Microlighting
Exhilarating but safe, reliable and fun... microlight flying is an experience you won't forget in a hurry!
Flex-wing Microlights
From simple beginnings the "flex-wing"
microlight has developed into a state-of-the-art flying machine capable
of flying long distances at cruising speeds of 100mph or more. No longer
are they recognisable as the same machines used by the pioneers in the
early 1980’s.
High tech composite materials, and the latest design developments have
created stunning aircraft, as ‘James Bond’ as you could wish
for! The latest Quik-R from P&M even has folding wings!
So how far can you go in a microlight? Well...
In 2003 Ian flew his Quantum
912 all the way to Greece and back, a round trip of something like 4000km.
In 2001 Brian Milton and Keith Reynolds embarked on their first successful
round the world expedition using a Quantum 912 illustrating how reliable
and durable these machines really are. Every year it seems some intrepid
microlighter will come up with new challenges. London to Sydney, Cape
Town to Norway, Tierra del Fuego to Iceland and then the UK. It’s
all been done!
A Quantum 912 “variant” aircraft modified with a slightly
slower XL wing and turbo-charged 914 engine towed an Atos hang glider
over Everest in 2005! A remarkable feat by anyone’s book.
The two types of microlight
At Learn to Fly we use 'flex-wing',
or 'weight shift' microlights, which are basically a beefy hang glider
wing with a trike unit suspended underneath. First seen in the early 80s,
flex wings have evolved into superb flying machines. These days they are
incredibly well designed and aesthetically packaged, and combined with
the massive increase in safety brought about by the introduction of the
Rotax 912 giving 4 stroke engine reliability, a flex wing is an extraordinary
craft to fly. They offer the best visibility of just about any powered
aircraft you can think of!
The second type of microlight is commonly called a 3-axis microlight in
the UK, often called an Ultralight in many other countries. The controls
are the same as with conventional planes, where the pilot controls direction
through the use of ailerons and rudder, and airspeed with the elevator.
The enclosed space is far warmer than an open cockpit and tends to suit
the more 'GA-orientated' pilot, and is certainly less strenuous than weight
shift microlighting. Try both types first before you embark on a flying
course if you are unsure about the differences.
So... How do flex wing microlights work?
The cockpit is open to the
elements, which makes flying incredibly exciting and exhilarating, and
it affords you an amazing all round view. The Flex-Wing is controlled
in a similar way to a hang glider, using weight shift - the pilot
maneuvers the craft around its hang point, i.e where the wing is joined
to the trike unit. As the pilot moves the ‘control bar’ the
centre of gravity is displaced, giving the pilot complete control of the
direction and airspeed of his machine. Flying height is controlled by
the application of Power or Thrust. So simply put ‘airspeed’
is controlled using the bar and ‘power’ controls the height
you fly at. Cruising speed on a typical modern microlight ranges between
55mph and around 70-80mph. The latest Quiks are reputed to exceed 100mph
in straight and level flight!
"Physically", flying is not that difficult - technique is more
important than strength. The pilot holds onto a bar, in front of him at
around chest height, and by moving it he shifts the weight of the whole
aircraft. Only a small amount of displacement is required to make quite
an impact! The first instinct is to tense up and grip the bar, however
you won't get a feel for flying by doing this. A flex wing flies at something
called Hands Off Trim, and that means what it says. You don't need to
be holding on for these things to fly straight and level!
The wings are called flex wings as they literally flex in flight, and
can dump loading very efficiently making them exceptionally strong and
robust.
Being windswept is pretty inherent in this style of flying so make sure
you wrap up warm and wear the right clothing. There's no fun in getting
cold up there. Flying suits and helmets and headsets are the order of
the day, especially in our UK climate.
Our aircraft
We train on some of the latest
machines - the Pegasus Quik and Quantum 912 microlights.
These aircraft are the leading flex-wing microlights in the world and
are manufactured by P&M, the UK's predominant microlight manufacturer.
All microlights produced in the UK have to meet strict standards set by
the Civil Aviation Authority, and monitored by the British Microlight
Aircraft Association. The standards set by the UK in microlighting are
some of the highest in the world, so you can be sure that you are flying
in completely airworthy machines.
So... what do you need to fly legally in the UK?
You need a license to fly a
microlight in the UK and in almost any other country, so your goal will
be the NPPL(M) or National Private Pilot License (microlight). This license
allows you to fly any microlight aircraft in this country so long as you
have currency on type. Click here for
more info on learning to fly. It is simple to convert between types of
microlight by doing a short "differences training" flying course,
usually 10-15hrs depending on individuals. You should also be able to
fly abroad with this license so long as you inform the aviation authority
of countries you are flying to, who may want to validate your documents.
But with the range on a modern flex wing, travelling abroad is certainly
one of the great attractions of microlighting. France for example, is
a microlighter's paradise when it comes to touring in mid-summer.
Latest Offers
MICROLIGHT INSTRUCTION – Buy a course of 5 lessons and get over 10%
off: book
online
CUSTOM MADE DVD OF YOUR FLIGHT- For just £25 we make a personalised DVD of your flight using top quality footage taken from cameras on our wingtips. You can see examples on our Youtube channel: Learntoflysoutheast
What we offer
30 Minutes Microlight Trial Flight £75
60 Minutes Microlight Trial Flight £115
Flight Training £100 per hour
when you buy a block of 5hrs
Book on line now for your first microlight air
experience flight
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