Ultralight Part 103 Legal - Oshkosh 2021 Badland Aircraft Update 

Right? Must be a family thing. I spend so much time dreaming about the day I leave the Land of 10,000 taxes, I'm having a hard time imagining the business case for setting up shop here. But that's a whole other conversation. Looks like a great plane!

I agree!

Good thoughts !!!!

@@davidgribble263 yup, but like Mr Dan Johnson said don't even go there with the FAA because it will open a can of worms and wreck part 103 ultralights he figured. Figures, right?

Light sport aircraft does just that however I do see the appeal of wanting ultralights to be less restricted.

@@pearlio7297 yes you are correct, we don't need a medical for a sport pilot certificate. However we do need a minimum of 20 hours training for a sport pilot. And we should get some training for ultralights as well if you have no prior flying experience. Even thought no formal training or certification is required for ultralights. Unfortunately it's kind of hard to find instructors to help you get a sport pilot I have found. Well there isn't many instructors period in my area.

David, you seem like the perfect person to come out to our place, fly a Badland, and write a flight report. What do ya say? Later this fall work for you?

@@chrisdeuel5773 lol, I like how you did that! I’m an ag pilot and I’ve actually cropdusted out of Windom, Minnesota. I cut my teeth in ultralights back in 1989 at 17 years old and haven’t stopped.

@@chrisdeuel5773 Chris- I Sooo wish I was the guy to do it! Damn, I'm tempted to fold & say YES, I'LL BE THERE!!! But, I lack the comparative experience (any other ultralight craft like, Merlin lite, Belite, Aero 103) nor do I bring a broad perspective: single engine, multi-engine, high wing, low wing, performance, STOL or heck- glider craft in my experience to draw from. It would be awesome, and, I'd love to do it, but- I think: Trent Palmer, Josh Flowers, Scott Palmer, ANY Flying Cowboy, Eliot Seguin, Steve from 'Flight Chops', Dan Johnson, the guy from Just Plane Silly- heck, even Mike Ojo would generate more buzz than an old, skinny, bald guy from NH. Later this Fall definitely works for me (I'll clear the schedule, Chris!) and, if it helps, I'll reduce my personal minimums down to say: 500 feet, 1/4 mile visibility and gusts to 40. Heck, I'm getting happy feet just thinking about it? Hmmm, do these hours count towards my tailwheel endorsement? Hey, any excuse to wear my leather helmut, googles and scarf is reason to road trip out to Minnesota right before snow sets in! BTW, like every red blooded 'Merican, I really want a personal aircraft that I can fly whenever & wherever I choose. I want a micro Cub that fits on a trailer, takes off & lands in 300 feet (with or without brakes) & leaps tall buildings in a single bound (50' obstruction within 1/4 mile?) The thought of a welded tubular airframe covered in Oratex eliminates a desire for male supplements...Well, that- AND dreaming of Cuban 8's and full loops at the same time, of course. Didn't mean to piss on your Wheaties with my comment. Really do love the product & want one like everyone else. Could you get some owners to do interviews, or have a couple do a podcast or put out a detailed flight report with a description of the envelope? Really (genuinely) wish you the very best, sorry if it came across as less than that. Awesome response that I wish I could say YES! to without exposing you to silly unneeded risk.

@@DCGULL01 I too lack the comparative experience to answer your questions with true regard. Fantastic questions BTW. I am, a bit, in my infancy into the aviation industry. I'm truly looking for a pilot to write a flight report with all those questions answered in an eloquent, experienced manner. Dan Johnson is potentially swinging by this fall. I'm doing everything I can to have a flyer sitting around for him. Is it loud? Yep. Lol 7900 RPMs on takeoff is a bit ringy. Headset is nice. Cruise at 6400 (Polini 250/303) is pretty calm... 5500 is even calmer, but watch your airspeed. It is a very, very smooth running engine. No weird vibes at all. Visibility over the cowl is a non-existant issue. Pilot sits very comfortably with great vis. Cross winds are felt for sure. Being less than 550lbs and purposefully built to be as draggy as possible, it's pretty "catchy". It is more "glidy" than "proppy", but it's still not much of a glider being all draggy and such. Thermals are cool, I suck at finding them. The controls are quite even, probably has a touch more tail feather control than flaperon roll, but that changes favoravly with a flap setting. 100% real invitation to come hang out, fly it and write something for us if you're comfortable David. That invite goes to anyone experienced enough to be trusted. 😁😎

