In finest American tradition, my grandfather built an American Eagle in his front yard. My mother's story of her second flight in it (no instruction, of course) and getting stuck in a steep turn and having to figure out how to weight shift her way out of it while my grandmother was standing in the cow pasture having a fit and my grandfather was laughing is quite a story. Circa Christmas 1980.
everyone these days is obsessed with formal educations and bubble wrapped safety to do anything lol prolly a good idea cause that stuff is dangerous as heck but on the other hand a lot of that comes from the same folks that thought 3 wheelers were to dangerous and wanted em banned lol
I was completely surprised when I saw the amount of plans for building small boats available in the US. It turned out that Americans in their garages build not only boats but also airplanes, motorcycles and everything else where only imagination is the limit. I admire the American DIY spirit
Content creators earning money is not a problem, it’s just the platform gotten greedy and squeezing so much ads, it’s making it unwatchable and putting off the viewers.
Access is key; I'll pay the £12, UK, if I can afford it . I'll watch the adverts if I can't. ! I miss the downloads, and queuing viewing. I love you tube. ! It suggested this video for me, totally out of context, brilliant suggestion, during a documentary troll of the ice age. Brilliant, and it knows how to change the oil filter on my car. - and the rear number plate bulb!!
I'll never forget the day in the mid 80s when an ultralight, I have no idea what kind) landed on Lake Mead Parkway, in Henderson, NV to fill up with gas at the only gas station I bought my petrol at for my '78 Trans Am, because they sold boat gas. Seeing that little plane land, fill up, & take off was the coolest thing I'd ever seen.💖
You do realize they do this in Alaska every day.. right. Years ago a guy on a cross country out of Alaska landed on a Highway in Louisiana looking for gas and stoopid people got all excited.
The Skypup is still being built there is a pretty active group on Facebook. For years plans were unavailable but the designers son has recently started selling them again. The pup has always been one of my dream planes. Great video
Flew old weightshift ultralights back in the 80s - all with reinforced hangglider wings. Lov❤d it, and have lots of happy memeories. Going in for landing just as the sun sets, on a calm summer evening - nothing beats that.
I remember watching an older pilot pull his twin engine ultralight out of the hanger onto the field and reaching up and pull starting each engine. He rumbled down the field and off into the wild blue yonder.
The earliest Kolbs were twin engined with Solo engines as well as the early Airmass Sunburst with twin direct drive Solo 210’s. Later versions of the Sunburst used a single Cuyuna. Zenair also briefly produced the Zenair Zipper with twin JPX 20hp engines. The original Zipper flew with just one JPX.
@@shannonwhitaker9630Good memory. That Kolb ('Flyer' I think) impressed me so much that I bought a Kolb Twinstar kit years later, also a great 'flyer'.
You’re an excellent commentator. Theres passion in your delivery, but it’s…calming. It’s always great listening to someone who has passion and a lot of knowledge on a subject, but most get too excited in doing so, while you make it enjoyable. Thats a real talent. Keep making aviation videos!
Thank you! I really enjoy the research and production, but much less so the voiceover and honestly I don't think my delivery stacks up compared to other channels (but impostor syndrome has always followed me). Thanks for the kind words!
@@aircraftadventures-vidsI’m just glad you don’t use AI voice that can’t pronounce words. I saw a Civil War video today that pronounced JEB Stuart as “Jay E Bee Stuart”.
*Thank You!* Decade pasts I wanted to build an airplane but you know the story: money, wife, kids, house, and the rest. This video came up on my feed. I totally forgot about the Skypup. The plans are now in pdf form and public. That's my project for 2025. Many thanks. EAA Chapter 55 here I come!
The Dingo looks like it might take to a convertible (removable) enclosed cockpit or even a dodger. Living in Michigan, the ultra-light season is just too short. Heat might even be pumped in from the engine cooling shrouds.
@@Peter-jo3wt I live in Florida, where you could ride open cockpit all year round (well, except in hurricane's lol). Sadly I live in the most densely populated area of the state where it would be suicidal to own one.
What a beautiful video and narration. This was so fun to watch. I am long in love with the Ding Dang (or something) and even more so with the now called Dingo. What a beauty! I am going to Google it now. Thanks again!
I remember a Whing Ding trying to get off the ground at El Mirage (1986?). Exactly like you said, he could never get out of ground effect. So delighted someone has made it into a biplane that will fly!
Ultra lights are great , Thx for the video , I built one called a woodhopper years ago then got the Skypup plans but never built it , having kids and building a house got in the way , I still drool over the plans from time to time but to old to fly now
While not as unique as the planes in this video, I did get up flying my Quicksilver MX today, despite temperature in the 30's. The Quicksimvers have been a major factor in ultalights since the mid 80's. Thanks for the great video!
The Quicksilver was a real game-changer and probably the biggest name in the game. This video was more about the obscure models even pilots don't know about. Thanks for watching!
@@chuckinwyoming8526I imagine theh are just fine functionally. I just dont like the appearance for the most part. I need to have an enclosed fuselage.
I fly all the time in my Lazair in 30 degree temps. I have a pod and windscreen to cut the wind and some good clothing. It’s just a matter of how determined one is to fly I suppose.
I remember seeing a add for the Wing Ding in the back of Flying Magazine back in the mid 70's. Totaly forgot about it but as a kid I thought it was cool as hell.
@thecitizenchan You're right, I witnessed two fatalities and another acquaintance was killed doing aerobatics oh and another acquaintance (Bob Bailey) died earlier this year doing a test flight and he had been an ultralight pilot for 52 years. And of course hundreds of hang glider pilots (who are also ultralight pilots) died in the '70s and '80s as equipment and training were in their infancy. But safety got better, in fact I've seen two parachute deployments so that saved another two lives!
@@aircraftadventures-vids *"I flew formation in Rio de Janeiro"* As a flight instructor at a flying club based in Rio, flying over the beaches was standard operating procedure. I often saw it as the best office view in the world. But I flew airplanes, not ultralights. I did on occasion go up with buddies in their ultralights, flying low & slow over the beaches. Loads of fun. Thanks for the flashback.
After i seen ultralights i immediately thought of lawn chairs with wings and how id love to have one or even make one id love one thats capable of 70 and strong enough for stunts but just flying any one of these would be awesome i just imagine flying over the river would be so fun
Just about to finish my Lazair rebuild with two DLE 170M engines. The only thing left to do it break the engines in and find some property to fly from since we have more water than land here in South Louisiana. Designing a mono-float to fly from water in case I can't get permission to use some land away from everyone. With lawsuits being a common practice these days, liability is the main issue.
That's awesome about the Lazair! And man I hope you find yourself a good place to fly it. I'd never in a millions years own one where I live in South Florida, with all the urban sprawl everywhere.
An old friend of mine back in NH was Terry Sweeney, one of the original innovators of chainsaw powered hang gliders. Even had a band called "Sweeney's Glider". Mid 1970's. Would love to see a documentary on this genius.
