Ultralight Definition

[shags_j]

Hi All,

 

Recently picked up some Trauma insurance and they wanted to charge me a heap more to fly "Ultralights" so I excluded it from my policy. Given I'm giving up my RAAus membership I didn't really care.

 

For 3 months I have been trying to get a response from them on what their definition of an ultralight is (could be anything smaller than a 737, who knows with Insurers) but no response so far.

 

Just wondering if anyone knows any official definitions in the meantime, cao's, regs, anything?

 

Cheers,

 

Shags

 

 

[Guest Crezzi]

Hi All,Recently picked up some Trauma insurance and they wanted to charge me a heap more to fly "Ultralights" so I excluded it from my policy. Given I'm giving up my RAAus membership I didn't really care.

 

For 3 months I have been trying to get a response from them on what their definition of an ultralight is (could be anything smaller than a 737, who knows with Insurers) but no response so far.

 

Just wondering if anyone knows any official definitions in the meantime, cao's, regs, anything?

 

Cheers,

 

Shags

Sorry that you are giving away RAAus Shags (I was about to PM you re flying again as my situation has recently changed).

 

Re your question - I've never seen a legal definition of "ultralight" (or "microlight" for that matter). However the title of CAO 95.55 includes the words "certain ultralight aeroplanes" so it could be argued that the specifications within are the definition.

 

On that basis you would be covered flying GA but definitely worth checking as I've seen many policies which don't cover any aviation other than scheduled passenger flights

 

Cheers

 

John

 

 

[shags_j]

Cheets John

 

 

[farri]

Just wondering if anyone knows any official definitions in the meantime, cao's, regs, anything?Shags

Hi Shags, This is what is on the Wikipedia site, on the Definition of Ultralight Aircraft.

 

Australia Recreational Aircraft[3] 2 600 kg; 614 kg for seaplane — — —Light Sport Aircraft[4] 2 600 kg; 650 kg for seaplane.

 

I`m only going from memory, but I recall the term Ultralight was officially replaced with, Recreational Aircraft, many years ago and I think (Not Sure) it was the AUF who changed the term.

 

Frank.

 

 

[kasper]

Hi Shags, This is what is on the Wikipedia site, on the Definition of Ultralight Aircraft.Australia Recreational Aircraft[3] 2 600 kg; 614 kg for seaplane — — —Light Sport Aircraft[4] 2 600 kg; 650 kg for seaplane.

 

I`m only going from memory, but I recall the term Ultralight was officially replaced with, Recreational Aircraft, many years ago and I think (Not Sure) it was the AUF who changed the term.

 

Frank.

quote from the explanatory statement to the current CAO95.10:

"The Order applies to low-momentum ultralight aeroplanes."

 

quote from the operative 95.10:

 

"1 Application

 

This Order applies to a low-momentum ultralight aeroplane in relation to which the following requirements are satisfied:"

 

so there you go anything regn 95.10 is definitely still an ultralight

 

95.32 for PPC and weightshift does not use ultralight so they are not ultralight

 

95.55 for operating the rest of RAA aircraft are aircraft or LSA so are not referred to as ultralight within the actual operative sections or even the explanatory so argueably are still not ultraights but are aircraft ... this one would be questionable but given the construction og 95.10 it would be a live argument.

 

so if an insurance company does not have a definition of ultralight in their policy then the only RAA aircraft that clearly remain as ultralights are the 95.10 registered ones with maybe the 95.55 but not the 95.32

 

 

[Snoopy]

CAO 95.10 are the only aircraft defined by CASA as ultralight. Single seat. 300kg MTOW. However they have less restrictions than other RAAus and LSA aircraft (eg. multiple engines are OK). For the true enthusiast, 95.10 offer the most opportunity to experiment.

 

As you can see by the other replies even many within the aviation community don't fully know the definition of an ultralight. I would definitely find out how your insurance company defines ultralight .

 

 

[SDQDI]

Yes at the end of the day it doesn't matter what is or isn't an ultralight, what matters is your insurance companies definition of an ultralight as that will be what is in the fine print.

 

You wouldn't want to find out after an incident in a c172 that the insurance company classed all sub 5700kg aircraft as ultralights and you weren't covered.

 

A simple email to them will give you their definition in writing so there can be no misunderstanding.

 

 

[shags_j]

So my broker phoned all the insurers who cover this and none of them had a definition of an ultralight even though they load for them (or exclude). So after much tooing and froing we got a response from my one (and remember this doesn't go for everyones so check with your own policy) but they said that MTOW of 480kg or less is an ultralight.

 

SDQDI: A simple email didn't do it. My broker has been showing me their emails and they are just back and forth without giving a definition. We had to escalate it right up to get the definition.

 

 

[kasper]

So my broker phoned all the insurers who cover this and none of them had a definition of an ultralight even though they load for them (or exclude). So after much tooing and froing we got a response from my one (and remember this doesn't go for everyones so check with your own policy) but they said that MTOW of 480kg or less is an ultralight.SDQDI: A simple email didn't do it. My broker has been showing me their emails and they are just back and forth without giving a definition. We had to escalate it right up to get the definition.

So I wonder what all the low end light weight single seat ga feel about that definition? Nice to know all those starlets on the GA register are really ultralights.