls of his Piper Cherokee. I've been hooked ever since. Thanks!

Valley Engineering makes a legal Part 103 called "Backyard Flyer" which has a cantilever wing that swings to align with the craft's longitudinal axis when not flying. Setup and breakdown seems to be very fast, ~10 minutes. Not sure of how popular they are.

You are correct, it would take a real die hard to spend 2+ hrs in setup every time they want to fly for 20 min.

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Originally Posted by martymayes

Valley Engineering makes a legal Part 103 called "Backyard Flyer" which has a cantilever wing that swings to align with the craft's longitudinal axis when not flying. Setup and breakdown seems to be very fast, ~10 minutes. Not sure of how popular they are.

You are correct, it would take a real die hard to spend 2+ hrs in setup every time they want to fly for 20 min.

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Thanks for the reply. This is exactly what I'm looking for. I remember seeing that one before so it's definitely a possibility.

Just watched a YouTube video of one doing take-offs and landings. Take off average was only 120 feet! :eek:

https://youtu.be/9Rf7ttso0Fw

Keep in mind that not all airports allow ultralights. if there's one you plan to fly from, check its rules.

Also, if the airport has a level of physical security, you won't be able to enter freely. It may require a gate code (easy to get from a friend) or an access card. The airport may not be willing to give vehicle access to non-tenants. You might have to rent a tie down spot.

Ron Wanttaja

Folding takes a much bigger trailer and truck to pull it.
Removable wings fit in a small custom trailer. An ultralight only weighs 254 or less. So decide what you want. Light and open 4 foot wide trailer, or heavy enclosed 8 wide trailer, etc.

I believe the MiniMax has easy removal wings that can be done with one person.
Bob

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Originally Posted by Bill Berson

Folding takes a much bigger trailer and truck to pull it.
Removable wings fit in a small custom trailer. An ultralight only weighs 254 or less. So decide what you want. Light and open 4 foot wide trailer, or heavy enclosed 8 wide trailer, etc.

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Thank you for this, that's not something I had considered. I like the idea of a lighter and smaller trailer for sure. However an enclosed trailer can act as a sort of "hanger on wheels". If I go with the smaller trailer and removal wings I'd still need a place to store the plane when not in use.

With that said does anyone know of options that have easily removable wings instead of folding?

But an "8 foot wide hanger on wheels" is no better than a 8' hanger on skids in your yard to park the loaded trailer.
My plan is to back the open trailer into the hanger on skids behind my house.
The reason is that an open trailer is easier to load and unload and secure the parts at the airport.

Check out YouTube, I have seen some pretty ingenious trailers people have built. If you build an enclosed trailer you could actually have the sides open up for easy access. Just a thought.
Bob

I saw that the Kolb Firefly is disassembleable (that's a real word...I don't make stuff up!).

One video a guy had one on a trailer neatly packaged. It did appear to take quite some time to reassemble though.

Sent from my XT1585 using Tapatalk

Here's an idea for a trailer. https://youtu.be/itj6FHo2tac

Bob

The problem with an open trailer, other than the fact that you still need an enclosed place to keep it, is that the wind beats on the plane when you're moving it, unless you're going very slow for a short distance.

My Kolb trailer:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GMdPk6KjHDM

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Originally Posted by robert l

Here's an idea for a trailer. https://youtu.be/itj6FHo2tac

Bob

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This is the one I saw.

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There is plenty of details to consider on a trailer. For example, most long covered trailers are dual axel. So tilting down the end to unload is not as easy and probably need long ramps.
I never had a wind problem. Got mud from the wheels on a open trailer trip from Alaska.

I've been unfolding, flying, folding, and trailering my Weedhopper since 1987. Takes me about 30 minutes to unload, unfold, and be ready for flight. About 40 minutes to fold, load, and secure to the trailer. I haul it on a 5x8 ft flat bed snowmobile trailer. I store it folded up in my garage.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=39kDpNi94FI

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Originally Posted by weedhopr

I've been unfolding, flying, folding, and trailering my Weedhopper since 1987. Takes me about 30 minutes to unload, unfold, and be ready for flight. About 40 minutes to fold, load, and secure to the trailer. I haul it on a 5x8 ft flat bed snowmobile trailer. I store it folded up in my garage.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=39kDpNi94FI

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I applaud your tenacity and amazing patience. I hope you fly more than 70 minutes at a time to make the entire process worthwhile.

Why does spending 30 minutes at an airport require tenacity and patience?
Some folks spend a full week at an airport. (Airventure)

Have you looked into a foot launched powered hang glider?
This is what I fly, and I don't even need a trailer, just a pick-up truck with a ladder rack.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7sxOTXc-wi4

A powered paraglider is even easier to transport, though I can't say anything else about it as I don't have any experience with them, but the do seem to be popular.

Another viable option in the ultralight category is the Ridge Runner series of small, folding wing aircraft from the Rocky Mountain Wings, LLC group in Idaho headed up by Stace Schrader. These are Kit build aircraft designed for short take off / landing.... Wings can be folded & unfolded in minutes.... very strong/ hearty little sport planes. I just purchased a used Ridge Runner near the West Coast... and trailered it in the folded wing configuration clear from there to WNC on a small 16' utility trailer behind a Chevy trail boss pickup for approx. 2,000 miles at 65 to 70 mph with no problems whatsoever. Very tough little aircraft. I build several ultralights in the 1979 thru 1984 period... an Easy Riser and couple of Mitchell B-10 flying wings. Those were the early days of ultralight aviation pioneering... using every thing from McCoulagh 12.5 HP go cart engines to Honda Oddessy engines, to Zenoah snow mobile engines till finally the KFM folks came out with the 25 HP twin cylinder horizontally opposed engine with electric start & alternator. My Ridge Runner is equipped with the KFM 107er power plant which I grew to love and trust back then... looking forward to some great mountain flying in WNC.

Eagle Eye