@aircraftadventures-vids tons of ultralight plans in circulation in the 1950s and 60s. The Wright Brothers Model B was the first mass produced Ultralight made from 1910-14. Thank you for promoting ultralights and aviation in general.
That was another excellent video! Nicely done! The very last shot of the Lazair was at the King George Airpark, in Surrey, BC, Canada. It is where I had my first every small aircraft flight, in a Rans S-7. My Dad would take me to the airpark all the time and I'd always enjoy checking out all of the unique ultralights. I remember one windy day seeing a Lazair flying backwards.
I built two different Lazairs. At our ultralight flyin at Harvey Young Airport, we had an ultralight race. A course was set up. It took approximately two minutes to make a lap. We had ultralights of all kinds. Some had 40 hp. Each ultralight flew two laps timed from the ground. My little Lazair, with two 5 and a half hp pioneer chain saw engines smoked everyone there and was first by a significant margin. We were killing them in the turns.
I flew in a UL contest with Dale Kramer, the designer of the Lazair, it was a super efficient wing and had a great glide and sink rate, totaly unlike other UL's at the time. The contest involved both of us taking off, with a set amount of fuel onboard (can't remember how much, but very little) climbing up to 1,000', and then the last one to land won! He beat me so bad, he rubbed it in on the way down by doing some dead stick loops! My Pterodactyl was a great flier and no one else beat me but him. the Mitchell Wing was another way ahead of it's time design, I saw him foot launch it as a glider, and as compared to the standard hang gliders of the day it was no contest at all! BUT, like the Lazair, a huge PITA to tranport and it needed smooth ground to land or take off. I knew a guy with a Sky Pup, another great flier, but also hard to transport if needed, decent landing gear though. NOTHING beat the Pterodactyl UL for off airport/rough terrain ops, and it still transported on a car top! We Dac pilots were flying multi thousand solo XC's, while other UL pilots stayed in the pattern. The first to fly coast to coast, unassisted, mine is on the cover of the Aug. '83 National Geographic. Good video, well done!
I found you in an image search... cool! external-content.duckduckgo.com/iu/?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.pdfmagaz.in%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2013%2F12%2F22%2Fnational-geographic-magazine-1983-08-august%2FNational-Geographic-Magazine-1983-08-August.jpg&f=1&nofb=1&ipt=1634f1e222e9e0a459537e94c15ae76ceec54061a54df77cb3239885106a9875&ipo=images
I saw it all go down. The thing is the Lazair has survived to this day in numbers which is quite remarkable and the true test of the survival of the fittest. My Lazair SN#883 was built in 1984 and is still in flying condition. It can fly tomorrow if I want.
I always had a thing for the Caproni Pensuti Triplanino. Arguably the original ultralight. Their marketing was "It does for air travel what pushbikes do for ground travel."
My favourite ultralight is the Gemini Thruster, before they enclosed the cockpits. Reason? Cos they had side by side seating, which is very helpful for instructing, so you can see the student's face.
A couple who are friends told me about his experience with his ultralight that he bought. He figured out how to take off and fly but did many circles around their house before figuring out how to get back down.
I clearly remember that 20/20 episode! I was a teenager and I recorded it in our new VCR. I'll never forget the image of the reporter who folded the wings on the Pterodactyl and fell to the ground, for all of us to see 😢
I was a very active Dac dealer and flier then, and that reporter had no idea how to fly, he got into PIO's (pilot induced occilations) and flew a perfectly good UL into the ground. That was the beginning of my wakeup as to how the news media can distort facts! Especially those about aviation.
@@portnuefflyer I thought I remembered seeing that they discovered the brace cables were looped and swaged through a flat strap with no thimbles. When he PIO'd that was what failed. He was a GA pilot. The transition to UL is daunting if you're used to heavier machines. I fly both. Watching that report as a young student pilot shook me up pretty good.
I built a propane powered gyrocopter for an FFA/Shop project in high school. It flew really well but ran out of propane quick. I have a paraplane now and it's really cool. I'm going to look for plans for some of these. You have some electric options that would be really great for a smaller plane giving you a huge jump in hp.
1978 bought a used ultra light 3 hpr that had landing guarda added! Could not get more than a few feet off the ground. ❤ Want to try again now at 68 years.
There were many other great designs that didn't make the list. I was flying a Pterodactyl Pfledge. . There was also Easy-Riser, Weedhopper, and Quicksilver among others. We had some hang glider experience and learned to fly it from the instruction book.
No doubt! There's a ton of great ultralights from that era, I simply picked 5 I personally found fascinating (certainly not a definitive list). But you'll be happy to know I've got a dedicated video on the history of the Easy Riser in the works! (for 2025)
@@aircraftadventures-vids It was an exciting era for ultralights. The 'Fly-In' events back then were huge with hundreds of planes showing up to Porterville or Lake Elsinore. I'm looking forward to your video. There were always plenty of Easy Risers present. At Porterville in 1980 There was a flyer there who was foot launching a ER. I saw one once with a mini jet. At a time when many of the designs were rather crude, the strong, fast, and very lightweight Easy Risers seemed quite elegant.
I remember watching these fly all over east county San Diego in the 80s. I wanted one so much after I learned you didn't need a pilot's license, but my mom said, "You aren't even 14 yet, you can't drive a car (legally) and you want to FLY a plane?" I rebutted, "It's NOT a plane, Mom, it's an ultralight!" No, I didn't get one for Christmas or my birthday, but Dad made me clean the pool each week to "Give me time to think about my ridiculous wish to fly to school and back"... whic was my ultimate attempt to get them to say yes, "Think of it Mom! You won't have to get up at five in the morning to drive me to water polo practice!"
I've wondered about the newer electric ultralights too; I've seen a few youtubers make them, some even having photovoltaics in the wings with basic DC-DC MPPT controllers to keep batteries charged.
There's been a couple of Lazairs converted to electric engines and it seems to be a great platform for it (high lift and good glide ratio). Not sure sure if would be suitable for the other designs though.
Back in the late 80's I got the ultralight bug and bought a used Weedhopper. Did some ground testing and small hops in it but the carb needed replacing and the wife threatened divorce if I kept at it, so away it went. I wish I hadn't, I loved that thing and loved flying in friends ultralights. In fact, I had looked at a first gen KOLB ultralight that had two tiny chainsaw engines like the Lazair, but I was too heavy at 190 lbs, the guy I was looking to buy it from was a tiny older guy.
I was in touch with him briefly through the internet years ago on some Lazair things. Seemed like a nice guy. That area up there was a hotbed of Lazair and other ultralight flying activity from what I understand. The guys up there apparently did a lot of float flying.
Like this video on vintage ultralights? Leave your thoughts below. You’ll also like: Business Jets So Bad…They’re Awesome! ruclips.net/video/hLCBX6F0AFk/видео.html The Plane that Turns Backyards into Runways ruclips.net/video/RdFZ8qtEiq8/видео.html
Another little beauty was the mark 2 Webber scout was a bit of a hit early 70 s in Australia we had one where I worked in WA was going to fix it up but left it in the hanger. They were the first ultralight to get airworthy cert in Australia.
