How much can I expect to spend on a decent ultralight?

Question

Also what are some good companies or models? I am looking for an amphibious one. One that can take off in a field and land in a lake. Thanks

Answer 1

So what.  Rich and powerful people have been killed in standard airplanes, helicopters, cars and trucks, jet skis, four wheelers, and so on.

There are some special considerations when flying ultralights.  If you take ultralight specific flight instruction you'll be taught those things, and can fly safely.

I think the Buccaneer XA is a cool ultralight, but if I could have any amphibious ultralight, it'd be the Mosquito XEL.  It's my dream machine.

Buccaneer XA: http://www.ultralightnews.com/aircrafttr...

Mosquito XEL: http://www.innovatortech.ca/xe_pricing.h...

It's hard to tell you a price, it really really depends on what kind of features you want, and if you want used or new.  The term "ultralight" can mean so many different types of aircraft.  I've seen flyable ultralights from $5,000 to $100,000.

If you're on an extremely low budget, you might look into powered parachutes.

The best thing to do is to start looking at classifieds.  You'll see a lot of different kinds of ultralights, and what kind of features you can get.

Here are some links to check out:

Basic pricing guide: http://ultralight-airplanes.info/Are-Ult...

Q/A about places to look for aircraft: http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;...

Barnstormers classifieds, 32 pages of ultralights: http://www.barnstormers.com/listing.php?...

Answer 2

Go get one, but before you do go get some real flight training in a real aircraft! Do it till you solo or the instructor thinks you wont kill yourself. The reason ultralights have such a bad name is. Everyone thinks you dont have to have any training to do it. Well you dont....But i you value your life you go get some from a real instructor. Keep in mind that a person that says there an ultralight instructor may be self taught. I have flown a Quicksilver and there the ones I like. I asked Quicksilver at Osh Kosh about flying them in the win  with a competent at the controls they said you could fly in up too 15 mph of wind. They also said that they are all engineered aircraft. They just need a brain at the controls. Not some Joe off the street.

Oh by the way I wouldnt be cought dead in a powered parachute!!! Ultralights can carry a ballistic parachute. With a powered parachute  what are you gonna do when some of your lines break cause you dont know what your doing cause you bought the thing cause you didnt need a liscense or training. Even NASA is on record saying that those things are not a good idea. I see people do stupid things with them, like flying real low around woods to look at deer. Nobody thinks about the wind coming around the corner of the tree line and possibly colapsing there so called safe "parachute". There is a reason why skydivers land out in the middle of nowhere and not downwind of buildings and tree lines, cause the eddy's in the wind just like in a river can colapse parachutes.

Answer 3

I am as well an aviation fanatic.  I would not be swayed on getting an ultralite from the former posts.  The accidents that happen are usually caused by lack of training of the pilots.  The FAA doesn't require much to fly an ultralite and as such any person with extra cash wanting the thrill of flight hopped in an UL and killed themselves.  GET the training!!!  That is what will keep you alive. And use the training with good judgement!

Answer 4

a ultralight?come on! that sucks!a boing is more netter

but who cares!a ultralight cost 30,000 dollors

good luck on dieng!

Answer 5

I am a big aviation fanatic and try to get some stick time any time I can.

I would never get on an ultralight:

2006/2007 one of the Walmart Walton sons died about a year ago in spite of his $12 billion net worth

About 15 or 20 years ago in Texas, the billionaire brother of Osama bin Laden died in an ultralight crash.

I would voluntarily fly in just about anything from an old Cessna 150 to the Space Shuttle, but I don't believe that there is a "decent" ultralight unless you have a love affair with living on the edge and want to flirt with dying which is why the ultralight fad has faded tremendously because so many ultrapilots died in a very short time back in what the 1980s and 1990s.

Answer 6

Scuba - I hate to dampen your enthusiasm, but I must agree with Mr Score. Ultralights look great on those calm summer evenings. But if ANY weather comes up, even a crosswind on landing, you quickly find that you are running out of altitude, airspeed, and ideas. Amphib ones are even worse. You may get a little water in one pontoon and not know it. Suddenly, you don't have enough control authority to recover. This happened to a guy that I knew (past tense due to ultralight). Think three times before you pursue this. Then sleep on it and hit yourself in the head a couple times to clear your thoughts. Then think three times more. Ultralights are cool, but they are not very safe. Just my opinion. There are no old, bold pilots.