First, ultralight airplanes can be not much more than a powered glider that you hang from or they can look like a real airplane with cockpit, tail, control stick and rudder. ultralight airplanes can be [...]]]> Just how difficult is it to get started flying ultralight aircraft?  Not nearly as difficult as the average person pictures it.

First, ultralight airplanes can be not much more than a powered glider that you hang from or they can look like a real airplane with cockpit, tail, control stick and rudder. ultralight airplanes can be purchased used starting at a couple thousand although $5-10,000 used will get you a real nice aircraft. New about $8-20,000

Where do you buy one? Look in the yellow pages, request a free copy of Trade-a Plane or the best way is find a airport or air-park that has ultralights based there and find out where they are buying them. The most ideal situation is to locate an ultralight air-park where ultralights are the predominate aircraft flown there. Have someone knowledgeable check out you purchase before flying it.

What our government says about ultralight airplanes. A true ultralight is 254 bs or less has one seat (no passengers) and a 5 gallon fuel tank (there are more restriction) YOU DO NOT NEED A LICENSE TO FLY THEM or a pilot certificate.

How do you learn to fly an ultralight airplane? Find a instructor along the same lines that you found where to buy an ultralight. that would be dealers airports or ask other fliers. Around 15 hours of flight instruction often is about the time where you are ready to solo, maybe more maybe less. Its not hard to learn for most especially if you read and study between lessons (known as ground school) Sometimes these are offered in small classes or you can teach yourself. In the larger population areas there are ultralight flight schools that can handle lessons, finding a plane and maintenance.

How safe are ultralights? If you learn to fly properly and you follow all the recommended practices of maintenance, preflight checks and flying ultralight are similar to riding dirt bikes or safer.

I can’t think of anyway you could have more fun than to fly ultralights. Lots of pilots of larger plane find that when it comes down to flying for pure enjoyment that ultralight flying is the way to go.

There are ultralight airplanes, powered parachutes, gyro planes, gliders, trikes, even helicopters. Flight characteristics, training and maintenance varies on the different types of ultralight aircraft.

Now get going and learn to fly, but if you don’t actually buy a aircraft chances are much higher you will not follow through to soloing and continuing to fly