G'day, You're almost right mate. Not "Webber". Ron Wheeler was the bloke who was importing Tweetie Hang Gliders, and in 1975 he put a Victa 120 onto a Tweetie, with Wheels and a Seat. Backtrack me to my Personal Aeroplanology Playlist, therein to see 2 videos - "The 8-Hp, 1975, Red Baron Skycraft Scout...; World's 1st Legal Minimum Aircraft !", and "National Transportation Museum ; Visiting My First Aeroplane...!" It took me for my first Solo in November 1978, it was my first Aeroplane, I was it's third owner - and I took it for it's last flight ; so I suppose I got a bit hung up on them as a "Marque", trying to keep it all straight in my head. If ever you're going through Inverell, they have the Red Baron Scout chained up to the Roof. The Museum is on Rifle- Range Road. Have a good one... Stay safe. ;-p Ciao !
Takes time, money...plus passion, a bit of courage, and some space to fly them. Love your channel name, as you would imagine from my channel avatar. (I'm a biker too, own a Softail)
I remember seeing the news report on ultralight aircraft when the camera was focused in on the reporter, an ultralight (cable supported) in the background folded up in flight and gravity called it back to earth.
Seems there could be a resurrection of the ultralight with the integration of some the stabilization technology used in RC models and quadcopters, along with electric power plants, new materials, etc.
I've always wanted to build an ultralight but don't have access to any safe fields to take off from. Tons of ponds and lakes to choose from though, but amphibious ultralights are even rarer than regular ultralights
The rigid wing hang glider. Was called the Icarus 2. I saw it back then, as I was also a hangglider. We all laughed and said it will never fly Orville. 😅
On a related note, I will be working on a new video exclusively on John Moody and how he took an Icarus and kicked off the ultralight movement (or rather, was one of the pioneers at least)
I've skydived from many ultralights. My favorite being the Sabre Trike. Very easy to get out of safely. Also liked jumping from the Kit Fox. I started taking lessons on the trike because I had years of hang gliding under my belt already. Seemed like an easy transition and it was. So now that I'm retired from both sports, I'm looking at buying a trike. Fun history but where is the Quicksilver in this list?
It's definitely not a comprehensive nor absolute list. If you read the comments, there's a ton of really cool machines from that era. I picked 5 that I thought were really interesting, but not necessarily the best or the first in anything.
@@aircraftadventures-vids Yes you did a great job of it too. The Quicksilver was the real forerunner of the crowd though. Hey maybe to another video showing later ultralights. Or have you already done that?
Peter Corley was doing multiple loops in the Lazair when the early weight shift Quicksilvers were lucky to get up and back down in one piece. Watched it firsthand, need no revised history lesson.
My point is that in 1980 at the Tullahoma, Tennessee Fly-in Peter Corley was doing multiple consecutive loops in a Lazair Series I when the Quicksilvers could barely get airborne (15hp Yamaha) and remain in control. The Quicksilver was the forerunner of nothing but they quickly evolved in to a viable Ultralight once the weight shift was dropped in favor of 2-axis (with wing spoliers) and then true 3-axis control (ailerons). The Lazair however was 3-axis from its inception.
Had a boss that had a taylor craft that We flew all over the place. Dont know if was considered an untralight but We would lift it up and move it around so We could take off
What a shock: The risk averse 'journalists' of ABC ran a piece about UL aviation that no doubt exaggerated the risks, putting people off to what must be a thrilling hobby.
It's insane that you need to register with the FAA and have a license to fly RC aircraft, but not to fly a micro light, which is a real aircraft that ppl fly in, seems kind of messed up. I mean, don't get me wrong, I understand why the FAA felt it necessary to make RC flying more regulated.
I could be off but could be because r/c flying might happen in more populated areas with higher risk to those in the vicinity (not to mention curious onlookers who typically hang out at r/c runways)
Great video🎉 Suggestions: turn up the narration audio and turn down the engine audio just a little. *I had to keep adjusting my phone audio over the video but seriously I think this content is great 👍
@@aircraftadventures-vids lol I was suggesting you reach out to DIehl about trying to get their build plans so we can keep the XTC alive. Would be a shame to not to preserve whatever we can of it and possible have someone like airdrome start making kits of it again.
@@TrueHelpTV Ah ok gotcha. As it turns out I actually did interview Diehl a few years ago when I was fascinated about the XTC and did an IG post on it. Never crossed my mind to ask about plans though.
@@aircraftadventures-vids well I clearly have zero financial motivation.. I just fear a day comes when they themselves aren't around to share and articulate the magic.. It would be a rare gift to the community if you could befreind that legend to pass on the love and legacy to whomever is willing to take the risk. For instance.. you can still make the plans open to everyone but setup some sorta plans so the people who get it at first rights to it commercially for a period to prove financial concepts whilst still making it open to us brave fools who wanna go for it solo =p haha i ramble but you get the point. the world would be better having those plans out there finally
Both my lazairs made it in the video :) I bought lazair jaunts series 2 and own the Dacron white series 1, I also have a bunch of skycraft scouts, should do a video on them, worlds first legal ultralight I have one with a 24hp hirth thats has a crazy climb rate and an original mk3 on floats
Can you imagine a Lazair with 50hp (2 x 25hp KFM 107). It was called the LazairSS and the Police in Monterrey Park, CA tested it. It now hangs in the Smithsonian.
@@ChrisDrake-fn7nu I remember the editor of Low and Slow was going thru a divorce at one point, and the rag started to veer off into him rambling about his ordeal with all that, a few issues were MOSTLY about that, or so it seemed! Joe something I think was his name. Joe Faust??
I had an Elipper Quicksilver weight shift exactly like the one AT 12:01 - !2:05 in the mid 80's same color and all and man was it fun to fly, But at the time with 5 small children I read the odds and sold it to a guy. He wrecked it on his first flight the same evening he bought it. He didn't get killed but stoved himself up pretty good. I flew it about 50 hours or so ,,
I would argue with you in that after 3,000hrs of combined 2-stroke Ultralight flying hours I’ve had 2 in-flight failures. Those failures resulted in uneventful safe landings. I could have prevented those 2 failures had I been paying better attention. I’m going flying in the morning (12-30-24) with 2-strokes and I have complete confidence. What are you doing ?
I've wanted to fly my whole life, i have 30 hours in a Cessna 172, but i always wanted to build an ultralight. like the dragonfly, or badlands aircraft, but never had the funds. don't sleep on your dreams. you'll get to old before you know it 😅.
Don't tempt me! I'm fortunate to live part of the year in Kefalonia (a mountainous Greek island) I've long been tempted to build an ultralight or invest in a paragliding rig as my primary transport... knowing the locals I'd either get locked-up day one or ignored as "That daft English man." So far my will to life a little longer has overcome need for fun.
could one of these be adapted to a WIG craft? I would like to traverse Puget Sound WA and fly up to British Columbia's Salish Sea. I am afraid of altitude though. please make a vid about kit WIG
I had to look up that term, lol. I don't know of any small homebuilt WIGs but I did spot a video from Australia with a guy who is doing exactly that. I think it's a 2-seater with a small pusher engine. Just not sure if it's a one-off thing or if he's planning to market it.
