ultralights

The oil crisis of the seventies persuaded several amateur pilots to give up their favourite passtime. Evidently, not all of them were planning to sit still and convert to knitwork or whatever. This was the very start of the ultralight movement : initially hanggliders were converted for powered flight to be able to fly also over flat terrain, and evolved into true aircraft with standard 3-axis controls. Power and weight limitations allowed manufacturers to certify these flying contraptions to lower standards of airworthiness without lowering safety standards, thus keeping the machines cheap enough for the majority of would-be pilots. A new industry was created !

Air Creation Racer SX 12 Ultralight

During the eighties, ultralight flying became very popular in Europe and a myriad of manufacturers started to design all kinds of flying contraptions. Most have vanished now, leaving only the serious companies. Air Creation made itself popular with sturdy trikes surmounted by a good deltawing.

American Aircraft Falcon ultralight

When most ultralights were 'only' powered hanggliders, American Aircraft started producing this exciting Falcon. In Belgium, the Sabca company started to produce the aircraft but halted its efforts after only a few examples had been assembled.

Aviasud Mistral PH-2F6

Built in France but designed by a Belgian engineer, this strange biplane with forward-swept wings is very popular. Its side-by-side seating allows for easy conversion training or comfortable cross-country flying.

Dynali Chickinox

This Belgian ultralight is available in single-seat, tandem two-seat or side-by side two-seat versions. Some have enclosed cabins but most fly around open-aired like this one.

Electra Flyer

One of the first attempts to combine a delta wing layout with conventional controls (this is, with moving control surfaces instead of weightshifting) was this Electra Flyer. In attempt to preserve simplicity, the designer opted for a single moving canard surface. By tilting it left or right, it acted as an aileron, by tilting it up or down it acted as an elevator, and the combined action gave it some rudder-like function. Though the idea may have been well enough, it did not really catch on. Soon, normal 3-axis controlled ultralights started to appear and the Electra Flyer concept disappeared into oblivion.

Weedhopper Europa III OO-731

John Chotia's single-seat Weedhopper was one of the pioneering ultralights that entered series production. It has since been developed into two-seat and full 3-axis control versions.