Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10.2 9/5/84; site magic.ARPA Path: utzoo!linus!decvax!decwrl!magic!price From: price@magic.ARPA Newsgroups: net.aviation Subject: Re: Ultralight advice sought Message-ID: <168@magic.ARPA> Date: Fri, 19-Jul-85 18:57:33 EDT Article-I.D.: magic.168 Posted: Fri Jul 19 18:57:33 1985 Date-Received: Sun, 21-Jul-85 23:43:27 EDT References: <491@gitpyr.UUCP> <1700003@infoswx> <634@terak.UUCP> Reply-To: price@magic.UUCP (Chuck Price) Organization: DEC Systems Research, Palo Alto Lines: 88 Summary: Here are my current feelings regarding Ultralights. I am a long time hang glider pilot (8 years, Advanced and Observer ratings), and have also flown ultralights for a couple of years. Aircraft Safety ======== ====== I think there are some reputable Ultralight manufacturers in business now. I personally like the quality of Eipper equipment (although that's not what I own). I make no recommendations; suffice to say that "Buyer Beware" is no more accurate than in Ultralights. There is an inherent problem with Ultralights. In order to keep weight below 255 lbs (I think thats the limit, somewhere in there!) single points of failure may exist in several places on the craft. This is not necessarily a major problem (you have a parachute, don't you?) but is something a pilot may forget to inspect carefully, particularly after a hard landing (Did you check you tangs for cracks the last time you pranged a landing?) (Hmmm, did I check mine? :-) ). Ultralight mfgrs are not likely to point out all the single points of failure to you unless you ask after you buy. Bad advertising. Buyer Beware! Another fact is that many Ultralight manufacturers once were hang glider manufacturers. They understand hang gliding technology very well, but may not have a firm understanding of the added stresses an engine places on the airframe. Buyer Beware! The pilot should approach each flight with extreme caution, preflighting with the assumption that something definitely DID break on that last flight, and checking carefully to prove that in fact it did not. These planes ARE NOT Cessna's. You ARE a test pilot with each flight. Ultralights are typically stronger structurally than the average light plane. But if something overstresses and breaks, the results are apt to be more catastrophic. Pilot Safety ===== ====== Herein lies the real problem. Ultralights are EASY to fly. TOO easy. A student takes a week of lessons and is lulled into a feeling of great competance. Unfortunately, this leads to fence hopping, which leads to powerline hopping, which leads to edge-of-the-envelope maneuvers which leads to fatal accidents if the pilot does not excersize proper caution and judgement. In hang gliding, we call this problem the "Superman Syndrome". It is a well established and recognised fact that upon reaching a firm novice level of skill, great temptation exists to explore the limits of ability. Unfortunately, when pilots give in to this temptation, they usually find and exceed their limits, much to the chagrin of their next of kin. The United States Hang Gliding Association (USHGA) instituted a national awareness program with articles in Hang Gliding Magazine which has to a large extent minimized this problem in the sport. Unfortunately, no one appears to have done so successfully in the Ultralight movement. It's hard to convince a pilot with 1000 hours in a conventional aircraft that (s)he is a student again, and must act with appropriate caution. I am convinced that in a major portion of ultralight accidents, the pilot was the cause of the accident, not the aircraft, even if in the final analysis the aircraft broke up. (See above re single points of failure). In Summary == ======= I think Ultalights can be safe if approached with the proper respect. I'll take flying slow over flying fast any day. If I want to get somewhere I'll take an airliner! And if you want my true feelings, given a choice between hang gliders and Ultralights I'll take hang gliders hands down! See you at cloudbase! -chuck price ps: Current accident statistics show hang gliding to be equal in risk to private plane flying. Not a bad improvement considering what the state of the sport was in '72!