Many years ago, I was at an EAA meeting and someone was trying to get rid of the Wingding. He was hoping someone would put it back together for static display. It was in pieces, and the plywood fuselage had delaminated. Price was 15 dollars, and the seller got no takers.
The skypup is based for not having ailerons. They literally only exist for crosswinds otherwise kick the rudder and let the plane naturally find its stability
![I.N "HALLUCINATION" | [Stray Kids : SKZ-PLAYER]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/n5B5q1Hwt_U/mqdefault.jpg)
In finest American tradition, my grandfather built an American Eagle in his front yard. My mother's story of her second flight in it (no instruction, of course) and getting stuck in a steep turn and having to figure out how to weight shift her way out of it while my grandmother was standing in the cow pasture having a fit and my grandfather was laughing is quite a story. Circa Christmas 1980.
They don't build em like the used to! (both ultralights and people, that is). That's wild!
everyone these days is obsessed with formal educations and bubble wrapped safety to do anything lol prolly a good idea cause that stuff is dangerous as heck but on the other hand a lot of that comes from the same folks that thought 3 wheelers were to dangerous and wanted em banned lol
@@batbutonfire You forget that people back then had common sense and could be trusted to fly ultralights with little or no instruction.
@@spankyjeffro5320in some countries this sport is still alive and well
I was completely surprised when I saw the amount of plans for building small boats available in the US. It turned out that Americans in their garages build not only boats but also airplanes, motorcycles and everything else where only imagination is the limit. I admire the American DIY spirit
I swear to goodness that I will never, ever buy any product or support at all any company that interrupts my RUclips videos.
What you are really saying is that you will never support any company that allows the content creators to earn a little bit of money.
Content creators earning money is not a problem, it’s just the platform gotten greedy and squeezing so much ads, it’s making it unwatchable and putting off the viewers.
Ads? Didn't see any. Must be because I prefern solving problems instead of complaining.
Access is key; I'll pay the £12, UK, if I can afford it . I'll watch the adverts if I can't. !
I miss the downloads, and queuing viewing.
I love you tube. ! It suggested this video for me, totally out of context, brilliant suggestion, during a documentary troll of the ice age. Brilliant, and it knows how to change the oil filter on my car. - and the rear number plate bulb!!
You wouldn’t have your beloved RUclips without the ads
I'll never forget the day in the mid 80s when an ultralight, I have no idea what kind) landed on Lake Mead Parkway, in Henderson, NV to fill up with gas at the only gas station I bought my petrol at for my '78 Trans Am, because they sold boat gas. Seeing that little plane land, fill up, & take off was the coolest thing I'd ever seen.💖
That certainly would have a been a sight!
You do realize they do this in Alaska every day.. right. Years ago a guy on a cross country out of Alaska landed on a Highway in Louisiana looking for gas and stoopid people got all excited.
@@shannonwhitaker9630 you do realize this is less common outside of Alaska.. right
You do realize it’s legal in Montana…right..?
Well build about Six of m and the goldwing was the worstquicksilver better condor Adam einst
With so many lame ‘aviation' channels around, I thought yours deserved some kudos, Thanks!
Wow, thanks! 👍👍👍
It is great fun that you included scenes from my RUclips videos, showing me and my friend flying our B10 and U2. Carl Hyllander, Stockholm, Sweden
I dig the Dingo! Kudos to the team who revamped the original!
Indeed, looks great!
The Skypup is still being built there is a pretty active group on Facebook. For years plans were unavailable but the designers son has recently started selling them again. The pup has always been one of my dream planes. Great video
Thanks for that update! Glad to know there's more pups going to be flying around
Plans for the Shy Pup light aircraft
Where?
I love ultralights I wish I could have one.
I bought a powered parachute (six chuter) for 6G, used it 14 months & resold for 6G. Only loss of $ was training & a few gauges. Fun Experience!
I have a la moette with a Zenoah g25 motor and a 33m Apco wing I’ll sell for cheap
Flew old weightshift ultralights back in the 80s - all with reinforced hangglider wings. Lov❤d it, and have lots of happy memeories. Going in for landing just as the sun sets, on a calm summer evening - nothing beats that.
Glad you enjoyed it!
I remember watching an older pilot pull his twin engine ultralight out of the hanger onto the field and reaching up and pull starting each engine. He rumbled down the field and off into the wild blue yonder.
It might have well been a Lazair. Not many other twin engine ultralights.
The earliest Kolbs were twin engined with Solo engines as well as the early Airmass Sunburst with twin direct drive Solo 210’s. Later versions of the Sunburst used a single Cuyuna. Zenair also briefly produced the Zenair Zipper with twin JPX 20hp engines. The original Zipper flew with just one JPX.
@@shannonwhitaker9630Good memory. That Kolb ('Flyer' I think) impressed me so much that I bought a Kolb Twinstar kit years later, also a great 'flyer'.
There was also the Gemini Hummingbird that originally had a couple of Chainsaw motors and later the Solo 210’s.
In recent times Brian Austein (RIP) developed the twin engined “Lightning Bug” that used a couple of DLE engines.
These are brilliant. The idea I could take to the sky without a license, amazing
you still can! Pt 103 rules still exist. And I feel the Dingo is the top candidate to bringing back real simple flying.
Those magnificent men and their flying machines.
Would have been a great soundtrack to the video
You’re an excellent commentator. Theres passion in your delivery, but it’s…calming. It’s always great listening to someone who has passion and a lot of knowledge on a subject, but most get too excited in doing so, while you make it enjoyable. Thats a real talent. Keep making aviation videos!
Thank you! I really enjoy the research and production, but much less so the voiceover and honestly I don't think my delivery stacks up compared to other channels (but impostor syndrome has always followed me). Thanks for the kind words!
@@aircraftadventures-vidsYou too? I always cringe when I hear my recorded voice. Great vid btw.
@@aircraftadventures-vids Yeah, but seriously, you might want to work on that "have went" that showed up at the 2:30 mark.
@@aircraftadventures-vidsI’m just glad you don’t use AI voice that can’t pronounce words. I saw a Civil War video today that pronounced JEB Stuart as “Jay E Bee Stuart”.
*Thank You!* Decade pasts I wanted to build an airplane but you know the story: money, wife, kids, house, and the rest. This video came up on my feed. I totally forgot about the Skypup. The plans are now in pdf form and public. That's my project for 2025. Many thanks. EAA Chapter 55 here I come!
That warms my heart! Thanks for watching and glad it lit the spark. Be safe, and let's build! 👍
I love ultralights & am considering my 1st build, despite my PPL. Liking that Dingo, a lot....
