Have we pushed it too far? - Sub70 - The future 

Great video and very interesting

I used to fly wobblers, & got fed up with my "instructor" & the B.S. I packed it in, & shortly thereafter the sub-70 came in. I felt I was too old to recommence, but still have the feeling...

Checking in! ❤️

Excellent video. I am actually more concerned about pushing the boundaries with the upper weight limit. In the days when the BMAA AGM was in Wolverhampton town hall, Microlights were promoted as flying for the masses, i.e. an inexpensive way to get airborne. I bought a Pegasus XL. Now with the weight increase from 390 to 450 and now 600kg a Microlight can cost way more than a family car. A 912 engine alone costs more than my XL did. Reliability = Safety! I hear shouted across the ether. True, dual ignition beats a 447 or 462 for reliability. But I no longer drive a Mark 1 Cortina. The Sub-70 engines are far more reliable and so would a modern engine for a 390kg Microlight. In the days when Microlight Flying magazine was called Flightline you would also receive an A5 booklet listing aviation accidents, the section on Microlights was disproportionally represented. The AAIB now publish these online split into several sections so it is harder to analyse by aircraft type. I venture to suggest that Sub-70 figure less than 600 kg proportional to the numbers of aircraft or flying hours in each category. Sorry, Giles, to use your Comments section to publish personal opinions. But you did pose the question...

You make that look way way to easy😉

Nice one - as you say the SUB70 has opened up so much. I love the journey I am on, silly grin on every flight.

Prior to sub 70, and regarding power units on flying machines, if you could foot launch it, you could fly it, with or without wheels. (From flat and level ground with less than 5mph wind). That’s how I understood the rules at the time. And I have still got that flying machine from 1997.

To be honest pilots have been able to fly all over the UK for decades without a pilots licence in either a Glider or Hang Glider. I do like the sub 70s, reminds me of riding a 125 cc scooter, easy, simple,and great fun.

Giles, for me you are one of the most positive contributors on the channel. Always makes me smile when I see how much you enjoy and the way you share with the audience. You got me back into flying after a long break. I think any form of flying is superb and people have to find the options that suit them best. Whilst I fly a regular 2 seater trike I think Sub 70 is a very positive development and many credits for that have to go to Aeros, Ben Ashman, and yourself for this progress.

Great video Giles. Good to see you haven't lost any love for your old flying faithful 👍🏻

Sub 70 is a great type of fun flying for those who don't want to spend the money of an NPPL and have no need for a heavier machine and also allows old gits like me to fly now I am no longer able to run fast enough to get a Doodle Bug off the ground.

Hi Giles. Thanks for this. Glad to see you haven't been totally over-awed by the Nine!! Cheers John

Fantastic Giles, it looked beautiful. 👍

Beautiful day and flight. Funny, I always like finishing the day with a greaser. 😊

Love it 👌

Welcome back to Glebe Farm indeed! Lovely to see the 'old' place!!

Good to see you Giles. Glad you have some flying weather! It’s 30*F here and the wind is blowing at 30mph.

Very good 👍

Another great video ! Thank you !

Good talking points… As for the chattering classes, whingers ignore them mate. Most are empty kettles which as we all know make the most noise irrespective of what they are “experts” in.

Thanks for the info Giles, you really highlight the sport.

Great vid, Giles... only bettered by that amazing landing!! 👌🏻

Giles, firstly thank you for making some excellent videos, I really enjoy watching them. Not sure what you have said that was wrong in the past about the rules, but I guess because you say you are a microlight instructor, people will see you as an authority on the subject. Always a challenge when you are simply trying to inform people about something you are clearly passionate about. Keep up the good work. Rgds Roy

You lucky man, not had the weather to fly for months!

You really enjoyed that flight didn't you! Your enthusiasm for this daft sport is infectious. Its your fault I'm now flying flexwing too! Interesting points on the exemption, I'm looking forward to see what the CAA do with it. Maybe removal of fuel from the weight limit?

G-day mate Unfortunately there was a fatality here in Australia last year. Pilot left his helmet loose somewhere on the trike and it flew into the prop and the prop flew into the wing.

Welcome back Giles. 🙂

A Yank who flew HG for years, then sailplanes, then SEL (power), that looks like fun. There just is something about an aeroelastic wing. Thanks!

it really doesn't matter what type of licence a pilot holds some will abuse it that's never ever going to change , the add on of wheels has created an whole host of keyboard warriors sadly there never going to change , i was always led to believe that there was a large number already using wheels and folks were being granted the use of wheels with doctors letters sent in to the CAA. The BMAA were really not keen on the idea at all being totally honest . its a real shame they did not allow your sub70 flying hrs to contribute towards your nppl they should actually give you a free life time membership ticket for all the promotion you've given them . the simple addition of wheels to the sub70kg exemption has opened up the sky to a lot of pilots but sadly also an whole bunch of moaning from some of the BMAA members and lets face it there records on safety aint too great they really have nothing to shout about. its great to see the sub70kg from the 80s affordable flying for average joe blogs although saying this new sub70 machines are getting very very expensive . joe bloggs 🙂.

