Look What I Made - An Ultralight Glider

"PilotMan" (Pilotman) 10/08/2013 at 16:01 • Filed to: None

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I took a pile of aluminum tubing and fabric and made a glider.

The glider weighs about 175 pounds and has a 38’ wing span. I started with a pile of CAD drawings and built it in the garage. I’m a Jalop, self-taught garage mechanic who only had experience turning wrenches on my own vehicles. It took me May to Oct to build it during the evenings and weekends. It’s mostly T6 thin-walled tubing, bolted together with aircraft bolts and hardware. It’s covered with Dacron and painted with Rustoleum’s heavy duty enamel.

This past weekend was the first time I flew it and it was awesome. We used the buggy in the pic above to tow it to about 700’ above the flats. My wife gathered up everyone’s phone videos and put together the following YouTube video. I hope you enjoy watching it.

Remember kids, gets your hands dirty and build stuff! I had always wanted to build something like this.

willkinton247 > PilotMan 10/08/2013 at 16:05

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This is amazing! Do you have plans to put a small motor in it at all?

505Turbeaux > PilotMan 10/08/2013 at 16:06

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you are my hero. And ditto, kids go get your hands dirty or this country will fall from lack of creativity and problem solving!

Bob Loblaw Made Me Make a Phoney Phone Call to Edward Rooney > PilotMan 10/08/2013 at 16:16

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This isn't getting enough recognition on here. This is absolutely awesome. Very nice work, indeed!

Jayhawk Jake > PilotMan 10/08/2013 at 16:16

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Nice color scheme!

Chris Clarke > PilotMan 10/08/2013 at 16:20

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That looks fantastic. I've always wanted to do something like this. Way to go.

PilotMan > willkinton247 10/08/2013 at 16:25

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Probably not, the airframe was not built for a motor and I don’t want to reengineer the weight/balance, stress factors, etc…

It’s a lot of fun the way it is now floating in the wind with no motor. It’s fun to be out there on the desert as a group anyway, depending on a tow vehicle and having everyone chasing you down the flats as you land is a lot of fun. With some good thermals or ridge lift you don’t need a motor anyway. The wing loading is about the same as a hang glider so hopefully they’ll let me fly at some of the same launch sites when I have the nerve to roll off the mountain side.

PilotMan > Jayhawk Jake 10/08/2013 at 16:27

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Thanks, the PT-19 coloring made sense with the weird proportions. I'll get a couple more roundels set up for the top of the wings.

willkinton247 > PilotMan 10/08/2013 at 16:28

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do you need any licenses or permits?

FJ80WaitinForaLSV8 > PilotMan 10/08/2013 at 16:28

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Looks like lots of fun. Given the specific type of terrain this requires, I wonder if you could make a similar one for water which seems to be a little more ubiquitous.

Jayhawk Jake > PilotMan 10/08/2013 at 16:28

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Nice!

Did you get the plans from somewhere or just put it together yourself? I want to see more detail pics too!

PilotMan > Bob Loblaw Made Me Make a Phoney Phone Call to Edward Rooney 10/08/2013 at 16:31

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Thank you Sir. I should have been an engineer. A die a little each day as a salesman working govt contracts and such. This project helps me live.

PilotMan > 505Turbeaux 10/08/2013 at 16:37

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I agree. I have three boys who are 12, 10, 6 and I hope some of what I do rubs off on them. I always tell them to learn something new and build something impressive. Develop a talent or skill that's awesome.

MonkeePuzzle > PilotMan 10/08/2013 at 16:38

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congrats! terrifying! I work on my car, but when it brakes the most likely outcome is being stranded on the side of the road, but in a plane... EEK

timateo81 > PilotMan 10/08/2013 at 16:39

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obligatory 'be careful' comment

505Turbeaux > PilotMan 10/08/2013 at 16:39

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you have to, that is the only way you learn how to think around corners in all walks of life. I have 2 girls, 2 and 4. The eldest still says she wants to be a mechanic, and both are familiar-ish with an engine bay

PilotMan > Jayhawk Jake 10/08/2013 at 16:40

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Google Mike Sandlin. He engineered a handful of ultralight gliders and posted the drawings for free for everyone, he's a real nice guy. My glider is the Goat 4 with Extended Yando wings.

MonkeePuzzle > PilotMan 10/08/2013 at 16:41

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is there reinforcement on the wing tips? I was surprised to see that as it tips down onto its side a control surface was impacting the ground.