Me too! It really checks all the boxes for me. Might be in my future.
@@aircraftadventures-vidsIs the Dingo 3 axis?
@@JETHO321 Yes, full-span ailerons.
The Dingo looks like it might take to a convertible (removable) enclosed cockpit or even a dodger.
Living in Michigan, the ultra-light season is just too short.
Heat might even be pumped in from the engine cooling shrouds.
@@Peter-jo3wt I live in Florida, where you could ride open cockpit all year round (well, except in hurricane's lol). Sadly I live in the most densely populated area of the state where it would be suicidal to own one.
Very cool! This channel is a hidden gem in its own right.
Thank you!
@@aircraftadventures-vids You're welcome!
What a beautiful video and narration. This was so fun to watch. I am long in love with the Ding Dang (or something) and even more so with the now called Dingo. What a beauty! I am going to Google it now. Thanks again!
Hey thanks for the feedback, much appreciated! Yeah that Dingo looks really promising. Am hoping to see it in action at Oshkosh next year!
@@aircraftadventures-vids Hey, we have been already this year and we are going to be there in 2025! Hope you stop by :)
I remember a Whing Ding trying to get off the ground at El Mirage (1986?). Exactly like you said, he could never get out of ground effect. So delighted someone has made it into a biplane that will fly!
I still have a set of original Whing Ding plans I bought in the early 1970s. It was the stuff of dreams. I later built and flew a Nieuport 11 replica.
I know! It's true seat of the pants flying but the margins are much better with the Dingo.
I have owned 2 ultralights in the past. A Wizard J3B and a Lazair with the 9.5 hp engines. Both awesome aircraft.
I'd love to have a Lazair on floats!
Ultra lights are great , Thx for the video , I built one called a woodhopper years ago then got the Skypup plans but never built it , having kids and building a house got in the way , I still drool over the plans from time to time but to old to fly now
You’re never too old. 30yrs ago would have been better but the next best thing is starting To-morrow
While not as unique as the planes in this video, I did get up flying my Quicksilver MX today, despite temperature in the 30's. The Quicksimvers have been a major factor in ultalights since the mid 80's.
Thanks for the great video!
I cant get past the lawn chair with wings look.
The Quicksilver was a real game-changer and probably the biggest name in the game. This video was more about the obscure models even pilots don't know about. Thanks for watching!
@@JETHO321 The trick is "sit in it" then push the throttle forward, gain speed, feel it get light, lift off and FLY!
@@chuckinwyoming8526I imagine theh are just fine functionally. I just dont like the appearance for the most part. I need to have an enclosed fuselage.
I fly all the time in my Lazair in 30 degree temps. I have a pod and windscreen to cut the wind and some good clothing. It’s just a matter of how determined one is to fly I suppose.
I remember seeing a add for the Wing Ding in the back of Flying Magazine back in the mid 70's. Totaly forgot about it but as a kid I thought it was cool as hell.
Well, it's back, sort of. An improved version with the Dingo!
I have the plans for the wing ding! If my cancer don’t get me , I’m going to build it.
Very well done, I flew ultra lights for 20 years never got hurt
Thank you! My ultralight experience was brief but unforgettable, I flew formation in Rio de Janeiro with another ultralight over the beach. Fun!
I flew a couple of days ago. Didn’t get hurt. I may do it again.
To be fair, it’s not like the guys who died in their ultralights can come on here and refute you haha
@thecitizenchan You're right, I witnessed two fatalities and another acquaintance was killed doing aerobatics oh and another acquaintance (Bob Bailey) died earlier this year doing a test flight and he had been an ultralight pilot for 52 years. And of course hundreds of hang glider pilots (who are also ultralight pilots) died in the '70s and '80s as equipment and training were in their infancy. But safety got better, in fact I've seen two parachute deployments so that saved another two lives!
@@aircraftadventures-vids
*"I flew formation in Rio de Janeiro"*
As a flight instructor at a flying club based in Rio, flying over the beaches was standard operating procedure. I often saw it as the best office view in the world. But I flew airplanes, not ultralights. I did on occasion go up with buddies in their ultralights, flying low & slow over the beaches. Loads of fun. Thanks for the flashback.
After i seen ultralights i immediately thought of lawn chairs with wings and how id love to have one or even make one id love one thats capable of 70 and strong enough for stunts but just flying any one of these would be awesome i just imagine flying over the river would be so fun
I'd love to own one, especially a Dingo. Sadly I live in an urban jungle (south florida) and no decent place to fly it.
Just about to finish my Lazair rebuild with two DLE 170M engines. The only thing left to do it break the engines in and find some property to fly from since we have more water than land here in South Louisiana. Designing a mono-float to fly from water in case I can't get permission to use some land away from everyone. With lawsuits being a common practice these days, liability is the main issue.
That's awesome about the Lazair! And man I hope you find yourself a good place to fly it. I'd never in a millions years own one where I live in South Florida, with all the urban sprawl everywhere.
An old friend of mine back in NH was Terry Sweeney, one of the original innovators of chainsaw powered hang gliders. Even had a band called "Sweeney's Glider". Mid 1970's. Would love to see a documentary on this genius.
I'm not familiar with the name, but I am planning a documentary on John Moody and the Easy Riser. Will look it up.
I believe Dale Kramer purchased some motors from Ed Sweeney. I could be wrong.
The earliest airplanes were ultralights. Plenty of ultralight development before the 70s.
Yes but they were one-offs. The new generation of ultralights sought to bring flight to the "masses", by providing either blueprints or kits.
@aircraftadventures-vids tons of ultralight plans in circulation in the 1950s and 60s.
The Wright Brothers Model B was the first mass produced Ultralight made from 1910-14.
Thank you for promoting ultralights and aviation in general.
Ha ha! True! The Wright Flier would fully qualify as an ultralight if Rotax could send an engine back to 1903!
Back in the 1980's I flew my Eipper Quicksilver MX all around south Florida and had many great adventures.
Where in South Florida? Just curious, because in the south florida I live in today there's not 1 sq.ft that doesn't have a condo built on it!
Looking at Google Earth, and a small part of the original field is still there but the road that surrounded our flight building is all built up now.
Great Video mate. Loved it!
Glad you enjoyed it!
That was another excellent video! Nicely done! The very last shot of the Lazair was at the King George Airpark, in Surrey, BC, Canada. It is where I had my first every small aircraft flight, in a Rans S-7.
My Dad would take me to the airpark all the time and I'd always enjoy checking out all of the unique ultralights. I remember one windy day seeing a Lazair flying backwards.
King George was reportedly a Lazair hot spot !
At 1:08 that’s MY LAZAIR II !☺️ I painted the prop tips yellow as I couldn’t see the prop ends in certain light conditions. 😊
Look sharp! I Love the Lazair btw
I built two different Lazairs.
At our ultralight flyin at Harvey Young Airport, we had an ultralight race. A course was set up. It took approximately two minutes to make a lap. We had ultralights of all kinds. Some had 40 hp.
Each ultralight flew two laps timed from the ground.
