In your opinion

[Guest Redair]

Yep, you've guessed it.... another question. Now this one is a little more open for ideas, but what I would like to know is, of the most common ultralights to be found on the second-hand market, are there any that would come highly recommended or to best be avoided?

 

Now I'm not after people getting themselves into legal strife for sl*gging off any aircraft or company, but I would like to know about any common problems associated with any particular aircraft, that you might know about. To make it a little easier, I should point out that I amthinking more along the lines of the basic, 2 seat, high-wing, easy for beginners type of aircraftand not the high powered/high performance types, (my budget won't go that far!).

 

Thanks, Redair.

 

 

[Guest StingGuy]

Howdy Redair,

 

Man have you opened a can or worms with this question! My prediction is that you are about to be confused... and amused... by the responses to your query.

 

I believe that everyone has a specific criteria list for the aircraft that is best for them... budget, performance, weight carrying ability, range... is it sexy or not?!...

 

No one can tell you what aircraft is right for you. Once you have your list of specifics desired, the list of options will narrow and the right choice will become more obvious.

 

I'd suggest that you talk to others with the perspective that they will all have an opinion based on THEIR criteria list... and that many of us are fiercely loyal to the marque we have chosen.

 

Listen to others but remember the old saying... never take advice from someone unless YOU share THEIR values.

 

Get your values clear in your mind, then go shopping... Good Luck

 

Gary Glenn

 

 

[Admin]

Hi Redair

 

I think one of the important things that you have said will need your thought on a bit more

 

easy for beginners type of aircraftand not the high powered/high performance types' date=' (my budget won't go that far!).[/quote']There is only one thing that can be guaranteed and that it will be your first aircraft, after that everything else is uncertain. Remember you will not always be a beginner and want an aircraft because it is easy to learn in. I have a Gazelle which Gary above knows well and it has sentimental value and that it IS an easy aircraft to fly especially to land, but I also (well almost) have a CTsw which is high performance etc. It took 12 hours to fly the Gazelle from Tyabb in Melb to Port Macquarie where the CT will do it in 5 and with many hours over boring country side can very quickly change your mind.

In my opinion it may help if you made a list in priority of the things you want asking yourself WHY you want that:

 

Budget: eg $40k

 

Seats: eg 2 (to take the wife)

 

Wings: eg High (for visibility when cruising on a nice general trip)

 

Trips: eg Average distance 250 miles and want to take 2 hrs to do it

 

Altitude: eg generally around 2,000ft

 

My Maintenance ability: eg I can just change the oil

 

etc etc etc

 

The important thing is create your list and then go out and find an aircraft (even with the help of these forums) that is as close a match to your list as possible and don't change your list unless you have a darn good reason for doing it - as they say in Project Management:

 

Fail To Plan...Plan To Fail

 

Hope this helps and always ask questions here to get more information on creating your list like "What are the pros and cons of High Wing versus Low Wing?"

[lambadaman]

I have to agree with Gary,you must look at your budget, needs and desires. Then look at what is available in your price range. It would help to take lessons in aircraft of the type you 'THINK' you would be happy with. Unfortunately it is not an easy decision to make and the best advice I can give is to start flying. I'msure that even if your first few lessons are in a variety of aircraft types, you will be better for the experiance, and it may make your decisions regarding what type of aircraft you get your license in, and what type you then buy, a lot clearer and easier.

 

Happy Hunting ( Flying )

 

 

[Guest Juliette Lima]

Hi Redair,

 

You've received a lot of feedback in other forums from very experienced contributors about aircraft relative to your strip size etc., as well as some very practical advice above....the best being 'go flying' then evaluate.

 

Apart from budget, one further consideration for you MIGHTwell be age.....youngies learn fairly quickly and have better reaction time than some of us sixty somethings approaching retirement (MOI)....A mate said to me the other day,"I've got a 120 knot aircraft and an 80 knot reaction capability , so I'm backtracking a little....I enjoy the scenery anyway"

 

Apologies if you are still on the ascendency side of the reaction time curve.

 

JL

 

Juliette Lima

 

 

[Guest pelorus32]

Hi Redair,

 

Lots of good advice here so far. I'm one of those people who loves to collect info and plan ahead on the basis of that. I suspect that you may be the same, based on your posts.

 

Be that as it may I would encourage you to "go and get.....flying!".:star:

 

The reason I say that is that I am in the midst of the same process of learning to fly, talking to people, thinking, assimilating. One thing I can tell you for sure is that until you are in the seat and learning all sorts of important stuff - about a/c, about flying them, about you and how you interact with a/c - then you will find it hard to get really good answers to your questions.

