Search Results for : Part 103

Even though FAA has said Part 103 will not be changed, many pilots see few fixed wing airplane choices truly meeting the definition.
Some trikes and powered parachutes can manage it but many lament, “Yeah, but no three-axis designs.” If you agree, be prepared to eat your words. Here comes Interplane’s ZJ Viera.
The brand-new composite design is no dream. It’s gone through a proof-of-concept stage and is now flying as a preproduction prototype. Those attending Sebring Expo 2008 can visit importer LSA America‘s display.
Does it genuinely make weight, the toughest part of F.A.R. Part 103? Based on factory info…YES, and by a generous margin!…thanks to modern materials and simple design.
Will ZJ be affordable? “Yes,” says former Interplane owner Ralph Mandarino. The company priced a basic ready-to-fly monowheel ZJ at $19,800. They’re flying it with the Hirth F33 but as it appears well under the max empty weight of 254 pounds, ZJ engineer and Interplane CEO Marek Ivanov could investigate other engines including four-stroke or electric.

If you fly a two-seat ultralight, I hope you’re aware of a big change just ahead: the January 31, 2008 deadline when you must transition such aircraft to Experimental LSA. Some have acted already. Many have not. FAA says that date is firm and will not change. *** But outgoing FAA Adminstrator Marion Blakey also said “No change to Part 103.” Called “Ultralight Vehicles” (not “aircraft”), this distinction now means something special. The Part 103 rule for single seaters rather quietly counted its 25th birthday in September 2007. This low-key event also celebrates aviation’s simplest rule — the entire FAR can be printed on a single sheet of paper!…and it is still alive and well. *** Examples like the Phantom ultralight have excellent flight characteristics and low prices. In late 2007, a Phantom X-1 kit is less than $15,000 and you can legally pay someone to build it for you.

even in a Light-Sport Aircraft World.
Despite the intense focus on the FAA’s new Sport Pilot/Light-Sport Aircraft rule, EAA’s big summertime airshow brought the introduction of at least four intriguing, legitimate ultralights—aircraft that truly meet the 254-pound rule. Many observers believed LSA would sound the death knell for Part 103. I guess not!
Not only were new ultralights common, their diversity was broad. You could see a fixed-wing, a weight-shift trike, a powered parachute and a helicopter. As if seeking to prove the new rule won’t eliminate Part 103, these machines were proudly displayed by vendors who also supply larger, heavier models.
Skymaster Light Trike
One bright spot at EAA AirVenture was—literally—the glowing yellow Skymaster Light Trike. Excellent detailing kept viewers looking carefully.
Mike Lane is the man behind the project at Skymaster. He’s a hang-glider pilot looking for an easy way to launch in the flatlands of Wisconsin. His ultralight vehicle benefits from the supply bins at Skymaster powered parachutes, helping this prototype look production ready.

How can a Part 103 use a four-stroke engine? Well, you can elect the half-VW from Hummel…or you might try a rotary engine as seen at the 2005 Mid-Atlantic Fly-in. This innovative racing cart engine is being developed for Part 103 ultralight use (yes, to make the weight, with electric starter!) by Erik Pederson, the new president of Phantom Aeronautics. Impressively educated, Eric has a BS in Aero Engineering plus an MS and PhD in Mechanical Engineering. Watch for a test report when Erik is satisfied with the performance.

Part 103 ultralight trikes aim at soaring pilots.
Many visitors to Oshkosh AirVenture 2003 expected the FAA to announce its new sport pilot/light-sport aircraft rule. New Administrator Marion Blakey reported signing off on the rule on July 30, but with two other agencies in line to review it, we aren’t likely to see the final version until 2004.
Visitors may not have expected to see more than a few Part 103 ultralight aircraft at AirVenture (some thought they would disappear as LSA approaches). But there were many. Next month I’ll write about two Part 103 rotary-wing aircraft, but this time, the subject is nanotrikes.
Nanotrike is a term to describe extremely light wheeled structures combining powered paraglider engines and contemporary hang glider wings. The idea is to create a low-cost, self-launching ultralight motorglider.
Trike Pod
Minnesota-based Seagull Aerosports debuted its Escape Pod at Oshkosh. Pushed by a single-cylinder Cors-Air engine generating 25 hp, the Escape Pod weighs only 75 pounds.