Most longtime readers know that I long to fly and own some sort of cool ultralight plane. I’ve covered personal helicopters and flying cars and everything in between, but today I found a video of an ultralight crash that definitely made me stop and think.
The weird thing is how there is no warning – the guy is happily flying and, then, BOOM. Result: broken back, broken pelvis, punctured lung, and so on.
[Read Reasons Not To Fly An Ultralight Plane]
During the late 1970s and early 1980s, many people around the world sought to be able to fly affordably. As a result, many aviation authorities decided to declare artificial definitions of lightweight, slow-flying aeroplanes that could be subject to “light touch” regulation. The definitions used are most commonly called “ultralight” or “microlight,” although the actual weight and speed limits are rarely the same between any two countries. The most widely used definition is that used across Europe, which is:
- A single or 2-seat aeroplane
- With a stalling speed not greater than 35 knots CAS (65 km/h)
- With an MTOW not greater than 450 kg for 2-seaters, or
- With an MTOW not greater than 300 kg for single seaters.
There is also an allowance of another 10% on MTOW for seaplanes and amphibians, and some countries (such as Germany and France) also allow another 5% for installation of a ballistic parachute. [Wikipedia]
[tags]realtechnews,alice hill,aviation,ultralight,flying car[/tags]