Microlighting

Thanks for the tip Alastair. I have a lot of reading to do, then…

Kostas

Weightshift Trikes are governed by the BMAA which reports to the CAA . Have a look at

http://bmaa.org

Basically weightshifts come under your PPL class D – once you have this you can fly anywhere in Europe , do a Google for “East of Scotland Microlight Club” , they have an excellent website and will have all the answers for you .

trikes are not “ultralights”

Please correcet me where you think i’m wrong. I think I’m going to learn a lot from this…

3-axis ultralights have a set of regulations. I know that.

Weight-shift controled devices don’t have a set of regulations. Our local civil aviation authority at least doesn’t. If you know of a gvmnt organisation that has issued rules and regulations about them (trikes, motorised parapente, etc) please point me at their direction.

And if CAA has rules, what about the JAA in which the Greek authority also is a member of?

Our Air Club was faced with that issue very recently as we discussed the purchase of a trike. Legaly speaking they are illegal here for now. And we also wanted to check if the device to be purchaced was in complience to regulations. But we couldn’t find any set of regulations to begin with. And then there is also the insuranse issue 🙁

Any help will be greatly apreciated.

Thanks in advance.

Kostas
“…where is the stick?” 😀

Glad you enjoyed yourself Daz , Gordon runs a good club , good fun but obviously serious as hell when it comes to safety . When I started it in 1990 there were no facilities – just an old caravan , then they bought a bubble barn , now they have enough hangarage for 28 fully rigged micros . I haven’t been through in ages ( thanks to my kids taking up a lot of spare time !! ) I’ll drop you a mail one day and I can pick you up for a day out through there – I’m starting to get itchy feet now !!.

picking up from Mike’s comments…another thing is the 450kg rule. It would be very difficult/impossible to produce an aircraft capable of carrying three people plus its own weight and still be inside 450kg.

Originally posted by the_phixer
Trikes are not regulated by a set of rules yet AFAIK. If someone knows otherwise please, PLEASE say so! You see they are not 3-axis a/c but weight shift controled…

Kostas

But still subject to the regulations and that limits a microlight to two seats among other things

See, told you it was a red one.

Originally posted by the_phixer
Trikes are not regulated by a set of rules yet AFAIK…

Kostas

Don’t know about Greece but they are in the UK.

low fly-by

how low??

Some photos

They’re not the best quality – my mum’s no John Dibbs, but she did her best with a borrowed digital camera!!

That’s us just climbing out – I was in the red aircraft.

Originally posted by Shorty01

Now all you have to do is fuel your girlfriends passion for it.

Was it a three person one or did you go up one at a time ?

Well, all I can say is she DEFINITELY wanted to do it again!! 🙂

We went up in seperate aircraft, but at the same time, even doing some formation flying out over the Forth estuary, and even landing in formation (pity my mum and grandad missed it with the camcorder :()

I want to do weight-shift then three-axis eventually – money willing!! 😉

There are 3-seater microlights – I saw some in Russia at the MAKS show – Astra is the name and there are pics of them on the usual sites.

Hhmm, I’m sure i’ve seen a piccy of a three seater. Wasn’t necessarily British reg. The pilot sat at the front & he had two side by side seats slightly stepped up behind him. I remember thinking “Crikey, a three seater one of them”.

It was RED, what more information do you need ??

Trikes are not regulated by a set of rules yet AFAIK. If someone knows otherwise please, PLEASE say so! You see they are not 3-axis a/c but weight shift controled…

Kostas

I used to fly Tiger Moths (and other wonderful types) when I briefly worked for the Tiger Club in the late 80’s. Great fun but I prefered the Stampe and the Jungmann.

I don’t get to fly anything under 100 tonnes these days but when the kids are looking at getting into aviation I intend to get into 3 axis microlighting. Something like a Thruster would do me fine. The more complex my work aeroplane, the more basic I want my recreational one to be!

By the way, I think you’ll find that microlights are regulated into being a maximum of 2 seats.

I used to think my bum would need at least a B747 to get off the ground. I was happy to find out I lifted off with a small wing (or sail) over my head… 🙂

3 seater trike? never seen one :confused:

I’ve flown counter weight in Cessna 150, 152 etc… I’ve also flown as tail gunner in 172s but didn’t like it as much although i could move around and shoot pics freely.

I’ve also flown in B737s but they could have done without me 😀

I regret I didn’t fly with the Rapide over Duxford when I had the chance 🙁

Or the Tiger Moth… 🙁

Has any of you guys flown with either?

Kostas

Aye, anything to get your bum off the ground.

Now all you have to do is fuel your girlfriends passion for it.

Was it a three person one or did you go up one at a time ?

I did have someone tell me once that as I had only gone solo in I glider I could only “almost fly”. I did try explaining that the ground will still come up & smite thee whether you have an engine or not !!

I’ve flown trikes and yes it a great way to have fun. Simple as that. 🙂

I think I like doing the right hand seat balast in a Cessna better though 😀

Kostas

The object of being a recreational pilot is to enjoy your flying and to that end I am convinced that it does not really matter what you fly as long as you have fun doing it – and the flying:)