Bob Loblaw Made Me Make a Phoney Phone Call to Edward Rooney > PilotMan 10/08/2013 at 16:45

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Nothing wrong with that. It gets to stay fun this way.

PilotMan > MonkeePuzzle 10/08/2013 at 16:46

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There are bolt head cleats sticking out a bit but I do have some clean up work to do. Initially I was landing it like a Cessna, pulling back the stick to slow down. I've since learned to land and then use forward stick to slow down on the front skid, using my feet as brakes and using my balance to keep the wings up. I may install some larger nylon cleats, similar to motorcycle crash knobs.

MonkeePuzzle > PilotMan 10/08/2013 at 16:49

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I love that it's your own design/build. this phase of discovery and improvement is very cool

PilotMan > willkinton247 10/08/2013 at 16:51

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Not in the US, it's categorized as an ultra light glider, not regulated by the FAA. For me personally I do have a private pilot's license that taught me how to fly. I don't have any glider certifications or ultra light training. This is in the same category as a hang glider or paraglider. IMO it's a whole lot safer with full 3-axis control and a solid structure wing.

willkinton247 > PilotMan 10/08/2013 at 16:53

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Sir,

I am inspired. Well done.

PilotMan > MonkeePuzzle 10/08/2013 at 16:55

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I like the glider aspect, I'm planning to land all the time with no reliance on a motor. I just have to fly it kindly with out over stressing the air frame.

MonkeePuzzle > PilotMan 10/08/2013 at 16:56

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more power to you, I'm simply paralyzed by a fear of heights, I'd be crippled by all the thoughts of whether I tightened that one bolt enough

PilotMan > timateo81 10/08/2013 at 16:59

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Agreed, it is a straight and level kind of aircraft. You gently lead it around with rudder while keeping it in the sweet spot of a perfect glide ratio. It does not like to be man handled with adverse yaw and such from those big ailerons.

PilotMan > MonkeePuzzle 10/08/2013 at 17:03

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AN3 and AN4 bolts, all either using lock nuts or castle nuts with safety pins and wire.

There was one time I was at 500' and looked down past my seat to see the flats way below me, it didn't freak me out that much. There isn't much of a cockpit but I guess because I'm strapped in with a 4-point harness I feel secure with the airplane.

PilotMan > willkinton247 10/08/2013 at 17:10

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Thank you.

PilotMan > FJ80WaitinForaLSV8 10/08/2013 at 17:56

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A pair of carbon fiber floats would work from Belite aircraft.

Poundingsand > PilotMan 10/10/2013 at 14:16

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Does the weight of your brass balls push it over the legal FAA ultralight limit and thus require a pilot's license?

Poundingsand > PilotMan 10/10/2013 at 14:22

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This is positively awesome! Question - does the lack of dihedral in the wing make it at all unstable (tip stall potential) a la J-3 Cub? And how did you sort out the CG? I'm no pilot (have a few training hours under my belt from years ago) so my questions may be way off base.

And is this El Mirage lake bed? Would love to see this live.

DavidHH > PilotMan 10/10/2013 at 14:45

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Excellent project!(while I would wear a reserve chute, I used to jump)

Have you ever heard of the park glider made out to plywood in early 70s? It was an under $100, garage built tow-able glider, with poor glide ratio. Years ago I saw the plans, but have not seen it on the net. It seems that you have made a modern equivalent, considering the cost of your project. Granted yours flies better. Cool!

Thunder > PilotMan 10/10/2013 at 15:31

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Nice landing (at just under 1 minute in)!

Any time you can put your feet down before stopping, you're doing it right.

I have my private pilot's license, but I don't know if I could bring myself to do what you've done here.

Rick York > PilotMan 10/10/2013 at 15:51

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This might be a perfect candidate for an electric motor for take off, landing and some extended flying. Flexible solar cells on the surface?

PilotMan > Thunder 10/10/2013 at 15:59

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Imagine flying a 172 in slow motion, without instruments or a power plant, and being able to see past your feet, that’s pretty much how it feels flying this glider

Thunder > PilotMan 10/10/2013 at 16:13

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LOL. Not sure I want to imagine that. :-)

Almost like flying underwater, by the look of it. Everything's just slowed down.