Chris has a Titanium fuselage option that saves a bit of weight. I think the cost/benefit wouldn't be achieved for this platform in production with carbon tubing. A "One-Off" like a Mike Patey Scrappy Aircraft may prove to be just fine for someone such as yourself. And I say "DO IT" if you are so inclined and make sure you tell us about it! :-)

@@ExperimentalAircraftChannel I’m not necessarily saying Chris should do it in a production environment, I’m just saying it could be done and could make for a very light and strong craft. You’ll be the first to know about it if I build one Brian.

A friend of mine had a Kolb back in our ultralight flying days. Since then I've had 4 Avids and 2 kitfoxes. The Avid wing fold design which Kitfox (and badlands) copied is far easier to get ready then the Kolb. It was a real pain to get the horizontal stabilizer and elevator unfolded on the Kolb. You don't touch it on the badlands. Granted, the plane ends up wider with the Avid type wing fold, but it's a small price to pay. That fiend of mine now has a Kitfox lite, and it's very similar to the badlands. Same cowl even.

Give the old steel market a peek. Math says the kit price should be higher. 💔😢 Tack welded airframe is an option.

Thanks Brandon

Yup...

I think it started as the avid, then kit fox lite, then belite, now badland.

@@russellsmith3825 I think you are right!

The kitfox design was stolen from Avid Aircraft. They were the pioneers

@@AzTrailRider57 Yes, give credit where credit is due. Dean Wilson had a great design with the Avid. Sad in a way that Dan Denny was a better business man, and in many people's opinion, a bit of a crook besides

The big reason, pun intended, other kit plane makers don't jump on the folding wing bandwagon is that the wing chord is severely limited, so as to be road legal when folded. It's not that they have not thought about it.....

Kolb Firefly has Folding Wings. Sport Pilot planes with Folding Wings, Rans S-12, Rans Coyote 6, any Kolb aircraft, Kitfox and Just Aircraft. I like the Merlin lite but I don't think it has folding wings. Folding wings is one of my requirements.

I sold Avids for years. Oddly enough folding wing was not a big selling point. Most people said is that all that holds the wing on! It is a useful feature though. I trailed mine on its own wheels from B.C . to Oshkosh and back and did most of Avids demo flights one year!🇨🇦😊

It's a Part 103 so...

Then why are you looking at ultralight videos?

@@DrewLSsix This don't LOOK I like your typical ultralight, as most here would agreed. If I was in the market to build a single seat, this would be at the top of my list. But actually, for the cost of build this, or any 2 place, I can buy a Thorp18 all ready built, and go 3x faster. Just gotta find the right one...

Why look for 2 seats. Would you buy a 2 seat snowmobile- Motorcycle etc? This is sport flying. Not transportation. I’ve flown Thorp and a lot of other types but for fun you’ll never beat low, light and slow!

@@rayfletcher3683 Your mission is very different then mine. Again, I thought this aircraft was different until I got into the video deeper. I want to "go places" fast. But their is not a lot of choices in this category. Low wing, 2 seat place, fast. (my definition of fast 150-200) in my price range, under 40k-ish I too, have flown a Thorp, these are little rocket ships with the Lycoming O-360, @ your finger tips. The other I've been looking at is the Zenair/Zenith 601, it 2 place, but slower. But for your question , "Why would I buy a 2place xxxx ? My wife love to fly, and I don't think would like sitting on one of the wings @ 5000'! I will agree with you, on the low and slow. I have rode in 1 ultralight YEARS ago and it was a blast!! But again, not my mission now. Thank for your input!

I think what you're seeing is the fabric cut around that area for the gear attachment point and the dope on it, I noticed it as well...

@@hunterjones9822 Also, was this welded by Chris or the kit builder? Makes a difference.

Hunter is correct - it's the fabric and dope you are seeing.