UPDATED (again!) 12/11/20: Still refining the list. —DJ
A great many of you read the article about the new Part 103 List. Your enthusiasm plus lots of comments reflect the strong interest generated by these lightest, most-affordable, and fun-to-fly aircraft.
With input from readers and through more research, I have increased the draft list to the one you see below, now 53 producers strong! Honestly… I expect even more.
Many readers were surprised by the number of producers of these aircraft that too many pilots thought were dead and buried by Light-Sport Aircraft and FAA’s requirement that previous two-seat ultralight trainers had to leave paid flight instruction and become private aircraft.
As the list shows — and as my plan to attempt counting the number of aircraft built every year proves — Part 103 Ultralight Vehicles are indeed alive and thriving.
Keep Helping, Please!
If these aircraft interest you, please review the list and tell me of any additional producers I did not include. I want them all — IF — they meet these four criteria:
1️⃣ Current production aircraft only. If an aircraft is not actively being sold today, I will not include it, however, I have listed some “in development” models as they are from known producers who have made Part 103 aircraft before. Multicopter designs will not be included as none have entered the market to-date.
2️⃣ An aircraft must be able to qualify for Part 103 according to FAA’s Advisory Circular AC-103-7. This can include a kit-built Part 103 aircraft that a buyer may register in Experimental class so long as it can genuinely comply with Part 103 parameters. Part 103 Ultralights built from plans will also be included.
3️⃣ Powered, wheeled aircraft in these configurations: fixed wing, weight shift trike, powered parachute, gyroplane, motorglider, or paraglider with wheeled carriage.
4️⃣ No one-off, custom designs or aircraft still in an early development phase. I only want aircraft that a customer can buy for delivery within the next 12 months.
To encourage all producers to tell me their delivery numbers, I will anonymize manufacturer data in reporting results and I will protect the data with my reputation. I will not share information provided in confidence but I will summarize results aiming to report a whole-industry production figure.
I will report how many aircraft in each of the aircraft types noted in the draft list below. I will report how many are designed and built the USA (see flags). If and when I am given permission, I may report on the more successful aircraft and how many the producer has delivered.
This industry data will be quite different from our data on Light-Sport Aircraft, Sport Pilot kit-built aircraft, and modern gyroplanes. You can find out everything about these segments on our Tableau Public page. This data comes 100% from FAA’s aircraft registration database. I believe it to be the most complete and most accurate information anyone has on these three segments.
Because Part 103 ultralights are not required to be registered with FAA, I will ask each producer to tell me how many aircraft they delivered in 2019 and 2020. I will exercise my own judgement and do my own due diligence to make this information as accurate as possible. I will use my intimate knowledge of this sector to determine if numbers seem unlikely and then I will investigate further. At least over time, I believe this can provide reliable information but even in the first year, it will be the best information anyone has.
I suspect the Part 103 List will become as popular as our present SLSA List. Along with PlaneFinder 2.0, the SLSA List is one of our most-visited pages and I think the Part 103 List may come to rival those two because readers of this website like affordable aircraft …and Part 103 ultralights are aviation’s most affordable.
List of Ultralight Producers
The Part 103 “Draft” List
This list is not in any particular order. Please attach no significance to the position in this draft list. A flag shown after the aircraft indicates both the origin of the design and the location of its manufacture is the United States. This is just for illustration and carries no particular meaning.
Before the Part 103 List goes online, I will add web addresses and email addresses for all companies plus links to my articles about that aircraft or company. Here then, 53 producers strong, is the draft list that I fully expect to expand:
FIXED WING / THREE AXIS AIRCRAFT
This list is still in development; more entries are expected
1— U-Fly-It Aerolite 103 ??
2— Kolb Firefly ??
3— Quicksilver Sprint, Sport ??
4— Better Half VW Legal Eagle ??
5— Aeromarine-LSA Merlin Lite
6— Aeromarine-LSA Zigolo
7— Badland Aircraft F-series (formerly Kitfox Lite) ??
8— Just Aircraft 103 Solo (in development) ??
9— Hummel Aviation UltraCruiser ??
10— TEAM MiniMax, multiple models ??
