Any microlight pilots here? Or PPL owners?
Discussion
Had the idea of taking the GF to do some microlight flying, with more lessons if she enjoyed it. It certainly seems far cheaper than a PPL, with 25 hours airtime being the minimum, compared with 45 for PPL (although both figures would be exceeded in practise if you did go for your license). And at £80-something an hour too, which is a fair bit cheaper than the traditional light aircraft route.
By the looks of it, microlights these days can outperform many small light and training aircraft, and can be aesthetically stunning too, not those old flying lawnmowers people tend to associate with microlights (although the weight shift flex wings look like good fun!).
Heres a modern fixed wing microlight, the VM 1 Esqual
Cruising speed (at 75% power) 160mph!
VNE 200 mph
Stalls at an incredibly low 38mph
Roll rate (45/45º) 2 sec
Take off run 15 m obstacle clearance 138 m
Landing distance 15 m obstacle clearance 200 m
I believe (not sure) the classification of a microlight is 450kg all up load tops, and a stall speed of under 40 knots or so?
Anyhooo, there must be a few microlight pilots on PH, but who are you?
Anyone else tempted to have a go?
By the looks of it, microlights these days can outperform many small light and training aircraft, and can be aesthetically stunning too, not those old flying lawnmowers people tend to associate with microlights (although the weight shift flex wings look like good fun!).
Heres a modern fixed wing microlight, the VM 1 Esqual
Cruising speed (at 75% power) 160mph!
VNE 200 mph
Stalls at an incredibly low 38mph
Roll rate (45/45º) 2 sec
Take off run 15 m obstacle clearance 138 m
Landing distance 15 m obstacle clearance 200 m
I believe (not sure) the classification of a microlight is 450kg all up load tops, and a stall speed of under 40 knots or so?
Anyhooo, there must be a few microlight pilots on PH, but who are you?
Anyone else tempted to have a go?
am a student nppl(m) (3-axis).
great fun, not exactly cheap as hobbies go, but certainly cheaper than group a licence.
head over to http://www.microlightforum.com/ for advice/training blogs etc
plent of decent microlights about, starting at 3k upwards. check out www.afors.com
a lot of schools use ikarus c42, cracking craft to fly:
great fun, not exactly cheap as hobbies go, but certainly cheaper than group a licence.
head over to http://www.microlightforum.com/ for advice/training blogs etc
plent of decent microlights about, starting at 3k upwards. check out www.afors.com
a lot of schools use ikarus c42, cracking craft to fly:
vandereydt said:
do you need to do a medical check for the NPPL in the UK ?
would foreigners (Belgians for instance) be allowed to obtain a NPPL licence in the UK ?
see ya
The NPPL medical uses the same standards as the DVLA Fitness to Drive. If you meet the Group 1 standards to drive a private car, you can fly solo. If you meet the slightly more stringent Group 2 standards (for driving a bus or lorry), you can also carry passengers. Basically if you can drive, you can fly.would foreigners (Belgians for instance) be allowed to obtain a NPPL licence in the UK ?
see ya
The actual process isn't onerous either. Unlike the normal aviation medicals, you don't need a specialist doctor to carry out tests. You simply sign a form declaring that there is nothing in your medical history that prevents you from meeting the Group 1/2 standards and have your GP counter-sign it.
AFAIK nationality isn't a barrier for any pilot licence. What you should note though is that as a national licence (it is below the normal international licences like PPL, CPL, etc), you can only exercise the privileges of the NPPL in the UK in a UK-registered aircraft. France and Ireland are supposed to recognise it in certain circumstances but it's best to assume that it is limited to flying in the UK.
http://www.nationalprivatepilotslicence.co.uk/inde...
The European Aviation Safety Agency is supposed to be introducing the Light Aircraft Pilot Licence in a few years - similar privileges but valid throughout Europe. Unfortunately the medical side may be more onerous than the NPPL.
mrtomsv said:
That's a hell of a lot of performance for someone with as little as 25hrs...