My little Lazair, with two 5 and a half hp pioneer chain saw engines smoked everyone there and was first by a significant margin. We were killing them in the turns.
That's wild!
Pretty cool. I watched a Lazair with 40Hp challenged to climb contest out climb a King Cobra with 503.
the lazair is very cool looking. don’t see very many ruddervators anymore, and i thought they had to have an anti servo on them. the more you know.
this is a great video nice job man !
Thank you!
I flew in a UL contest with Dale Kramer, the designer of the Lazair, it was a super efficient wing and had a great glide and sink rate, totaly unlike other UL's at the time. The contest involved both of us taking off, with a set amount of fuel onboard (can't remember how much, but very little) climbing up to 1,000', and then the last one to land won! He beat me so bad, he rubbed it in on the way down by doing some dead stick loops! My Pterodactyl was a great flier and no one else beat me but him. the Mitchell Wing was another way ahead of it's time design, I saw him foot launch it as a glider, and as compared to the standard hang gliders of the day it was no contest at all! BUT, like the Lazair, a huge PITA to tranport and it needed smooth ground to land or take off. I knew a guy with a Sky Pup, another great flier, but also hard to transport if needed, decent landing gear though. NOTHING beat the Pterodactyl UL for off airport/rough terrain ops, and it still transported on a car top! We Dac pilots were flying multi thousand solo XC's, while other UL pilots stayed in the pattern. The first to fly coast to coast, unassisted, mine is on the cover of the Aug. '83 National Geographic. Good video, well done!
I found you in an image search... cool!
external-content.duckduckgo.com/iu/?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.pdfmagaz.in%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2013%2F12%2F22%2Fnational-geographic-magazine-1983-08-august%2FNational-Geographic-Magazine-1983-08-August.jpg&f=1&nofb=1&ipt=1634f1e222e9e0a459537e94c15ae76ceec54061a54df77cb3239885106a9875&ipo=images
Wow, you really lived in the early times of ultralighting, that sounds exciting. Thanks for your input.
I would love to hear more of your adventures. Would it be possible to email you?
I saw it all go down. The thing is the Lazair has survived to this day in numbers which is quite remarkable and the true test of the survival of the fittest. My Lazair SN#883 was built in 1984 and is still in flying condition. It can fly tomorrow if I want.
I have a Lazair 2 and love it. I upgraded to two 15 hp motors so it gets off the ground pretty quick (for a low and slow)
What engines are you using ?
this is an awesome video, thank you.
Glad you liked it!
Wow those are pretty cool deathtraps😂
Or, fun-traps, if you make it out alive!
I fly around more than pretty much anyone in my area in my deathtrap. The Sky is clear and life is good. Me and the Buzzards have it all.
Yes, that plane looks perfectly legit. 👌 Have fun with that. 😆
Slow cheap and fun sounds like my formula for a successful date night😂
As long the date isn't a death-trap!
Great video! Keep it up
Thank you! Appreciate it
I always had a thing for the Caproni Pensuti Triplanino. Arguably the original ultralight.
Their marketing was "It does for air travel what pushbikes do for ground travel."
Nice video, thanks for your efforts
Thanks for watching!
My favourite ultralight is the Gemini Thruster, before they enclosed the cockpits. Reason? Cos they had side by side seating, which is very helpful for instructing, so you can see the student's face.
A couple who are friends told me about his experience with his ultralight that he bought.
He figured out how to take off and fly but did many circles around their house before figuring out how to get back down.
Yikes! Truth is that's how many learned to fly. But the reality is you still need good instruction, if you can legally fly w/o the license.
I clearly remember that 20/20 episode! I was a teenager and I recorded it in our new VCR. I'll never forget the image of the reporter who folded the wings on the Pterodactyl and fell to the ground, for all of us to see 😢
I never watched it, just heard about it and could not find anything to download, but perhaps it best I don't watch it.
VCR, still have an early 80's Curtis Mathes.
I was a very active Dac dealer and flier then, and that reporter had no idea how to fly, he got into PIO's (pilot induced occilations) and flew a perfectly good UL into the ground. That was the beginning of my wakeup as to how the news media can distort facts! Especially those about aviation.
@@portnuefflyer I thought I remembered seeing that they discovered the brace cables were looped and swaged through a flat strap with no thimbles. When he PIO'd that was what failed. He was a GA pilot. The transition to UL is daunting if you're used to heavier machines. I fly both. Watching that report as a young student pilot shook me up pretty good.
I built a propane powered gyrocopter for an FFA/Shop project in high school. It flew really well but ran out of propane quick. I have a paraplane now and it's really cool. I'm going to look for plans for some of these. You have some electric options that would be really great for a smaller plane giving you a huge jump in hp.
Propane powered? It was r/c or you actually flew? That's wild!
I grew up on an airport and our next door neighbor had a lazair. He flew it quite a bit and it was pretty neat aircraft.
You should have seen a Lazair equipped with 2 25hp KFM 107 engines ( Same engine that powered the XTC).
1978 bought a used ultra light 3 hpr that had landing guarda added! Could not get more than a few feet off the ground. ❤ Want to try again now at 68 years.
Fascinating 😊
Great historic tour! Want to fly one day in St Paul Minnesota. Tried buying a used glider in 1978. Wheels added so it wouldn't fly hardly at all.
Thank you!
Most of these designs assure that the pilot would be the first to the scene of a crash!
True, but the crash happens in slow motion (well, compared to a normal plane at least)
Just hop out and run away from the crash if you're worried about it
1500hrs and I’m still not on-scene of the crash but I’m trying. You however will be on-scene of the couch which is good and safe.
Can't forget the Pterodactyl ultralight.....I think I enjoyed it the most out of any aircraft I ever owned.
Loved The Gods Must Be Crazy 2 movie meme for the first one.
I need to rewatch that movie. I'd seen part I a million times, but part II only once.
There were many other great designs that didn't make the list. I was flying a Pterodactyl Pfledge. . There was also Easy-Riser, Weedhopper, and Quicksilver among others. We had some hang glider experience and learned to fly it from the instruction book.
No doubt! There's a ton of great ultralights from that era, I simply picked 5 I personally found fascinating (certainly not a definitive list). But you'll be happy to know I've got a dedicated video on the history of the Easy Riser in the works! (for 2025)
@@aircraftadventures-vids It was an exciting era for ultralights. The 'Fly-In' events back then were huge with hundreds of planes showing up to Porterville or Lake Elsinore. I'm looking forward to your video. There were always plenty of Easy Risers present. At Porterville in 1980 There was a flyer there who was foot launching a ER. I saw one once with a mini jet. At a time when many of the designs were rather crude, the strong, fast, and very lightweight Easy Risers seemed quite elegant.
I flew and liked the Kasperwing in the 80s, the Dragonfly in the 90s.
Kasperwing! I recall that one. Nice
The Kasperwing could do the “Mush”. Power off vertical wings level controlled decent.
