Does anyone here fly? Considering obtaining microlight licence...

[DigginForGold]

Anyone on this forum fly? Either now or in the past? What do/did you fly?

As stated in the title, I'm seriously considering obtaining a Microlight Pilot Certificate and "investing" in a flexwing.

I had a introductory/joy flight over a year ago and loved every second of it. Immediately got home and looked up what it would take...suffice to say I was in no position to get in to it at that time. And for the better I thought. I tend to get excited and dive into things without, some might say, sufficient consideration. But now, a year and a half later, I still really really want to do it. And now I'm in a position where I can easily do it.

But it's no small investment. Just obtaining the Pilot's Certificate costs $3,500-6000+ depending on how quickly I pick it up. Then add a minimum $15,000, but more like $20,000 for a decent enough second hand microlight of your own. So really, I'm looking at $25,000ish to get into this. Definately not a small decision. But I think I'm going to do it and I think it'll be worth it.

Going to contact the nearest place where I can get lessons in the next couple of days for a word and see if I can get things kicked off...hopefully starting early February.

Can't wait.

 

[dwt]

I was contemplating building a quad rotor (same as Call of Duty Black Ops 2) man sized craft and utilising it as a crop duster!!
Mrs dwt banned the idea, for the interests of public safety she stated

 

[Redfin]

Wise woman that one

 

[kawman]

my mate gave me a flying lesson when I was much younger.. 100 mph in the fog in a v/8 valiant.. The more I told him to back off the harder he went... laughing... we left the road at at least 100 mph on a high embankment... we got enough height to be above the fog.. everything went very silent at this time and we were taking the tops out of gum trees 20 feet off the ground .. the flight was very interesting with the head lights showing us where we were going to land. the landing was much worse than the flight.. luckily for me as the car made its landing on a barbed wire fence that got wrapped around the car as it was doing end over enders and acted as a brake and brought the car to a stop on its roof.. at this stage I was not happy and did some serious damage to my my now ex mate, scrambled up the embankment and was picked up by a local preist.. I told him I was having car trouble and he gave me a ride back to the party we had left earlier for another drink.... Take it from me flying is great.. the landings can be a bitch. :|

 

[Sandta]

Sounds more like an 'arrival' rather than a 'landing' :lol:

 

[Beagleboy]

My 16 year old daughter wants to be a pilot and is not far from getting her private licence. She is learning to fly in Piper Warrior. Be ready to spend some dough.

 

[Beagleboy]

I was contemplating building a quad rotor (same as Call of Duty Black Ops 2) man sized craft and utilising it as a crop duster!!
Mrs dwt banned the idea, for the interests of public safety she stated

Mate, you are killing me. :lol: :lol:

 

[Coyote]

Yeah got my licence a few years back. unrestricted fixed wing and flew C172s and C182s. got to expensive and I gave up after I moved state.

Cliff

 

[Bacchus]

Hey Pot

I have been flying for the past six years , gained my Recreational Aviation Certificate
with Cross Country and Tail drager endorsements. I did all my training at Adelaide Biplanes
based at Aldinga Airfield south of Adelaide.
You will find all the information you need on the Recreational Flying Australia website
and different schools and pricing etc , my forum name is the same" Bacchus " and you should be
able to read my posts through my training if interested if they are still archived . I learnt to fly in an Evektor Sportstar which
is a very popular 100 HP Rotax powered low wing , good STOL performance and great fun , very tough
little aircraft , I went solo after 11 hrs of instruction and you will know by then if it is for you or not , my tuition
was $140 per hour but not sure what the going rate is , point being , allow 15 lessons to get your solo up and decide from there
if you wish to keep going or not. I purchased a Fantasy air Allegro , a nice little aircraft with Junkers Ballistic Rescue System , with 200
hours on it for $55k and I kept it hangared at Goolwa Aerodrome @ $45 per week , 18 litres burn rate of avgas or pulp 98 per hour @ $2.00 p/l.
The insurance was $5k per year so most of the guys fly uninsured , your liability insurance in case you cause an accident is covered by
Recreational Aviation Australia in license fees.
I had grand ideas of flying around Australia with my wife but after a couple of flights she just was too nervous , and did not enjoy it at all
you can really get belted around in such a small plane when the thermals get going although when I started we were restricted to 5000 feet
but that has now been lifted to 10000 feet so cleaner air is available.
I sold my plane after 2 years as the coin was just too much to maintain and when I get the itch now I hire out an evektor @ $180 per flight hour wet.
Now I am into detecting I have thought of hiring a STOL aircraft like a Savannah or Zenith , pack the detector and just fly off to Tibooburra
and land out in a goldfield , jump out and start detecting!
It would be remiss of me not to say that it is although a great and thrilling hobby it is dangerous , it has been a terrible last few years
and I have lost 2 mates in seperate accidents ,one last year, Werner ,I once shared a hangar with,was probably the best pilot I knew so a Ballistic Parachute for $6k is a must nowdays .
Finally I have a friend who is a commercial pilots and his motto is if it's not Boeing , I'm not going !
Amongst Recreational aviators I have often heard it said , If its a Jabiru , I'll leave it to you ! ( take from that what you will )

First photo Evektor Sporstar 5572 , my trainer at Aldinga

Second photo me , far left, picking up my Allegro from Bairnsdale Vic , got fogged in before flying home to Goolwa

pm me for any further info cheers mate

 

[Grounded]

I flew for a living for over 20 years - until recently.....hence the username.

Firstly - DWT - I think your good Mrs actually likes you! Maybe you owe her a nice dinner out for that one?

