Ultralights anyone?

[Peanut1234]

Hey guys,

I've come onto a spark of interest for ultralights over the past few months, and once I have enough money, was considering of half buying a Quicksilver GT-500 with my friend. But I have heard about part 103 of the FAA, and I don't know what that is all about. The GT-500 is the two-seater, and you need some lisence to have two people in the ultralight at once. Can someone explain that to me?

Thanks,

Rhys

[beaky]

Check out the exemption for 2-seaters... in a nutshell, it says that a 2-seater is still under Part 103 as long as 2-person flights are for instruction only. Not sure how the owner/pilot gets "qualified and authorized"... but I'm sure the EAA or Quicksilver could answer that for you.

Sounds difficult to enforce, and it is... people give rides all the time in 2-seat ultralights. But it's not legal... and woe betide you if something happens that invites scrutiny by the FAA. So I guess any pax you take up in this plane must get a little stick time during the flight...



http://www.eaa.org/ultralights/regulations.html

[Brett_Henderson]

I haven't done much research on the Sport Pilot stuff.. let alone ultralights. I always think of ultralights along the lines of hang-gliders and those motorized lawn chairs with parachutes attached. It's daredevil stuff. If a person wants to throw caution (and their lives) to the wind flying out of (or into) someones farm, that's their business. And if someone wants to sit next to them, that's their business too.. so long as it's far away from conventional aviation.

Sport Pilot is the nasty grey area twixt the two. On that note.. I've heard that the Quicksilver and other, 2-seat ultra-lights can be N-numbered, issued airworthiness certificates and a Sport Pilot licensed flyer can then take on a passenger. I'm not 100% sure about that, so continue your research.

As much as I have villified Sport Piloting (only because the training minimums are so low)... common sense regulation of these 2-seat ultralights is a step in the right direction. Once N-numbered, they'll be subjected to inspections and hour-specific maintenance (for example, I believe these Rotax engines need to be torn down and inspected every 150 hours)... and a Sport Pilot license training is far better than just buying one of these things.. finding a field and taking off