When does a microlight become a plane and vis-versa? Are they always cheaper and is a plane safer?

Question

I have the flying bug and once i finally pass my licence want to own my own flying machine. I have seen microlights for £2700 and then others for £20 000 and i have also seen planes for £12000 so i am now wondering what the difference is and why you would buy one over the other as i always thought the difference was the cost.

Answer 1

In the Uk Paul, the differences between microlights and group A landplanes can be really marginal. Take the Evektor EV97 Eurostar. It comes in microlight form but all it really takes to transform it into the heavier category( for flying Licences) is the fitment of a fuel pump. There are others in a similar situation but for a ball park figure, you are looking at an empty weight of around 268Kg.  They are very safe and very cheap to run as well since you can use motor fuel from your local garage.

I'm talking fixed wing microlights and not flexwings....

Answer 2

A Microlight (ULM) is anything under 500 kilograms.  The licensing is cheaper for microlight, cheaper to run cheaper insurance cheaper to maintain and easier to find a bit of land to land on. Don't think that they are any less safe than something like a Piper.

If I was buying one it would purely be on cost...but can't afford either anyway.....I used to do gliding...cheaper still!

Oops...sorry one extra 0...should have been 450k for a 2 seat land plane! Have edited it anyway.

Chewbydoo:...I was thinking about money when I wrote the 5000!