25 hours is the minimum.there are also 5 exams, 2 cross country solos and a general skills test to do. 25 hours can be done but rule of thumb is budget an extra hour for every year older than 18. but yes microlights have come a long way and there are a few hot ships around now, but they are not cheap, more modest budgets ~10k will get you more like 75kts cruise
jjones said:
am a student nppl(m) (3-axis).
great fun, not exactly cheap as hobbies go, but certainly cheaper than group a licence.
head over to http://www.microlightforum.com/ for advice/training blogs etc
plent of decent microlights about, starting at 3k upwards. check out www.afors.com
a lot of schools use ikarus c42, cracking craft to fly:
Thanks for the links, that's brilliant. Will have a look, cheers!great fun, not exactly cheap as hobbies go, but certainly cheaper than group a licence.
head over to http://www.microlightforum.com/ for advice/training blogs etc
plent of decent microlights about, starting at 3k upwards. check out www.afors.com
a lot of schools use ikarus c42, cracking craft to fly:
We took a piper warrior for a spin this weekend just passed, and whilst it was a fantastic experience (and seats 4!) a ppl would likely work out at an absolute minimum of £20k for two licenses, probably a lot more, so the microlight route is definitely the way to go at the moment.
I had never looked into the C42 until you mentioned it, and... It sounds great! I have potentially fou d a school which teaches in this (as I've flown shadows, and was never keen on the (look of!) the thruster, but so many schools dont own a vm1 esqual or jabiru... So your c42 recommendation was very well received, cheers!!
How far through are you with your training? We hope to start this saturday and finish next summer, which will probably add to the cost due to spacing the lessons out so much.
Had an hour in a P&M CT last night, what an amazing bit of kit!!! 100 knots @ 9.7 litres an hour! Was playing with the stall and I reckon it was about 35mph with full flaps. Never have I flown
an aeroplane with such a wide speed range, 115 knot cruise is easy although it burns a bit more fuel... Very light in pitch although slightly heavy in roll (compared to a Pup which is considered excellent all round)
Slippery little beast to slow down though, you gotta stay ahead of it! Not bad for a microlight!!!!
an aeroplane with such a wide speed range, 115 knot cruise is easy although it burns a bit more fuel... Very light in pitch although slightly heavy in roll (compared to a Pup which is considered excellent all round)
Slippery little beast to slow down though, you gotta stay ahead of it! Not bad for a microlight!!!!
Mobsta said:
How far through are you with your training? We hope to start this saturday and finish next summer, which will probably add to the cost due to spacing the lessons out so much.
the c42 are cracking, comfortable, stable, ecomnomic to run (expensive to buy though! look up sky ranger for cheaper purchase price). shadows are nice craft but they are a little odd looking! i am training on a thruster t600n, reasoning being i cannot afford to fly a c42 once i get my licence, well i could but would mean being in a share syndicate with about 10 members. the thruster looks a bit meh, but they are very strong and able machines with similar characteristics to the c42.i have 12 hours, started this year, but holiday commitment of both myself and instructor and weather have slowed things down, although i am in no rush - learning is great fun.
remember that 25 is the minimum, and there is a lot to learn! i think the average is 25 hours + 1 extra hour for each year you are over the age of 18.
jjones said:
the c42 are cracking, comfortable, stable, ecomnomic to run (expensive to buy though! look up sky ranger for cheaper purchase price). shadows are nice craft but they are a little odd looking! i am training on a thruster t600n, reasoning being i cannot afford to fly a c42 once i get my licence, well i could but would mean being in a share syndicate with about 10 members. the thruster looks a bit meh, but they are very strong and able machines with similar characteristics to the c42.
i have 12 hours, started this year, but holiday commitment of both myself and instructor and weather have slowed things down, although i am in no rush - learning is great fun.
remember that 25 is the minimum, and there is a lot to learn! i think the average is 25 hours + 1 extra hour for each year you are over the age of 18.
I remember the CT. Im sure I read about it and saw one in the flesh 7 years ago, maybe a bit more. Great craft, and from what little I read, I seem to remember the material used to build it made it expensive which put a few potential buyers off.i have 12 hours, started this year, but holiday commitment of both myself and instructor and weather have slowed things down, although i am in no rush - learning is great fun.
remember that 25 is the minimum, and there is a lot to learn! i think the average is 25 hours + 1 extra hour for each year you are over the age of 18.
Really nice looking craft, too!
The shadow is rather odd looking isnt it.
The thruster fares no better in the aesthetics department either!
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