My title avoided the word “ultralight” even if these two aircraft qualify. The American entry can readily fit FAA’s Part 103 as an Ultralight Vehicle, freeing the pilot from having to register the aircraft, or have a pilot certificate, or possess any sort of “medical” to fly it. The French entry cannot qualify as a Part 103 but I find it surprising this super lightweight machine is a two seater and can be electric-powered. It is not available in the USA at this time but the brand once had a strong American presence. I owned one of their light trikes myself a couple decades back. Here’s a full review from 2004. Welcome to brief reviews of two very light weight-shift aircraft, North Wing’s SkyMax and La Mouette’s Samson. (La Mouette is French for seagull.) That these two are also more affordable may come to the rescue of budgets under assault by persistent inflation.
Superlight… Aircraft that Weigh Less than You Do and Are More Affordable
My title avoided the word "ultralight" even if these two aircraft qualify. The American entry can readily fit FAA's Part 103 as an Ultralight Vehicle, freeing the pilot from having to register the aircraft, or have a pilot certificate, or possess any sort of "medical" to fly it.
The French entry cannot qualify as a Part 103 but I find it surprising this super lightweight machine is a two seater and can be electric-powered. It is not available in the USA at this time but the brand once had a strong American presence. I owned one of their light trikes myself a couple decades back. Here's a full review from 2004.
Welcome to brief reviews of two very light weight-shift aircraft, North Wing's SkyMax and La Mouette's Samson. (La Mouette is French for seagull.)
That these two are also more affordable may come to the rescue of budgets under assault by persistent inflation.
Here's a brief look at both models with links to more detailed information on each.
I know both these companies for many years and have visited their factories. Each is a reliable supplier of aircraft. So, why are you waiting get in the air?
North Wing SkyMax
A regular in the light trike space, Washington State's North Wing recently introduced their new SkyMax Nanolight Soaring Trike. The longtime producer also offers fully FAA-accepted LSA models (full line review), featuring robust frames and two comfortable seats. Yet since starting his enterprise to build hang gliding wings, company founder Kamron Blevins has never lost sight of the soaring potential for extremely low-weight trike carriages, for example Solairus (video review). If you live where no mountains exist, these machines provide a way into the sky …and they won't break your budget. "North Wing has completed many months of design refinement and flight tests," the company stated recently. "We are thrilled to get the new SkyMax trike into production. Very light weight, very portable, and very affordable." SkyMax breaks down in four minutes (once you become familiar with the steps) and the whole thing packs into a bag. Try that with your composite LSA. "This very light trike uses a unique combination of components that keep the SkyMax strong and durable," said North Wing, "yet SkyMax is very light weight, which makes for great soaring performance. You can easily attach this trike to your hang glider, and the trike and engine quickly folds down to a very convenient size that is very portable and easy to transport." SkyMax is built with aircraft aluminum construction and aircraft hardware. Rear landing gear is pultruded fiberglass and steel. The mast (on which the wing is mounted) and forward limit tube are airfoil-shaped aluminum. Main gear tires are 10 inches allowing touchdown on unimproved areas, and the front tire uses a friction brake. "After take-off and safe climb, the rear landing gear can be retracted by stepping on the left-pedal to release a gear-lock and then pulling the retract cord to raise the gear and reduce your drag profile for better performance. This is easily seen in a video found using the link below. SkyMax has a 1.5 gallon fuel tank, powering your flight for 1.5 to 2 hours. With engines ranging from 22 to 27 horsepower, fuel usage is miserly. Fortunately the cost to purchase is also very reasonable. A SkyMax Nanolight Soaring Trike starts at $10,990, complete though you can add accessories or different engine choices. Even then it qualifies as a significant bargain. A $5,000 deposit secures your order, with the balance due before shipping. Buyers can upgrade to an EOS RV4 150-cubic centimeter, 25.7-horsepower engine for an additional $350. Add a fiberglass nose cone with fabric fairing for an additional $550. You're still under $12,000 before shipping and in this day and age, that's a value purchase. Explore this affordable aircraft further on North Wing's dedicated SkyMax web page. This page contains several video clips, lots more detailed images with descriptions, plus engine choices and options. Find all that North Wing offers.La Mouette Samson Electric or Gas
"Samson started an electric adventure," stated an equally longtime French producer La Mouette. "As we were the first to manufacture a motorized aircraft propelled solely with hydrogen, and builder of the first two-seater electric trike, La Mouette definitely has an edge on electrical technology." "However, there are several compromises that demand the clarification for the users to make the best choice," they offered. "There are two distinct sources of electrical technology: one that is supplied by battery and the other by an alternative source. Although, thanks to the fuel cells, the second one is on the rise, today it remains experimental due to complications related to hydrogen supply." "At La Mouette, we’ve decided to wait for the hydrogen supply chain to mature before offering this technology to interested parties. In the meantime, due to proven battery technology, there are different solutions guided by the right balance of autonomy, weight, cost, and power." "To date, we can offer five different motors with power output of 12, 16, 20, 32, and 50 kilowatts." (For reference, 1 kilowatt = 1.34 horsepower.) "For the same takeoff weight, every one of these engines will consume approximately the same amount of energy. Thus, a 12 kilowatt engine propelling a 190 kilogram (419 pound) Samson will consume as much energy as a 32 kilowatt engine propelling the same weight Samson. On the other hand if the pilot suddenly needs more energy, the 12 kilowatt engine would be limited to that 16 horsepower, whereas a 32 kilowatt motor (43 horsepower) could provide more thrust though it will consume more stored energy." "The Lithium-Ion batteries that we currently use to power the motors come in 15.5 kilogram (34 pound) packs," La Mouette explained. "A Samson trike mounted on a 12-square-meter (128 square foot) flex wing can fly about two minutes per kilogram of battery on a single-seater and one minute per kilogram of battery weight when flown as a two-seater. A battery pack will therefore be able to fly a Samson weighing 419 pounds for 30 minutes while cruising, or 15 minutes at 595 pounds engine flying at full speed. For more powerful engines it is necessary to put more batteries to exploit the motor's full power, although this is offset by having to carry the greater battery weight. With a 12 kilowatt engine, for single-seater flight only, La Mouette cautions, a single high-discharge battery will be sufficient but it will only get you to the first thermal (enough for a soaring pilot who would shut it down). The company also clarified that a high-density battery operates differently than a high-discharge battery. A 20 kilowatt motor for an occasional tandem flight needs a minimum of three high-discharge batteries or four high-density batteries. Fifteen years ago, I wrote about company founder Gerard Thevenot building the first hydrogen fuel-cell-equipped trike. This company that could once claim to be the largest producer of hang gliders has literally decades of experience creating electric trikes. Fortunately, if electric propulsion isn't your goal, the French manufacturer offers a wide range of conventional gasoline engines including: Cosmos 300, Thor 303, Thor 202, Thor 130, Thor 80, Black Bull, Black Devil, Tornado 280, Aero1000, HPD 12, HPD 16, HPD 20, HPD 32. In case those choices are still not enough, the company added, "It is possible to adapt other motors on demand." I am not reporting price for the Samson as no U.S. supplier is specified yet. If interested, contact the company using email. Find the full data sheet on Samson Electric from La Mouette.I know both these companies for many years and have visited their factories. Each is a reliable supplier of aircraft. So, why are you waiting get in the air?