Experimental Homebuilt Aircraft
Building a homebuilt experimental aircraft yourself is the start of a great journey. You will learn new things continuously along the path to completing your project. You will meet new people and your family and friends will no doubt be a part of this adventure.
You will meet frustration at times and your progress will wane and flow. You will make mistakes and need to backtrack and you might reach a day that you think to yourself " what did I get myself into" and other days you will look at what you have completed so far and feel so privileged to belong to this minority of aircraft builders.
Your success at completing a quality experimental aircraft, getting it in the air and enjoying and continuing
to enjoy the sensation of flying your very own aircraft that you built, has a lot to do about picking the right aircraft project to build.
Money and time will probably be the most important factors towards your choice, trading one for the other. Eye and excitement appeal will be a big part to. You may have an aircraft already picked out, but reading through this first part of Dreams to Flying Machines may shed new light on your ideas. The real important thing to consider is, what do you want it to do and does that match your reality.
It is not unusual for builders of home-built aircraft to find that after spending many hours and much
money that they picked the wrong plane! The reasons are varied.
o Building hours were to long
o Wrong aircraft for your flying ability
o Wrong aircraft for your size and/or weight
o Did not properly size up the total cost
o Project was beyond your willingness to acquire new skills
o Did not take into account known lifestyle changes to occur while building
Gather the information; determine your needs and what you want your plane to do
and build the perfect plane for yourself. It is always about trade-offs but be
Honest with yourself!
Showing posts with label Homebuilt. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Homebuilt. Show all posts
Friday, May 11, 2012
Monday, March 12, 2012
An Overview of the Homebuilt Ultralight Aircraft
An Overview of the Homebuilt Ultralight Aircraft
Homebuilt ultralight aircraft are small lightweight planes that will typically hold only one seat. These planes are used mainly for recreation and fly at fairly low speeds. Interestingly enough, this type of plane started out as the hang glider which continually became more and more intricate. In the United States these planes are registered as vehicles so you do not even need a pilot's license in order to fly one. If you are interested in the hobby of amateur built airplanes then you could find no better place to start. The following will provide you with some essential information you should know if you plan on taking on this hobby.
The United States has a different definition of homebuilt ultralight aircraft from Europe and many other countries, and therefore a different regulation code. In the U.S. definition these craft will possess the following attributes:
o Has just a single seat
o Is used only for sports and recreation
o Doesn't have an airworthiness certificate
o Will weight no more than 155 pounds, unless it has an engine
If it does have an engine, it has another set of regulations:
o Must weigh less than 254 pounds, empty with flotation devices
o Will have a fuel capacity of no more than 5 gallons
o The speed limit will be 55 knots (63 miles per hour)
o Power off stall speed of 24 knots (28 miles per hour)
One of the best things about homebuilt ultralight aircraft is they do not have to meet airworthiness certification requirements or earn these certificates. In order to fly these craft, you do not have to prove any experience or knowledge, and you do not have to be any specific age either. Furthermore, you do not have to register these craft nor must they carry with them any registration markings. Even though training is not necessary by law, it is highly advised that you do undergo professional training for your own safety.
However, even though the rules and regulations regarding certifying your homebuilt ultralight aircraft are lenient, when it comes to the operation there are certain things that you should know about. For one thing, they can only be flown during daylight. There are certain exceptions to this rule though; for example, they may be flown during Twilight if it has been fitted with an anti-collision light. They must also never be flown over a congested city, town, or open air assembly. If your plane has 2 seats instead of one, you can be allowed extra weight.
Homebuilt ultralight aircraft are small lightweight planes that will typically hold only one seat. These planes are used mainly for recreation and fly at fairly low speeds. Interestingly enough, this type of plane started out as the hang glider which continually became more and more intricate. In the United States these planes are registered as vehicles so you do not even need a pilot's license in order to fly one. If you are interested in the hobby of amateur built airplanes then you could find no better place to start. The following will provide you with some essential information you should know if you plan on taking on this hobby.
The United States has a different definition of homebuilt ultralight aircraft from Europe and many other countries, and therefore a different regulation code. In the U.S. definition these craft will possess the following attributes:
o Has just a single seat
o Is used only for sports and recreation
o Doesn't have an airworthiness certificate
o Will weight no more than 155 pounds, unless it has an engine
If it does have an engine, it has another set of regulations:
o Must weigh less than 254 pounds, empty with flotation devices
o Will have a fuel capacity of no more than 5 gallons
o The speed limit will be 55 knots (63 miles per hour)
o Power off stall speed of 24 knots (28 miles per hour)
One of the best things about homebuilt ultralight aircraft is they do not have to meet airworthiness certification requirements or earn these certificates. In order to fly these craft, you do not have to prove any experience or knowledge, and you do not have to be any specific age either. Furthermore, you do not have to register these craft nor must they carry with them any registration markings. Even though training is not necessary by law, it is highly advised that you do undergo professional training for your own safety.
However, even though the rules and regulations regarding certifying your homebuilt ultralight aircraft are lenient, when it comes to the operation there are certain things that you should know about. For one thing, they can only be flown during daylight. There are certain exceptions to this rule though; for example, they may be flown during Twilight if it has been fitted with an anti-collision light. They must also never be flown over a congested city, town, or open air assembly. If your plane has 2 seats instead of one, you can be allowed extra weight.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)