I remember watching these fly all over east county San Diego in the 80s. I wanted one so much after I learned you didn't need a pilot's license, but my mom said, "You aren't even 14 yet, you can't drive a car (legally) and you want to FLY a plane?"
I rebutted, "It's NOT a plane, Mom, it's an ultralight!"
No, I didn't get one for Christmas or my birthday, but Dad made me clean the pool each week to "Give me time to think about my ridiculous wish to fly to school and back"... whic was my ultimate attempt to get them to say yes, "Think of it Mom! You won't have to get up at five in the morning to drive me to water polo practice!"
Hey, you tried!
I've wondered about the newer electric ultralights too; I've seen a few youtubers make them, some even having photovoltaics in the wings with basic DC-DC MPPT controllers to keep batteries charged.
There's been a couple of Lazairs converted to electric engines and it seems to be a great platform for it (high lift and good glide ratio). Not sure sure if would be suitable for the other designs though.
Electric powered Lazairs are simply proof that the great design has lived into times where things make no sense.
Back in the late 80's I got the ultralight bug and bought a used Weedhopper. Did some ground testing and small hops in it but the carb needed replacing and the wife threatened divorce if I kept at it, so away it went. I wish I hadn't, I loved that thing and loved flying in friends ultralights. In fact, I had looked at a first gen KOLB ultralight that had two tiny chainsaw engines like the Lazair, but I was too heavy at 190 lbs, the guy I was looking to buy it from was a tiny older guy.
The Lazair will fly you at 190lbs quite well with 9.5hp Rotax 185cc engines and Prince 34x10 props. Performance isn’t stellar but more than adequate.
Thanks for using my video clip of the white Lazair 3:10-3:17 “All Right” is me a very long time ago .
In White Rock B.C. Canada ❤
You have a great life Sir 😊
Robert Barron should still have a Lazair lol
@@shannonwhitaker9630
He probably does quite a few hangers on his uncles field . Him and I where friends but political work problem’s pulled us apart
I was in touch with him briefly through the internet years ago on some Lazair things. Seemed like a nice guy. That area up there was a hotbed of Lazair and other ultralight flying activity from what I understand. The guys up there apparently did a lot of float flying.
merci
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Okay, I'm going to have to make myself a carbon fiber electric Wingding.
I got some e-bike motors laying around.
Another little beauty was the mark 2 Webber scout was a bit of a hit early 70 s in Australia we had one where I worked in WA was going to fix it up but left it in the hanger. They were the first ultralight to get airworthy cert in Australia.
G'day,
You're almost right mate.
Not "Webber".
Ron Wheeler was the bloke who was importing Tweetie Hang Gliders, and in 1975 he put a Victa 120 onto a Tweetie, with Wheels and a Seat.
Backtrack me to my
Personal Aeroplanology Playlist, therein to see 2 videos -
"The 8-Hp, 1975, Red Baron Skycraft Scout...; World's 1st Legal Minimum Aircraft !",
and
"National Transportation Museum ; Visiting My First Aeroplane...!"
It took me for my first Solo in November 1978, it was my first Aeroplane, I was it's third owner - and I took it for it's last flight ; so I suppose I got a bit hung up on them as a "Marque", trying to keep it all straight in my head.
If ever you're going through Inverell, they have the Red Baron Scout chained up to the Roof. The Museum is on Rifle- Range Road.
Have a good one...
Stay safe.
;-p
Ciao !
I remember them coming out my step dad wanted to get one .
Great video! Subscribed!
Thank you!!
I wanted to build an ultralight for years. Someday I'll have the time and the money.
Takes time, money...plus passion, a bit of courage, and some space to fly them. Love your channel name, as you would imagine from my channel avatar. (I'm a biker too, own a Softail)
I remember seeing the news report on ultralight aircraft when the camera was focused in on the reporter, an ultralight (cable supported) in the background folded up in flight and gravity called it back to earth.
Seems there could be a resurrection of the ultralight with the integration of some the stabilization technology used in RC models and quadcopters, along with electric power plants, new materials, etc.
There is a growing industry developing "electric motorcycles" and the like using drone tech, but you could never really consider them ultralights.
I've always wanted to build an ultralight but don't have access to any safe fields to take off from. Tons of ponds and lakes to choose from though, but amphibious ultralights are even rarer than regular ultralights
That would be the best! And most ultralights you can simply adapt to floats, you don't need an amphibious ultralight.
1:08 am I tweaking? Are thos two props stacked?
Yup! That's exactly what they did to take advantage of their inventory of tiny props. Somehow, it worked.
The rigid wing hang glider. Was called the Icarus 2. I saw it back then, as I was also a hangglider. We all laughed and said it will never fly Orville. 😅
On a related note, I will be working on a new video exclusively on John Moody and how he took an Icarus and kicked off the ultralight movement (or rather, was one of the pioneers at least)
I've skydived from many ultralights. My favorite being the Sabre Trike. Very easy to get out of safely. Also liked jumping from the Kit Fox. I started taking lessons on the trike because I had years of hang gliding under my belt already. Seemed like an easy transition and it was. So now that I'm retired from both sports, I'm looking at buying a trike. Fun history but where is the Quicksilver in this list?
It's definitely not a comprehensive nor absolute list. If you read the comments, there's a ton of really cool machines from that era. I picked 5 that I thought were really interesting, but not necessarily the best or the first in anything.
@@aircraftadventures-vids Yes you did a great job of it too. The Quicksilver was the real forerunner of the crowd though. Hey maybe to another video showing later ultralights. Or have you already done that?
Peter Corley was doing multiple loops in the Lazair when the early weight shift Quicksilvers were lucky to get up and back down in one piece. Watched it firsthand, need no revised history lesson.
@@shannonwhitaker9630 And your point is?
My point is that in 1980 at the Tullahoma, Tennessee Fly-in Peter Corley was doing multiple consecutive loops in a Lazair Series I when the Quicksilvers could barely get airborne (15hp Yamaha) and remain in control. The Quicksilver was the forerunner of nothing but they quickly evolved in to a viable Ultralight once the weight shift was dropped in favor of 2-axis (with wing spoliers) and then true 3-axis control (ailerons). The Lazair however was 3-axis from its inception.
I want a DIngo.
same!
Had a boss that had a taylor craft that We flew all over the place. Dont know if was considered an untralight but We would lift it up and move it around so We could take off
Not quite an ultralight...but it Is ultra light, lol. For sure, they look real fun.
Piper cub 1 seater. aluminum tubing ,pallet wraping plastic,and plexiglass cockpit window
What a shock: The risk averse 'journalists' of ABC ran a piece about UL aviation that no doubt exaggerated the risks, putting people off to what must be a thrilling hobby.
Australian Broadcasting Company.
They got a journalist killed in the making of that smear piece.
It's insane that you need to register with the FAA and have a license to fly RC aircraft, but not to fly a micro light, which is a real aircraft that ppl fly in, seems kind of messed up. I mean, don't get me wrong, I understand why the FAA felt it necessary to make RC flying more regulated.