I think Bacchus has hit the nail on the head. Passion is one thing, dedication and money also required. Great looking planes in the pictures. Thanks for sharing.

PoG - I am imagining from your interest in microlights that your aim is recreational? If so, recreational flying can cover anything from gliding, microlight, ultralight, light sport aircraft through to VH aircraft. If you have have aims of taking it further than recreational activities, that would narrow down particular parts of the recreational field.

In any case - I can personally vouch that it is a personally rewarding and challenging sport / occupation.

Cheers

 

[dwt]

Mrs dwt and I had drinks with our neighbours yesterday, their son in law was over visiting from the states, and guess what, he just happens to be a aircraft engineer for Boeing.
Ok, so after a few blank stares and some very uncomfortable silence he responded with "you Aussies are crazy"
Feeling a little bit let down after this thread and the chance meeting I thought my quad rotor was "meant to be", anyways, I left the idea with him to take to his employers at Boeing, mrs dwt suggested next time we go over for drinks she's going to fill my MB king browns with water.
Really thought I was onto something there :/
Looks like I'm going to have rethink No 36 of my bucket list

 

[Grounded]

OK DWT - I will cave in.........

Special late Christmas treat for you to salivate over.........

However - I can just imagine the lithium batteries on this thing combusting.......

[video=480,360]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CzP0Zqxam7E[/video]

 

[peterau]

I Love terra firma, the more firma the less terra. No, not for me

 

[guipago]

I flew/owned an Airborne Edge with the 582 rotax out of Albion Park for 5 years, what a blast! We could get out over the ocean into clean air & it was smooth as silk, go for it, there's lots to learn but nothing you can't handle just take your time, microlights come under the Hang Gliding Federation of Australia so check out their web site under schools & WM (weightshift microlights) for places in your area for instruction. The micro light can be transported on a trailer with the wing set up on racks on the car & put in your garage or when dissembled stacked in a hanger with the wing on a rack on the wall for minimal cost, you can do minor services yourself(if mechanically minded) The up keep is what makes microlights so attractive they are very cost effective & can be flown to most airports once you get your licence & cross country endorsement, you WILL be learning a lot about Micro Meteorology(the weather) they ARE a light aircraft & are influenced by winds, thermals etc but if the weather gets a bit iffy you can always hoot up & down the strip in the quad body without the wing(we used to race each other it gets you used to ground handling ) I only got out of the sport due to on going disc injuries in the back making control a hazard, a lot of upper body work is used to control the beast being a weight shift, I also spent 4yrs at Ballina Airport building & flying Huges Lightwings & I consider microlights just as structurally sound as any aircraft out there, all aircraft have limitations, once you learn what they are you don't push it or they bite hard, same as driving a car push it too hard & it bites but with proper training there as safe as, so what are you waiting for?? :lol:

 

[Moneybox]

I have a 2-seater Polaris microlite sitting in the shed. It has a 500cc Rotax and 11m wingspan. It's quite slow but only needs 50m for take-off and landing.The thrill in the air gives you the feeling of flying on a bicycle. I've never gone for a license but I've recently considered it.

I only ever flew it from the limestone tracks in the Gnangara pine forest. No helmet or flying suit those days just a pair of welding gloves and sunnies but you freeze your but off up there. That was a lot of years ago. It uses an outboard fuel tank that I gave to my son for his boat some years back so I will to get need another one. I walk past it every so often and give the 60" prop a swing.

It should be ideal to zoom around the goldfields but finding a suitable landing space is always and issue. The great thing about it is that it takes off and lands at a speed where you'd really have to hit something to get hurt. This particular plane was shown taking off and landing on the Swan River on Getaway many years back mounted on a rubber dingy. The guy wanted too much for the boat so I just went with the wheels option and left him with the boat.

 

[the duck]

I fly but i have wings dangerous in duck season though

 

[Tathradj]

LOL, I was wondering about that the duck.
I started to go for my license but something got in my road. I got married. 8.(
I have about 13 Hours up in the seat but many more unofficial.
Loved it. I have been considering a kite but will have to wait awhile.

 

[DigginForGold]

Sorry for the late relies everyone...went away for a few days after the 25th.

And many thanks for the thoughtful replies too.

I'm pretty excited about starting and hearing some positive stories only makes it stronger.

Thanks for posting the pics baccus. Real nice. And thanks for the detailed reply.

Anyways, I'm set. I've got all the necessary info...just got to make the call now and get it on the go.

 

[ched66]

I started learning to fly trikes about 12 months ago, in a nutshell I have around 20 hours up and flew solo after about 10 hours. Still a learner only because of time (work) constraints but 2015 is the year I'll get my licence and will buy my own toy most likely second hand airborne xt 912.......a little more $$ for a 4 stroke but money well spent I think. It is an expensive hobby but once you're up there in the air alone........the feeling is priceless. Best thing I've ever done........a joy flight the ex bought me for xmas about 20 years ago (I think she was trying to get rid of me then ) got me hooked and it's taken me this long to live the dream! Go for it, you won't regret it!

 

[rotor]

Just came across this thread - it's an oldy but I'll add my info to it.

Started my working life at Essendon with TAA as an apprentice LAME.

Took up GA training when I was in my 20's but couldn't afford to finish my license. Took up gyros in my 40's until about ten years ago. Great platform for prospecting and if you have the right machine could be a real advantage in sussing out ground - low and slow!

I now have a Jodel D18 ultralight which I've just moved from Glady to a bush strip just south of here.

Gyro at Biggenden

Jodel D18