 

This forum is great place to get answers, so is the cockpit of an a/c with an experienced instructor next to you - you get time to chat and you learn all sorts of stuff. Being on the ground around a community of pilots also helps. For instance one recent weekend Gary (Stingguy) and I had a great conversation about his journey into aviation and about why he likes the aircraft that he owns. I learned a lot and put a lot of stuff into the fermenter to stew away. Then last weekend I had an interesting conversation with another instructor about a particular feature of another aircraft and its implications for flying in Australian conditions - more stuff to go into the fermenter that passes for my brain. On another day a forum member here was kind enough to spend time with me talking about his aircraft and to take me for a fly in it - again great kindness and further food for thought.

 

You'll make a great choice about aircraft at some point in the future. This will be as a result of discussions here, discussions in the air, discussions on some airfield somewhere and your journey of learning how to fly. In the meantime I think that you have to take the opportunity to fly other peoples' a/c (learning to fly) and see what you think!

 

Best wishes

 

Mike

 

 

[Admin]

I have been askedso many times, in reference to this site,"whydo you do it?" and I just have tosay to that is boy I get a huge kick out of seeing the type of posts that I am seeing above.

 

This is what this site is all about - to you guys a huge

 

 

[Guest Redair]

WOW! thanks for all that... I am trying to get sorted with training as I type. Not having much luck close to home though, so it looks like I'm going to have to travel.

 

I wasn't really after anyone telling me what aircraft to buy.... that would be a bit like the old "How long is a piece of string" question, but was more looking for any known faults/issues with the particularstyle of ultralight I'm looking at. Too many black marks against one or other aircraft would mean that I could then reduce the size of my list. At the moment, there are just too many that catch my eye, but then I don't think that's a good enough reason to buy one of them! As for budget, well that's undecided at the moment, which I know is not a good thing, but if needs be, then I would rather go a little longer without a plane and save up some more dosh to get what I want, (if only I knew what that was!). I can understand that people may well be very loyal to their particular model/brand of aircraft, but figured that as most of the replies I've had so far have been very helpful, the opinions regarding this questionwill be objective and balanced.

 

Thanks again, andI am trying to help myself too, I just think that little snips of info on here are all going into the mixer to help me come to a decision... and finally get me off your backs!!!!

 

Redair.

 

PS. JL... as for my age, well lets just say I'm teetering on the edge at the moment trying to hold off the downward slope for as long as possible!

 

 

[Guest Juliette Lima]

Hi Redair,

 

Aah....I've guessed it ,you are a tad over 50!!!

 

I know what you are asking about, are there any 'dogs' to look out for in ultralights??

 

Iwent down the same path as you a few years back after flying gliders for a number of years....Itravelled to airfields all over Austarlia, investigated, had flights in, and love affairs with,.... the Bantam, Drifter,Fisher MK1,X-air, Thruster (tailwheel and nosewheel versions), Gazelle, Foxbat, Skyranger, Rans S12, Allegro, and Karatoo.

 

Drooled over, but did not fly the CT.

 

I kept files on them, studied their specs., spoke to owners, put deposits on most of them, and eventually bought three (not simultaneously).

 

All of the above, with the exception of the Allegro and the delightful Foxbat, are within your hinted budget, and of the type you are (thus far) inclined toward.

 

ALL ARE SOUND ,SAFE, PROVEN MACHINES.

 

All have their nice features and their drawbacks...including the newer ones. Days after ordering my latest and probably last beautiful machine, I felt I should have gone a little extra and ordered xxxxxx orshould it have beenyyyyyy??

 

Thankfully, every time I open the hangar doors, I fall in love again.

 

Of the above, there arenone to avoid.......to answer your original question...... just fly, feel, ask, and hope.

 

Stay sane

 

JL Juliette Lima

 

 

[mlpinaus]

Somewere in that budget there needs to be consideration of the

 

ongoings. Hangar space rental, insurance for your pride and joy, who

 

does the 25 hourly s. It goes on.

 

Marcus

 

 

[Guest Redair]

Hi Redair, Aah....I've guessed it ,you are a tad over 50!!!

Hold on there a moment!!!! OVER 50? I think I need to re-evaluate my current position on the hill!! Looks like a need an ccurate GPS so I can quote my position exactly. Maybe I've not reached the top after all, and to think that the ground proximity warning didn't go off, that could have been dangerous. Let's see if I reach it in another 10 years.

 

Redair.

[Guest Redair]

Somewere in that budget there needs to be consideration of the ongoings. Hangar space rental, insurance for your pride and joy, who

 

does the 25 hourly s. It goes on.

 

Marcus

Yep, most of that has been thought of. Hangarage will be at home, (VERY big shed) subject to a trailerable aircraft, insurance should be within my means, and as for servicing, most of that should be within my abilities as a qualified mechanic, (not aero). I have been looking at doing this for a long time, and am now finacially in a position to do so. The one thing I didn't want to do was to start down the road if I wasn't going to have enough money to keep going... but a Lotto win would always be welcome!

 

Redair.