The average person

[Buzz]

I am still, however, nagged by the notion that at least 20 hours of flight training for sport is a bit overkill if that's what I'll be flying.

You'll probably be able to comfortably and safely transition into an ultralight after you solo the Light Sport you are learning in. By the time you solo that aircraft, you'll know enough of the flying basics. The transition will have to be done carefully as an ultralight will not have the same feel because they are...well...so ultra-light. But you don't need to finish Sport Pilot training to transition into an ultralight.

The difference between your solo hours and the hours to finish a Sport Pilot license are the cost you'll need to spend to ever carry a passenger. That's the way to look at it. And the difference between the Sport and Private is the cost, essentially, to carry 2 more passengers for most Private pilots.

So my suggestion is to sit down and seriously define what "flying" means to you. If you envision flying across the state with your significant other, you'll need at least a Light Sport.

If it's going out to airport on nice Friday night and flying around the local area alone and practicing some landings as a way of relaxing and unwinding, then you can do that in an ultralight.

Once you define it generally, there will be more detailed choices you'll make. If you like sailboarding and motorcycle riding, camping and being near nature, you'd probably be more into an open ultralight design than the enclosed cockpit of some ultralight designs. Just as people are enthralled with the concept of building something while others want to just "buy and fly".

40 year ago I both got my Private license and learned to hang glide at 17. I discovered that hang gliding was more my concept of "flying" than carrying 3 people around in a 172. Consequently, 40 years later I have 10x more logbook time in ultralights than I do in things with N-numbers. I've continued to fly things with N-numbers. I've owned or been part owner in a bunch of Cessna's and Pipers. But if I had to choose one type of flying for the other and they both cost the same, I'd personally give up flying Cessnas before giving up flying ultralights. That's probably because my concept of flying IS going out on a nice Friday night and just enjoying being up in the air and motoring around to relax. I enjoy doing that type of flying in an ultralight more than in anything else.

"Flying" is a word with a lot of different variations. Once you determine what YOUR definition of "flying" is for you, you may be surprised about how affordable it is. Flying is unaffordable when people spend money getting licenses they never use a lot and buying planes they never fly a lot.

The EAA forums are the right place to ask for some input on questions like yours.

Hope the thoughts help.

-Buzz