This is completely adorable.

"bhtooefr" (bhtooefr) 07/30/2018 at 09:13 • Filed to: Planelopnik, Volkswagen, radial engine, f4u corsair

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This is an ultralight !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! , aiming for German 120 kg, UK SSDR, and American Part 103 regulations. With a 3-cylinder VW aircooled-derived radial. It’s adorable. I want one. (I almost certainly can’t afford one.)

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InFierority Complex > bhtooefr 07/30/2018 at 09:19

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How about a Loehle 5151 3/4 scale Mustang kit?

Ash78, voting early and often > bhtooefr 07/30/2018 at 09:20

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It can swoop down on fleets of Honda Fits and go PEW PEW PEW, dropping Haribo Gold Bears on them.

That’s how World Wars should be fought.

RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars > bhtooefr 07/30/2018 at 09:23

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That is awesome! Sucks that getting even a basic pilot’s license is such a hassle! (I mean....I know WHY it is and agree, but still! :P)

Mercedes Streeter > RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars 07/30/2018 at 09:42

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That's why you get an ultralight! It's basically a sky moped.

bhtooefr > RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars 07/30/2018 at 09:42

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Of course, this class doesn’t require any licensing at all, in the US at least. That’s why it’s so popular, it avoids all of that hassle, and now there’s actual airplanes in it, thanks to carbon fiber and modern aluminum techniques, not just things like powered parachutes and weight shift craft . (There’s also the Light Sport Aircraft, which is much more substantial, and has much easier licensing.)

bhtooefr > Mercedes Streeter 07/30/2018 at 09:45

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Shit, in Ohio, it’s actually less regulated than actual mopeds!

(No license needed for a Part 103 ultralight, whereas a moped does require either a moped license, a motorcycle license, or a driver’s license here .)

bhtooefr > InFierority Complex 07/30/2018 at 09:49

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“ Empty weight: 513 lb (233 kg)“

Too heavy. By a lot.

Mercedes Streeter > bhtooefr 07/30/2018 at 09:51

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Wait, so under 50cc and you still need a license? Is a moped license easy, at least?

RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars > bhtooefr 07/30/2018 at 09:57

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It’s far stricter here in Canada....plus the licensing costs would probably be like $10K alone here ...

punkgoose17 > bhtooefr 07/30/2018 at 10:16

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That is super cute. I want one as well.

bhtooefr > Mercedes Streeter 07/30/2018 at 10:19

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Even 1 cc or 1 watt of assist is a motorized bicycle (what Ohio calls mopeds), in Ohio, legally, which requires licensing, registration, a 20 mph speed limiter (I have to look at how the law is written to see how that’s implemented, it might just be 20 mph without pedaling on level ground, ala the federal electric bicycle standard), 1 hp and 50 cc max or it’s then upgraded to a motorcycle legally, must have pedals (which is the norm for mopeds, so that’s not a problem), must have 1.75" wide tires, must have lights, turn signals, a mirror, and I think a horn, and either 2 wheel or 1 front, 2 rear wheels, the vehicle must be type approved as a motorized bicycle by the state, and it gets no access to cycling infrastructure (even bike lanes, where it’s going similar speeds).

I think the license is just a written test, at least, but importantly, you can’t get it if your driver’s license is suspended, so it’s not available to people who got an OVI and didn’t get driving privileges in court.

(I looked into the equipment requirements to see whether it’d be practical to get an electric-assist recumbent trike certified as a motorized bicycle here, but the tire width is kinda wide, the complete lack of access to bicycle infra sucks, and tadpole trikes are forced up into full motorcycle class due to the allowable wheel configurations if they even have 1 watt of electric assist.)

bhtooefr > RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars 07/30/2018 at 10:43

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Looks like it can be done more cheaply than that - found a school offering licensing for ~$7500, with 25 hours of dual instruction, and 2 hours supervised solo flight (and minimums are 10 hours total, 5 dual instruction, 2 hours solo): https://www.skyviewultralights.ca/become-a-pilot

Of course, even in the US, it's very strongly encouraged to get instruction (and all of the ultralight associations really really do not want people going without, because if a lot of people go without and fuck up, the FAA could institute licensing requirements).

RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars > bhtooefr 07/30/2018 at 10:57

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That’s only a license for a pilot with no passenger though - sharing the fun is more entertaining! :)

bhtooefr > RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars 07/30/2018 at 11:31

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Worth noting that part 103 is single seat in the US, too - you have to go for LSA or full private pilot for a two-seater "ultralight".

RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars > bhtooefr 07/30/2018 at 11:38

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In Canada there is a separate designation for Ultralight-with-passenger it seems.

RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars > bhtooefr 07/30/2018 at 11:38

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In Canada there is a separate designation for Ultralight-with-passenger it seems.

TheRealBicycleBuck > bhtooefr 07/30/2018 at 14:55

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For ~$10k you can get a full pilot’s license in the U.S.

bhtooefr > TheRealBicycleBuck 07/30/2018 at 15:40

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Yeah, my local airport estimates $6900 for flight training (based on 45 hours of rental of their 1972 Cessna 172M, 25 hours of flight instruction, and 10 hours of ground instruction, and they’ve also got a 172SP for a bit more, and a 150F for quite a bit less).

WilliamsSW > bhtooefr 07/30/2018 at 15:42

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That’s a pretty aggressive estimate for the # of hours required - but yeah at those rates, you’d be under $10k as long as you flew regularly.  

dsigned001 - O.R.C. hunter > bhtooefr 08/19/2018 at 22:47

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Light sport is about the same cost. 

dsigned001 - O.R.C. hunter > bhtooefr 08/19/2018 at 22:48

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In the US, the cruise is going to be too fast for 103

bhtooefr > dsigned001 - O.R.C. hunter 08/19/2018 at 23:34

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There’s ways to reduce full power level flight air speed , though (add a throttle stop, pitch the prop to limit speed, and/ or drag-inducing devices).