Maiden Flight of the Skyhopper Ultralight (Nov 28, 2015) 

next time you see Ray Jeske at the Liar's Table, tell him Mark in MS said "hello !"

These fly over my house all the time. We call them "flying lawnmowers" because of the sound they make. Watching you start yours I'm amazed to see that's essentially accurate. Really incredible engineering. So simple, so functional. Thanks for the video!

Thanks for the vicarious memories, Mr. Scott! My brother had a Weedhopper back in the early '80's and I was privileged to fly it a couple of times. Would love to find one in restorable condition. Absolutely nothing compares to being P.I.C. of one of these magnificent flying machines! Thanks for sharing ... God Bless

I have been watching you people flying,,, with a great amount longing to get back in the air. I had my ticket with about 300 hours and then had to give up flying...Just too many other expenses. Did have my floats, skies, wheels some instrument time before I had to give it up. I have been thinking of going the Ultralight route but because of age I have sort of decided to take some time and give that plan some thought. Here is a bit of advice from a senior citizen...don't get old..especially if you are a pilot. I plan to continue to watch you people with envy A Friend of mine took me flying last summer. and asked if I would like to try my hand. I haven't touched a stick in over 20 years but he promised to stick pretty close to look after my mistakes. As it turned out the straight and level came back pretty well, then he suggested I try a landing. I must have been smiled on by the Gods of the air. I was lucky enough to grease it on there was no doubt I was the most surprised pilot of the two that were in the plane. Nice to land on floats again.Wishing you calm winds and blue skies... Fly safe....

Well done! Smooth take off and landing. Very impressive

That was cool and that sky with rays of sunshine, was beautiful

Wow I found that so exciting. Made me remember my first flight on a new machine. I did not build mine though. Thank you for a great video.

I met John Chotia back when he was first getting started producing the Weedhopper in Ogden Utah. It's amazing that his design still flys, when so many early ultralights have come and gone. It's a testament to his simple, sturdy and no nonsense design.

Very cool ultralight. Wouldn't mind seeing this modeled into Flight Simulator 2020, along with the instrumentation. Wish I still had my design software. Thanks for sharing this.

Awesome flight! Thumbs up! Greetings from Douglas, Arizona...

great ride. enjoyed going along on this trip.

Thanks for the video. Quite an accomplishment and a great addition to the Ultralight community of flyers. Please consider taking your new craft to Oshkosh 2016.

Nice plane, great vid. "Clear Prop!"

Bonheur pour moi ce matin en regardant cette vidéo, je reviens 30 ans en arrière quand je volais sur mon JC 31D biplace 2 axes tiré par son Rotax 532 surpuissant. Cela donnera du soleil à ma journée, merci. Happiness for me this morning watching this video, I go back 30 years when I was flying on my JC 31D 2-axis two-seater pulled by its powerful Rotax 532. It will bring sunshine to my day, thank you.

Beautiful. Nicely done! Just purchased my plans yesterday. Hopefully in the air by fall.

great build, could you imagine going back 100 years and bringing this to the wright brothers and see there reaction lol

I built a Weedhopper "A" model in my garage, serial #486. Had the Chotia 460 direct drive 2 stroke back in 1980. Flew it till I wore it out. Had three different engines in it's lifetime. Las engine was a 430 Cuyuna with a 2-1 reduction. Loved that thing. Wish I still had it.

Very glad I caught this video. Greatly inspiring. I admire your ground supportas as well!...Accept my belated congratulations! Aspiring Pilot, Doug

Beauty. I'm ready for an ultralight. Every time I fly something lighter I have more fun than before.

Simply and absolutely superb... thanks so very much for sharing...!! Good luck.. !!

Thank you for sharing your knowledge! Great plane ! Greetings from South Brazil !

THAT, , WAS BEAUTIFUL!!! ! ! ! ! Although one should have some form of license to fly ???WHATEVER???, sometimes ya just gotta say ''WTF''! ! ! I'd love to build & fly some kind of version of this. That view from the altitude you were at sealed it for me. THANK YOU, SIR.

Had an old one a friend and I got as a Basket Case, we had to rebuild. Ran a 440 Kawasaki and floats on it for a while. Then put a Kohler twin two cycle on it,, both mounted on top of the tube. The Kohler twin was so smooth and quiet, you could stand next to it while idling and still talk normally. One flip of the prop, and it started. Wish I had kept that thing.

Awesome! Well filmed and edited too

Many many hrs. In weed hoppers,I love them, had a single ,I bought it as a basket case with a chorea engine and a brand new Kiwsackie( forgive spelling) 340 no red rive, had to make one, put it together and had a ball learning to fly in it,had a lot of mentoring from club members. Then tragedy struck, my sweet wife said "I want to learn to fly,and I want my own plane, one that when people see it they will know it is me" solo I built her a two seater weed hopper (HOT PINK) 503 duel carb duel ineg and taught her to fly it and the woman put over500 hrs.on it but her new husband didn't like it so I'm sure she gave it away, she and him bought Rans S6 kit, that is 20 years ago, it's still in peaches. Weed hoppers are the most fun U can have with ur clothes on. Everybody should build one.

My grandfather was an aviator and aircraft builder. I grew up around aircraft and eventually became an aircraft maintenance engineer... etc. One thing I learned was in experimental aircraft, especially the real basic ones, is never fly higher or faster than you're willing to crash and harm yourself. Good advice... common sense stuff.

Very nice man I think you did an outstanding job your an inspiration to myself thanks for a great video

This is like my favorite plane from "The Magnificent Men and their Flying Machines" the Frechmens'

great stuff takes me back, Weedhopper DNA that's a REAL Ultralight! But nice build with solid double-surface wing good motor etc, wish I had one...!