Giles, interesting to learn a little about UK regs. of course totally different over here. and there is that unattainable (for us) skyecho again! I was going to ask about your chin curtain and helmet but I see you have provided that info. I'm using Lynx headsets and helmet and recently replacing an aging Lynx radio interface with a newer version that is powered off my trike (I mean flexwing). I heard you mention motorbikes my other passion. currently I have an '18 DR650 which I believe is not available in many markets now due to emissions/ABS requirements and a '13 vstrom 650. that DR650 is basically unchanged since 1996! cheers. enjoying your videos. that UK landscape looks pretty exotic from my california eastern sierra. I'd share a photo but I don't an option in comments.

the sub 70 in Australia is a new for me! 🤯there are mire rumors about world wide rules than real info! the Easa has a sub70 class but no country made that legal besides the UK! all the rest is hearsay! and that us frustrating bcs we could just fly in a country that has such a coass, but i cna,t find the info! !

It seems incredibly easy to offend & upset people these days. You only need to hold a slightly different opinion from theirs 🤦🏻‍♂️ Great to see you flying & pumping out more great content 😊👍🏼

Good discussion point video Giles. There is a group on Facebook you're aware of, that gets very fractious (unnecessarily so in my view) around all things related to the 'rules'. It would be nice if the CAA simplify the sub 70 exemption to match the Aussie version (excluding fuel). That said, I'm very grateful for what we do have, as thinking an NPPL(M) was beyond my reach, I went with the PB, got into the training and now I'm only 5 solo hours shy of taking the GST, with all the exams in the bag. Without the PB, I doubt I would have pursued it this far tbh? Looking forward to seeing more of your SW area content and some NiNE action in the coming months.

Hey Giles. Don't worry much about definitions. What's not defined can be anything you want it to be. I personally feel we have too many laws and regulations in the US. It's what happens when you elect lawyers for public office. LOL! Your sub70 weight - is that stripped down dry weight?

Hi Gilles, what's your view about wheels retract vs speed and safety on a sub70 trike? Most manufacturers, Airborne AU, Northwings US, argue that the impact is negligible vs complexity and mechanical failure risk.

Hello greetings from Mexico! What elevation do you take off at? How many meters do you need to take off without wind?

❤John 3,16 ❤

Very informative Giles. Thanks. Do you know if Ben at Flylight has any intention of building a two-seater SSDR?

don,t forget the 20 knots stall soeed! bcs thta is hard to achieve with a 3 axis....i have the hang on that akready since last year...and it,s axtualky easy to build a biplane, triplane and parasols with 60 kilos inkl 5 gallons on fuel...one just needs to kearn to calcukate the design not just bolt a chair under a hang glider...and a lighter engine... i.m on the dontinent and after a a cancelled waiting list and a useless medical for a lot of money i.m just pissed about Easa and EU...so enjoy your rights! don,truin what you have!

with a sub 70 craft what is the max pilot weight please?

Hi Giles, Would you be so kind as to put up your checklists? Thanks.

Giles, I have always enjoyed your videos I am one of the people who has been or was watching very closely the 'Progression' of Sub 70 with a very Cynical mindset I totally agree that progression is happening in every facet of Aviation but I do think the Sub70 clique are 'Cherrypicking' the bits they like & disregarding the bits that don't suit them 🤠 Personally, I feel that with all the progression being afforded to Sub70 that it is time that anything resembling a Microlight should have parity with their bigger brothers & carry a registration 🤨 I will back up that by saying that in the progression of Sub70 SPHG they are now very closely identical to the early Flexwing models that do carry registrations & so I feel maybe it is time for registry of Sub70 to be implemented by the CAA ? ( I know it goes against the grain of what the original Sub70 category was, but times have changed with the progression ) I mainly operate in the General Aviation cliques & there are bits that have for many years gone against the grain,but it just has to be accepted if you want to be part of GA🤐 I think the same should be accepted in Sub70 cliques if they want to have unhindered progression for the benefit of all involved 🤔 I am 100% in support of anything that can progress Sub70 but sometimes something has to give to enable progression & registry might be a step in the right direction to getting more credibility in Aviation circles. It has been proven that Licencing isn't needed, but registry is something that I believe is now needed as the progression is seeing more Sub70's using licenced airstrips where RT is used & a callsign is normal protocol for identity purposes. (Now donning my Pith Helmet & Flak Jacket 🤣)