PilotMan > Poundingsand 10/10/2013 at 16:20

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There is some dihedral set up, maybe 3-4 degrees for each wing. The wing loading is so light that it is difficult to stall (370 pounds for 185 square feet). I’m 195 with gear and you can see how far below the wing I am for some nice static stability. In regards to stalls, it seems like you lose control authority before the wing completely stalls, so it mushes forward. I don’t plan on doing any stall or spin testing.

The design itself verifies the correct CG by setting up the single landing wheel directly below the CG. You can verify your CG just be sitting down and seeing how the glider balances on its wheel. I had one person hold up a wing tip and another hold up the tail in a flying attitude, I asked the person holding the tail to let go to find out if the glider would fall back or fall forward. When the tail was released the glider slowly leaned forward and came to rest gently on the nose skid, this indicated a slightly forward CG.

This Lake bed is in Utah, it’s called the Tule Valley hard-pan officially but most just call it Ibex for the bouldering. The flat is very smooth and about 4 miles long. Between the Sierras and Rocky Mtns there are several lake beds and Salt flats to be found across UT, NV, and CA. This hard pan is now famous as it was used for the introduction of Mars, in Disney's John Carter.

PilotMan > Poundingsand 10/10/2013 at 16:22

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There is an FAA exemption for brass balls, it’s FAR 103.11 – The Size Matters Exemption.

PilotMan > Poundingsand 10/10/2013 at 16:22

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The is an FAA exemption for brass balls, it’s FAR 103.11 – The Size Matters Exemption.

PilotMan > Thunder 10/10/2013 at 16:27

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It was interesting to look past my seat cushion and see the mud cracked surface below. Since there is nowhere to rest my left hand I just reach out and grab the left wing strut, it feels kind of strange. At least I get the feeling of being in an aircraft with a solid wing. I’ve tried paragliding and that was no bueno with a big floppy wing canopy above me for lift.

PilotMan > Rick York 10/10/2013 at 16:39

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Sadly no, the FAA does not allow the weight of batteries to be excluded from the official weight of the aircraft like they do with gallons of fuel. My glider with a motor and batteries would be overweight as far as FAA regulation goes. It would need to be classified as an experimental and certified to fly.

I just want something to drag out to the desert and fly. A truck tow is fun way to get it up into the air for free without any additional weight or govt regulation.

For a commercial version of my glider, check out http://www.electricmotorglider.com/ . The Quicksliver EMG is a sexy version of my glider with electric motor options and such.

Piston Slap Yo Mama > PilotMan 10/10/2013 at 17:10

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The most important detail: what's the glide ratio? You know, the glider version of a sports car's 0-60mph capabilities.

schannor > PilotMan 10/10/2013 at 20:53

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Is that where you got the plans for your plane? I'd be interested in looking into the plans, if only to look at them!

Cielmer > PilotMan 10/10/2013 at 21:36

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awesome job! That buggy also looks sweet, what is it?

Philbert/Phartnagle > PilotMan 10/10/2013 at 23:41

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Dude that's COOL!

Hat's off to you for being talented enough to build it and brave enough to fly it.

PilotMan > Cielmer 10/11/2013 at 09:07

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It's a Cherry 1100cc dune buddy with a turbo kit and bigger wheels and tires.

PilotMan > Piston Slap Yo Mama 10/11/2013 at 09:13

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I have no idea. It probably isn't the best, it's better than a paraglider but probably not as good as a decent hang glider. It's made to go really slow while using ridge lift and thermals. The glider's Vne is probably 60 MPH while Vso is probably about 20 MPH.

Piston Slap Yo Mama > PilotMan 10/11/2013 at 15:05

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Thanks, I figured it was probably a mystery at this stage. Later, when you've got some seat time and on a particularly windless, no-thermals day you might use your altimeter and gps and get a ballpark estimate on the glide ratio. If so, post it here so I see it. I'm kinda curious, and thanks.

proppastie > PilotMan 11/14/2013 at 08:13

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appears you are a pilot, I think you need to mount a model airplane engine on it because I believe you are overweight for an "ultra lite glider" . I believer the weight for an ultra lite glider is 156#..... 256 for a powered ultra lite.

PilotMan > proppastie 11/14/2013 at 09:47

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I actually haven't weighed the glider yet but I should be legal with the addition of a parachute and its accompanying weight allowance.

v-spoke > PilotMan 10/03/2014 at 02:01

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Check your FAR. Unpowered Ultralight is limited to 155 lbs. At 175 lbs you are considered a Glider and need proper documentation.