11— Fisher Flying Products, multiple models
12— Aero Adventure Aventura UL (formerly Buccaneer) ??
13— JH Aircraft Corsair
14— SD Planes SD-1 (qualification pending)
15— AVI/Modern Wings Swan 120
16— Quad City Ultralight Challenger 103 ??
17— CGS Hawk 103, Ultra ??
18— Phantom Classic X-1 ??
19— M-Squared Breeze SS ??
20— Ekolot Elf KR-01A
21— Earthstar Gull 2000, Soaring Gull ??
22— Carlson Sparrow (market reentry underway) ??
23— Sherwood Kub
24— Eurofly Minifox
25— Lazair Nouveau
26— Thunderbird SNS-8 Hiperlight ??
27— Airsport Song UL
28— Jordan Lake Aero Air-Bike 103 ??
29— Mitchell Wing A-10D ??
30— Sector Aircraft Quantum 103 (in development)
31— Simplex Aero Zing, Cloudster ??
32— Cloudbase Aviation Skylite, Lil’ Bitts ??
33— Wings of Freedom Phoenix 103, Flitplane ??
34— Tri-State Kites Smithsilver 103 ??
WEIGHT SHIFT (TRIKES)
35— Evolution Rev ??
36— North Wing ATF, Solairus, Maverick ??
37— Air Creation Pixel
38— AirBorne Australia T-Lite
39— Airtime Aircraft Explorer 103 (amphibious) ??
40— Grif Italia, multiple models
41— Aeros Ant
42— FlyLight PeaBee
43— Ace Aviation Spirit series
44— Eurofly Snake
POWERED PARACHUTES
45— Infinity PPC Challenger ??
46— Six Chuter P3 Lite ??
HELICOPTERS
47— Innovator Technologies Mosquito Helicopter
GYROPLANES
48— Fusioncopter Nano gyroplane
49— Star LSA Star Bee Gyro ??
POWERED, WHEELED PARAGLIDERS
50— Blackhawk LowBoy III, Quad ??
51— Sky Driving Skykart ??
52— Green Eagle, multiple models ??
53— Fresh Breeze, multiple models
A note about our Part 103 Ultralight logo — Yes, I know this is actually a drawing of a two-seat Flightstar II. It was the most appropriate artwork I had (thanks, Rich!) of an aircraft not presently in production and one that will not return. I wanted something neutral and I thought this worked. If you noticed this “anomaly,” pat yourself on the back for your sharp eye.
About the Sherwood Kub… I’ve emailed the company in England, and in so many words they have no interest in the U.S. Part 103 market. They say it’s too heavy and too expensive to ship to the USA.
Anteras? Is that a domestic manufacturer and reliable aircraft? Still in production?
I presume you mean Antares. If so, and assuming you mean the trike manufacturer, no, they were never a domestic producer (fabrication was done in Ukraine) and I do not believe they are operating today. If you meant another manufacturer you need to provide more information. Here’s a link of interest.
“If Fly Hard Trikes is no longer operating, I will remove that producer from the list.”
Dan… Not sure why Lazair-Nouveau is being left on the list. As much as I want this unique aircraft to continue in production, there is no indication that Gene is producing kits or parts.
Important that your standards be applied equally and this list be a fully reliable source for your readers.
Thanks for your comment.
The Part 103 List remains in development so no company is officially on or off the list at this time.
Gene told me directly in-person that he did plan to offer kits and parts although probably not whole aircraft.
If indeed Lazair-Nouveau does not respond to my request for data (they have not yet done so), they will be shown as “No Response.” Most readers will shy away from companies that do not respond.
If further information accumulates to show Lazair-Nouveau does not properly qualify for the Part 103 List, that company and aircraft will not be included.
ALL entries are subject to change as the survey continues year after year. Companies that do not participate will be dropped or listed as non-participants.
http://www.affordaplane.com
Hi Dan:
Do you have any insight into Kolb “pausing” new kit deliveries? People on several Kolb forums haven’t been able to get any response from the factory about part requests or anything. I sure hope Kolb isn’t the latest victim of these crazy times. I had just decided to pull the trigger on a Firefly!
Also your “contact us” feature on the website doesn’t appear to be working.