I could be off but could be because r/c flying might happen in more populated areas with higher risk to those in the vicinity (not to mention curious onlookers who typically hang out at r/c runways)
You do not need to do any of that, civil disobedience always wins
Great video🎉
Suggestions: turn up the narration audio and turn down the engine audio just a little.
*I had to keep adjusting my phone audio over the video but seriously I think this content is great 👍
Thank you, I'm hard at work trying to improve the technical side. Work in progress, and thank you for watching!
Fantastic Video..
Wish I'd made popcorn
*I've talked to the inventor of the XTC, and tried for years to get the build plans -of- _off_ him..
Your turn
huh?
@@aircraftadventures-vids lol I was suggesting you reach out to DIehl about trying to get their build plans so we can keep the XTC alive. Would be a shame to not to preserve whatever we can of it and possible have someone like airdrome start making kits of it again.
@@TrueHelpTV Ah ok gotcha. As it turns out I actually did interview Diehl a few years ago when I was fascinated about the XTC and did an IG post on it. Never crossed my mind to ask about plans though.
@@aircraftadventures-vids well I clearly have zero financial motivation.. I just fear a day comes when they themselves aren't around to share and articulate the magic.. It would be a rare gift to the community if you could befreind that legend to pass on the love and legacy to whomever is willing to take the risk. For instance.. you can still make the plans open to everyone but setup some sorta plans so the people who get it at first rights to it commercially for a period to prove financial concepts whilst still making it open to us brave fools who wanna go for it solo =p haha i ramble but you get the point. the world would be better having those plans out there finally
Both my lazairs made it in the video :) I bought lazair jaunts series 2 and own the Dacron white series 1, I also have a bunch of skycraft scouts, should do a video on them, worlds first legal ultralight I have one with a 24hp hirth thats has a crazy climb rate and an original mk3 on floats
Crazy to think that anything with 24hp would have a "crazy climb rate" but considering the original ones had 10hp, it makes sense.
Can you imagine a Lazair with 50hp (2 x 25hp KFM 107). It was called the LazairSS and the Police in Monterrey Park, CA tested it. It now hangs in the Smithsonian.
What’s the aircraft at 0:30?
Chotia Woodhopper
@ thank you!
You missed the Falcon and the Pterodactyl.
I miss that old magazine Glider Rider.
The Gold Wing was cool too⚓😁😉
Yeah and I missed the Sadler Vampire too, fyi! There's just too many awesome designs from that era to cover in one video..volume II, maybe?
Oh and by the way, I actually did include some Pterodactyl footage, as that design was on the cross-hairs of the report.
Thank goodness he DIDN'T include the Weedhopper, probably the worst design of the time!
Glider rider was cool, how about the mag Low and Slow?
@@ChrisDrake-fn7nu I remember the editor of Low and Slow was going thru a divorce at one point, and the rag started to veer off into him rambling about his ordeal with all that, a few issues were MOSTLY about that, or so it seemed! Joe something I think was his name. Joe Faust??
I had an Elipper Quicksilver weight shift exactly like the one AT 12:01 - !2:05 in the mid 80's same color and all and man was it fun to fly, But at the time with 5 small children I read the odds and sold it to a guy. He wrecked it on his first flight the same evening he bought it. He didn't get killed but stoved himself up pretty good. I flew it about 50 hours or so ,,
I suppose in ultralight hours, that's a lot! Glad you got to enjoy it.
I owned a eagle XL
My wifes uncle built a Hovey Wing Ding. It would not get out of ground effect.
Yeah that's what i read
I'll take one of each.
I always wanted a Weedhopper.
The biggest problem with ultralights in the early 80s was the two stoke engines rarely when anything wrong with the fuselage or wings
True, and for that reason they mostly puttered around large fields and/or airports.
I would argue with you in that after 3,000hrs of combined 2-stroke Ultralight flying hours I’ve had 2 in-flight failures. Those failures resulted in uneventful safe landings. I could have prevented those 2 failures had I been paying better attention. I’m going flying in the morning (12-30-24) with 2-strokes and I have complete confidence. What are you doing ?
I've wanted to fly my whole life, i have 30 hours in a Cessna 172, but i always wanted to build an ultralight. like the dragonfly, or badlands aircraft, but never had the funds. don't sleep on your dreams. you'll get to old before you know it 😅.
Damn right! I never got past 100hrs myself.
Geez man..go find a Lazair..fix it up and go flying. It’s not that hard but you have to be determined and know how to fly.
Death machines. But must be really fun!
A cat can fly them 9x
@aircraftadventures-vids 😆
That’s fine…you stay on the ground firmly planted now and one day soon.
Don't tempt me!
I'm fortunate to live part of the year in Kefalonia (a mountainous Greek island) I've long been tempted to build an ultralight or invest in a paragliding rig as my primary transport... knowing the locals I'd either get locked-up day one or ignored as "That daft English man."
So far my will to life a little longer has overcome need for fun.
I hear you. I live in a place that's tightly packed surbubia, no chance in hell I could fly anything like that over here.
I thought the American Aerolights Falcon held the altitude record set by Chuck Yaeger. Thats what I was told anyway. I used to own one.
I'm not sure about it. The Falcon looks slick for sure, though
Peter Corley helped design the Falcon. When my Dad asked Peter how the Falcon flew he said…Quote: “It isn’t a Lazair”.
could one of these be adapted to a WIG craft? I would like to traverse Puget Sound WA and fly up to British Columbia's Salish Sea. I am afraid of altitude though.
please make a vid about kit WIG
I had to look up that term, lol. I don't know of any small homebuilt WIGs but I did spot a video from Australia with a guy who is doing exactly that. I think it's a 2-seater with a small pusher engine. Just not sure if it's a one-off thing or if he's planning to market it.
Many years ago, I was at an EAA meeting and someone was trying to get rid of the Wingding. He was hoping someone would put it back together for static display. It was in pieces, and the plywood fuselage had delaminated. Price was 15 dollars, and the seller got no takers.
Is the Rutan long-ez in the same category as an ultralight?
Oh no, much too fast and heavy. That being said, I think Rutan tried their hand at a tiny version of the Long-Ez but never passed the prototype stage.
Don't forget the original U2, AKA the Polikarpov PO2 Russian biplane.😀👍
Left out the Goldwing
I don't recall that one, but love the looks (like a mini Ez)
I missed seeing the Kwikee plane here
Quickie? That was a Rutan design and far from being an ultralight.
True, but it was soooo cool and fairly affordable@@aircraftadventures-vids
The skypup is based for not having ailerons. They literally only exist for crosswinds otherwise kick the rudder and let the plane naturally find its stability
Yeah thats why it reminds me of real simple model planes. I had an r/c supercub and it was also rudder-only (could only fly on no-wind days)
in the early 80's i hsd s rotec rally 2 b with floats a float plane it was a wonderful ultralight . very safe , beautiful and strong construction .
I remember the Rally! What happened to those? I recall they were pretty popular back in the day.