Ultralight classificaton

[solomon]

hi everyone,

 

I'm building an ultralight plane from scratch and I’ve installed two motors and thinking of putting a third one on all under one throttle. The plane so far weighs 89kg empty and by the time I’m done it will be around 126kg empty with a gross take-off weight of about 191kg. It's now also got an 8m wingspan. Does anyone know what category it can be registered under hopefully one that doesn’t require a sports pilot licence and allows multi engine?? Please if you have any information I’ll be more than happy to listen

 

Thank you

 

Solomon

 

Old image below:

 

 

 

[David Isaac]

Hi Solomon,

 

The only category that allows more than one engine in the Recreational Aviation category is CAO 95-10.

 

95-10 has a max take off weight (MTOW) limitation of 300Kgs, is limited to single seat and has a maximum wing loading requirement (that I cannot remember off the top of my head) which ultimately determines stall and cruise speeds.

 

Most of us regard 95-10 as the ultimate experimental category as long as you stick to the basic rules as stated above and in the CAO. If you had the money you could put a full 'suck, squeeze, bang, blow' turbine or several if you can stay below 300Kgs MTOW.

 

 

[Guest ozzie]

Use seperate throttles for each engine. no engines run exactly the same. if one starts to play up you may need to reduce the power on that one to keep it running while leaving the other two at max. also you will find that when reducing power for cruise etc there will be some throttle split due to differences to the tune of the engines. if you had one throttle only you may find some assymetric difference due to the different rpm of each engine with may give you some trim problems.

 

engine failure: remember 'dead leg, dead engine' don't close the wrong throttle.

 

 

[solomon]

Ok thanks ozzie I will. I originally had two separate throttles, but someone told me if you want to register a twin engine you have to have them under one throttle so they’re counted as a single engine aircraft. But I know now it's totally not the solution in that case, twin throttle would also help me make tighter turns when taxing on ground.

 

 

[solomon]

Hi Solomon,The only category that allows more than one engine in the Recreational Aviation category is CAO 95-10.

95-10 has a max take off weight (MTOW) limitation of 300Kgs, is limited to single seat and has a maximum wing loading requirement (that I cannot remember off the top of my head) which ultimately determines stall and cruise speeds.

 

Most of us regard 95-10 as the ultimate experimental category as long as you stick to the basic rules as stated above and in the CAO. If you had the money you could put a full 'suck, squeeze, bang, blow' turbine or several if you can stay below 300Kgs MTOW.

Thanks David that was very helpful, I’m sure I can stay within the regulation no problem, just hoping you wouldn't need a sports pilot licence to fly them.

 

 

[David Isaac]

..... but someone told me if you want to register a twin engine you have to have them under one throttle so they’re counted as a single engine aircraft. ....

Not the case Solomon, you would be surprised how many do not know you can have multi engined 95-10 ultralights.

 

 

[David Isaac]

Thanks David that was very helpful, I’m sure I can stay within the regulation no problem, just hoping you wouldn't need a sports pilot licence to fly them.

No worries buddy, all you need is an RAA Pilot Certificate to fly 95-10 registered aircraft regardless of the number of engines. However, you would need to be very careful in an unproven multi-engine configuration as to the effects of asymmetric control. I would suggest you need to get this thing test flown by someone else and be properly trained in engine out ops my friend, we don't want anything to happen to you do we .....

 

 

[solomon]

No worries buddy, all you need is an RAA Pilot Certificate to fly 95-10 registered aircraft regardless of the number of engines. However, you would need to be very careful in an unproven multi-engine configuration as to the effects of asymmetric control. I would suggest you need to get this thing test flown by someone else and be properly trained in engine out ops my friend, we don't want anything to happen to you do we .....

Would you need a full RAA Pilots Certificate or can I still be allowed to operate it with a RAA Student Pilot Certificate?

 

 

[David Isaac]

Would you need a full RAA Pilots Certificate or can I still be allowed to operate it with a RAA Student Pilot Certificate?

Solomon,

You would need a full pilots certificate to fly your aircraft unless there is a provision in our rules to allow you to fly a 95-10 aircraft solo under instruction supervision which is what we used to do in the 1980s before we had two seat training aircraft (we didn't even have recognised instructors then and you learned to fly them yourself).

 

However, again, I would suggest you need to have that aircraft tried and tested by experienced people before you fly it and because it is not an already approved design I would doubt any instructor would allow you solo in it under their supervision before you had your full Pilots Certificate. You would need to confirm that with Motz.

 

 

[solomon]

ok, thanks