Hi Wayne:
I just had a conversation with Brian Melborn of Kolb Aircraft. While he spoke of a one-week period when he had to focus on another matter of importance to the business, all is well again at Kolb.
“We are here, open, and building aircraft,” Brian said. “I did have to go offline for a week, but I’m back on the Kolb forums and we are ready to support the 8,000 Kolb Aircraft operating.”
Kolb will be at Sun ‘n Fun 2021. I will update reporting on this company at that event.
Looks like a lot of nice aircraft, I’m curious what engines are available to power them.
Many engines are available though the most weight sparing are two strokes. Some four strokes might work but a properly maintained two stroke can be very reliable.
How much does a light plane cost me if I want one built for me?
You’ll have to be more specific. I advise you follow any aircraft of interest and visit their website. Use our powerful Search engine to find them. Prices on Part 103 ultralights range from something more than $10,000 to a high end of $75,000; most are in the $20,000s, however, used aircraft can be much less. See Vintage Ultralights, a series of articles about such used ultralights.
Hi Dan,
Thanks for the compliments on the artwork. That was “years ago” work ?
I think you could use the Odyssey in that UL logo thing. It is still in production where the FlightStar isn’t.
The again … I have to confess that I am prejudiced toward the Odyssey… since I am building one currently. I know how much you enjoy Mark’s designs, and I look forward to the day when I can experience that same joy.
Rich, it’s about time I got around to using your wonderful art, huh? Thanks, again!
I selected The Flightstar II very deliberately because it was not in production. I wanted to have something more neutral and you can’t really tell the drawing depicts a two seater. I also love the Odyssey, but it, too, is a two seater and therefore not Part 103 even though it certainly is in spirit.
Blackhawk is not wheel powered parachute, it’s a wheel powered parglider, plus there are many more wheeled power paragliders I could list but if they don’t qualify then I won’t waste your time or mine. Here are a couple examples.
Fresh Breeze in Germany, Green Eagle powered paraglider in Texas, I could go on but not unless you say these examples qualify. These examples are permanent powered trikes or quads, not an add-on back pack engine to a set of wheels.
Thanks for the close read. Yes, of course, Blackhawk is a powered paraglider, not parachute. Now fixed.
However, they are not “wheel powered,” so I clarified the description to Powered, Wheeled Paragliders.
I added both Green Eagle and Fresh Breeze to the draft list as it appears they have one or more models that can qualify.
I will include any additional entries so long as they can meet the descriptions in AC 103-7. Glad to have them on-board.
This is a great list thus far, nice to see so many reputable aircraft, too.
Maybe another go for a marketing scheme of some sort organizanized by the manufacturers?
It works for other products. An idea worth kicking around.
Weight-shift Ultralight Designs SRO: Ego Trike (Czech Republic)
I think Mike Theke of Fly Hard Trikes has passed away from health related issues not aviation related issues, that one might be done? Mike be worth making a call?
The phone number I have is “not a working number” and the website is not in service so you may be right, Dennis. My efforts to discover more fell flat but perhaps someone else knows more. Anyone? If Fly Hard Trikes is no longer operating, I will remove that producer from the list.
Dan..
I see no indication on the internet that #25— Lazair Nouveau is in production. Please advise.
In a video interview, Glen Yarbrough suggested a kit with all parts is possible. For more info, please use links in this article.
Dan: None of the links your article mentions has any indication of parts, let alone a kit, being produced by Gene Yarborough.
I have written personal emails and direct messages to Gene all without reply going back at least 2 years.
Nothing to be found to support a kit is available for the Lazair, or Nouveau Lazair. Indeed, as you say here, this appears to be only a “suggestion” but not a reality. Please update as needed.
Your SLSA list shows a link for each listing. Suggest the same be done for this list.
Hmmm, in my interview with him, it sounded pretty good about most or all of a kit. I’ll investigate further. Thanks for the heads-up.
“If Fly Hard Trikes is no longer operating, I will remove that producer from the list.”
Dan… Not sure why Lazair-Nouveau is being left on the list. As much as I want this unique aircraft to continue in production, there is no indication that Gene is producing kits or parts.
Important that your standards be applied equally and this list be a fully reliable source for your readers.