This is one of the best teaching videos I've seen yet. I watched your every move over and over. It reminds me of riding my Kawasaki Vulcan Vaquero 1700 or my Honda Shadow Aero 750. This is my next purchase next year. Thanks.
The helmet cam is great! It shows what a stationary camera cannot. My only thought would be to move your head slowly to help those who get dizzy easily.
The aerolite 103 and the Kolb firefly are my two favorite ultralight aircraft. The backyard flyer gets a close 3rd. As a GA pilot who can't keep a 3rd class medical, I'm all in on part 103 aircraft.
Darrin Graham To be able to preform all of the ability’s of a Private Pilot, you have to pass a 3rd class medical every 2years. If you can’t, the other options are Sport Pilot which limited you to an 1-2 place aircraft with max weight of 1320 lbs. all you need is that your still able to hold a drivers license. For ultralights or part 103, it’s all 1 place aircraft with a speed limitation of 55 knots, 5 gal of fuel and 254 lbs of weight. Other than that, no restrictions or registrations with the FAA or each state.
Mr. Wampler, if you fail a Class III medical or lose it for any reason, the Sport Pilot/Driver's License option is off the table. You are left with Part 103.
No one is saying that isn't true. What we are saying that if you are a Private Pilot (or better) and lost your medical for any reason other than just letting it expire (after 2006), you cannot fly Sport Pilot. You are down to 103 as your only option.
Grew up flying with my father this has been my dream machine aerolite 103 with the backcountry Wheels someday I will own it best airplane on the market
Nice camera work, despite the haters saying they got dizzy and it shakes...head cam worked well. I found myself looking out at as if I was flying it...my spot where to set the wheels on landing..etc...I'm not looking at the frame work which yes shakes but it shakes in life...so good POV video. As for someone saying wear more gear...I think they forget 10lbs of leather gear and more of this and that for safety, on a PART 103, a few pounds adds up very very fast. Fly with the gear YOU feel you need to feel safe. You're not setting world speed records and altitude records in one of these.
I fly a S-14 rans and am thinking of downsizing to this... I do advise you to train in a Challenger II with a good instructor like Tom Mullally in Le Mars Iowa at the airport. I did my sport pilot lic with him and then got the single seat pusher. Train as you will fly... Hard to find a instructor with a tandum ultralight for instruction
All I can say is WOW. Great video, appreciate the helmet cam to get a true pilot's perspective. Giving serious consideration in buying one of these. They have no elevator trim? Looks like you had to fly it the entire time as opposed to trimming in say a C172 and can be almost hands off cruise. Would you say this is accurate?
The Aerolite looks like it doesn't come with trim. Easy enough to add, though. This guy looks like he has to hold a lot of rudder, which is the only objectionable thing to me. I had the same issue when I bought my RANS. This can be a problem when building a bolt-together airplane with no jigs. I made a rudder trim tab, riveted to the rudder frame tube, and now it cruises at 85-90 mph with the rudder in trim. For a part 103 aircraft, most pilots aren't going to be trimming the aircraft anyway. Even in my RANS E-LSA, I don't often set the trim, except as a means of compensating for a passenger. When you only use the first 3000 ft of airspace, trimming is rather irrelevant.
What airspeed indicator are you using? How do you find it in slow flight or during take off and landings? Assuming the pitot tube is mounted to the left wing strut and the hose wrapped around it? How do you find the switch placement while using a helmet? Would the switches be better located further forward?
Nice flying! What year is your plane, and what engine make/model do you have? Would you recommend a different engine, or changes to the installation? How many hours do you have on current engine?
Nice video, but you really should consider mounting the headcam fixed and forward, with it on your helmet, the movement is kinda dizzying. You're looking around as you should be, but it doesn't make for good video.
Are those the standard instruments that come with the 103? Did you install custom lights, or can we get those from Aerolite? What radio and headset are you using? Any other custom mods on your 103?
@@shawnmccrary5526 1 gal. per hour? On a 2 stroke? that's pretty good, but that's draining the tank completely right? Or is the burn rate slower than 1 gal. / hour?
I find myself drawn to these little flying machines. On my third airplane now...built an RV8, loved it, then family grew. Sold it, bought a Cessna 180 Skywagon. A helluva plane, but like flying a truck. Wife hated it too. Ate gas and was older than me. So, traded it for a like-new Evektor Sportstar SLSA. Nice little airplane, but still have to take the damn thing apart every year for annual, do transponder cert, still yet to do ADSB, pilot BFR, etc etc. I'm sick of it! Part 103 is looking REALLY attractive to me. Still can pass a medical (although sport pilot/driver's license still works for me), but for how long? Get a denial and you're SCREWED.
Tv Tiger , It’s unfortunate the guy posting this video doesn’t take the time to answer questions. If this is a legal “ultralight”, then you would not need a license to fly it. It’s considered recreational flying and exempt from FAA rules and restrictions. Look up FAA Part 103 rules and regulations and check with a local EAA person. Best of luck to you.
I almost forgot to answer your first question. These ultralights are around $18,000 to $20,000. Older used UL’s can be found for about $4000 to $10,000 in reasonably decent condition.
Tv Tiger , for Aerolite 103, like the one in this video, no need for license. Only training. About pricing, it is between $22K - $30K for a brand new one. The more avionic instrument installed, and an engine with higher horse power and other bells and whistles, brings the price close to $30,000.
I couldn't watch the video because the camera was so jerky it hurt the eyes. Next time maybe watch your video before putting it out there for others to try and watch it. Love the ultralite.
Who taught this guy how to taxi? Way left of centerline. Supposed to keep the nosewheel on the yellow line, that's what it's for. I see this guy clipping a wing on another aircraft someday taxiing like that.
You really need to put that camera somewhere where your head is not (bob ) in your head around watching this makes you very damn dizzy be nice if you’d show landscape with the (bob ) in your head around
So, I see motorcycle safety in leather jacket, boots an gloves hasn't caught up to ultralights yet, flying off ground thousand ft not just height of bike seat! Is flying around in shouts an t-shirts wise? What, figure just going to die so I'll die in my favorite t-shirt!