WOW..... first flights are scary at best. it SHOULD work, but will it. Now the fun starts having the First behind you. Please post more................

Looks like loads of fun... So cool... Now I want one too...

Здравствуйте дорогие любители полетать, очень красиво, сразу видно что человек в звене природы, и все время стремится взлететь , я сибе иногда задаю вопрос, раз ми так стремимся к небу, значит когда-то наши предки умели летать, как бы там ни было, молодцы ребята, я за вас рад, желаю всем вам здоровья и кавказского долголетия.🙌 жму руку двумя руками, Черкесс с Кавказа.

Beautiful! Reminds me somewhat of My Lazair II I used to have. Be safe!

Awesome flight !

Outstanding! Well done.

Very nice! Thanks for posting

5:45 amazing shot into the light rays 👍

Big balls! Happy for your accomplshment.

Awesome job!!!! I'm a corporate pilot, currently flying a Hawker 400... I'd like to be brave enough to fly this ultralight, but I think I couldn't... I would get too scary by the propeller passing that close every time I needed to start it up!!! Beautiful aircraft anyways....

Nice job; I built a B model in 1980 and it flew well but if I built a wing myself I would add ailerons and make it 3 axis.

Cool digs and pics. Thanx 4 shrng.

congratulation! well done, will follow you to build one soon, once again thanks for ribs pattern.

I flew quicksilvers long ago, and one poor fellow at our flying field had a Weedhopper. He never got the engine to run more than a few moments. He became very proficient at dead-stick The rest of us actually flew our planes.

That is indeed a pretty shot!

That’s a pretty stable glider.. because of the good wing design..!

Genial!! Espero tener uno así

That was awesome!

Looks nice and stable

Great! Fantastic job!

Wow...Awesome job.

congratulations and best wishes with this fine craft! I like your solutions to the C of G problems. very well thought out. Nice one!

Damn that prop looks dangerous!

Damn I would love to have one of those

Nice job and good video. Thanks

Thought I recognised the sound of the rotax 503. I used to have a trike with one in and it never let me down

Wow Awesome! love it mennnnn

I understand that the full span is 28 ft . If all those tubes were squashed a little to produce an elliptical shape ( perhaps with some back fairing) she would gain a few more knots. At the moment I am thinking of Lois Bleriot as his early plane had a similar configuration. Very nice indeed, congratulations.

Great job o7 so fantastic :)

Nice! For a 25-hundred dollar build.... that's pretty damn awesome. Beautiful wee plane, as well!

Very nice video and well built. Span is probably 24ft, or not ? If You use less dihedral and TsAGI R-3a-12 airfoil, 5ft at root, it will probably fly better. You could also use gearbox 1:3 with same prop or 1:3.47 with 68" prop - it will be quieter, less vibrations and lower consumption.

Good job! Congratulations! 👍

very amazing and awesome aircraft

Congrats on a job well done!

Nice job!

True definition of riding off or flying off to the sunset

An hommage to the Santos-Dumont's Demoiselle, I think! Realy cool.

Nice stuff. I like the windscreen ( essential if in propwash ) but which brainiac figures that a human with clothes on stuck out in the breeze ( like many ultralights) is more aerodynamic than a shaped shroud. Wingspan is a little short but section is huge so she'd turn on a dime safely when close to the ground. Noting previous comments, yes a few hours in gliders will give the very best grounding for ultra-light since these powered craft are very light with no intention of carrying payload. I'd think that with a well sprung undercarriage she'd be good for rough field landing as long as you land up wind with the nose held a little high. I'd like to see this craft with a heavier VW engine set back a bit to equate COG. 4 cylinder VW engines can have Porsche roller bearing cranks fitted with fuel injection and dry sumping for reliable inverted flight in a much slower revving and quieter powerplant. Finally I like puller props up front so I can see what's going on (or not) so kudos

Good job guys keep it up

That was a pretty shot indeed.

Thank God that very light airframe held together during flight

muy bueno, felicitaciones

Just awesome!

This looks quite a bit like a Beaujon Minimac. Nice little planes.

Lovely runway.

I had one of the first Weedhoppers, SN# 486. Had the old round head engine. Upgraded to the Square head, the Cuyuna 430 with Direct drive then belt reduction. Loved my Weedhopper. Are they still being produced? Love yours. Great looking aircraft.

Great job

Wow..Amazing..

Nice little plane!I like it.Nice One!

Ah yes the flying lawn chair. Had one in the 80's use to fly it from Miami to Bimini all the time.

Good job!!!!

Best of the best, Top..

freedom is amazing !!!

wow amazing bro

You are incredible

Kick ass video!

Good work

The Weedhopper used the Rotax 447. With that and the 503 plants out of production, I wonder what they using for new birds. Nice job on the custom build.

I wouldn't fly too far from a landing sight. ... Then again how much fun would it be to fly circle patterns over a landing strip ???

Well done Excellent

Excellent

Good job

Nice

I've seen something exactly like this in a museum in Australia.

Pura vida! Cual es la velocidad de ese aparato en pleno vuelo?

fantastic

First flew a Cayuna powered Weedhopper in 1980. One totally blind overhead view and enough noise to cause nosebleed.

I've flown out of there before on my paramotor with my buddy Axel.

Awesome!

I would be tempted to add a couple of pulleys on the upper fuselage longeron and an extra meter(ish) on the starter cord in order to place the starter cord toggle just above your head when sat in the cockpit? It would add very little extra weight, make life easier + allow inflight restarting. But then, if nobodys done there must be a good reason. But just an idea... Congrats on the build. It looks a great little machine.

I have an extra one of those Rotax motors, and microlight “not functioning” but I want one of those...