Microlighters

My 21 year old son, CJ, went on his first solo flight in a Buckeye DM on Wednesday 1st July. This was in Burgersdorp at 7am with an outside temperature of minus 5 degrees. The adrenaline was pumping and a very proud young man landed safely after 3 circuits.

I want to congratulate him and wish him many safe hours of flying.

Thanks to his instructor, Georg, in Bloemfontein.

Pa is trots op jou.

Baie geluk aan jou seun..
Sien die anderaand Oorlede John Kenedy Jnr het so n kontrapsie gevlieg en sy been op n landing gebreek.. Dit het my laat wonder of dit nie VEEL moeiliker is om n PPT te vlieg as bv. n weightshift Microlight??? Ek moet se dit lyk moeiliker en meer gevaarlik.. en groter konsidderasie vir weers omstandighede ??? Dit lyk na meer schlep ook..Vlerk opvou en vervoer ens?? So waarom nie n trike nie??
Sal graag meer wil weet??

Hi there

Perhaps the way to go with ever increasing costs as far as microlighting is concerned (see May or June(?) AP Magazine). Seems to be safe as well if flown by the rules like anything else. Microlights perhaps better option for fly outs and so forth, but at a cost as said...

Regards
Wollie

Blue Max,
Ek vermoed die ding wat Kennedy gevlieg het was 'n powered paraglider- dis die tipe wat jy as harnas op jou rug vasmaak. Daar word dan gehardloop om op te styg en ja met landing beslis wesenlike kans om beseer te word.
Dit wat ons vlieg is 'n "trike"- 2-sitplek. Die vlerk [chute] word baie vinnig en maklik uitgepak en weer ingepak [3-5 minute].
Wat die veiligheid betref is dit na my beskeie mening die veiligste manier van vlieg- soos met als moet by die reels gehou word. Dis soos hulle in engels noem 'n "fairweather aircraft". Die wind moet nie meer as 20km/h wees nie.
Verder is dit baie stadiger as die microlights en vlieg teen 'n konstante spoed van 34mph.
Die groot verdere voordeel vir my was dat dit 'n baie "forgiving" manier van vlieg is- als gebeur baie stadig en kan nie "stall' nie.
Die vervoer daarvan is baie gebruikersvriendelik- vou op, stoot op waentjie [ek doen dit alleen] hak aan en daar gaan jy- geen hangar nodig- hy gaan saam huistoe. Die PPC is beslis net vir "fun" en nie vervoermiddel nie. Dis fantasties vir sightseeing bv wild te besigtig uit die lug.

Die koste is waarskynlik nie goedkoper as 'n microlight nie - tans omtrent R170,000-00.

Gaan kyk by www.buckeyeaviation.com - ek het die 2-sitplek Dream Machine model.

Baie geluk, dokter.

Jaco v Heerden

Congrats, many happy and safe hours ahead of you

How much lighter or heavier is that undercarriage than the conventional trike?
Can that wing/parachute then not also be fitted to a trike?

Grumpy wrote:How much lighter or heavier is that undercarriage than the conventional trike?
Can that wing/parachute then not also be fitted to a trike?

The empty weight is 150kg and the total weight is 400kg.
I suppose for the technical minded it should be possible to convert a conventional trike to take the chute. Centre of gravity will be important to find and the then the steering gets done by the feet and a system of pulleys and lines. I don't know of anybody that has done that before.

It will definitely take a major effort and good planning.
If I can supply any more info please feel free to ask.

Go look at http://www.ppcflyingforums.org/forums/. Lot of reading and interesting stuff.

Congrats to junior.

Blue Max wrote:Dit lyk na meer schlep ook..Vlerk opvou en vervoer ens?? So waarom nie n trike nie??

Friend of mine started off with his PPG - ex PPL. His main consideration was, he travels South Africa, and neighbouring, countries quite extensively, 4X4 and remote areas. His PPG goes everywhere with him. He can basically stop anywhere, rig, do a sightseeing flight, lands packs up, and on his way, in the time that his wife prepares a lekker cup of coffee. Must add - thats the backpack version. Must say listening to him, I've been thinking........

For interest sake cjkrit - what is take off and landing distance in your karretjie ?

Low Level wrote:For interest sake cjkrit - what is take off and landing distance in your karretjie ?

If solo its about 50 meters and I am airborne. About 80 meters dual to take off. Landing needs about 20-30 meters.

The short video that I took of my sons first solo flight shows that he was airborne in 7 seconds from standstill. He weighs 95kg and full tank of 45 litres.

Geluk aan Cj en ek hoop ons sal hom dalk in Aliwal sien vlieg dit is n lekker cross country en lekkr uur bouer.

BAIE GELUK CJ MET JOU SOLO VLUG IN N POWERED PARACHUTE DIT IS VOORWAAR BESONDER EN STRESVOL (SOOS JY WEET EN EK DINK PA DIE TANDARTS HET TANDE GEKNERS) EK BESIT SELF N BUCKEYE DREAM MACHINE MET N ROTAX 912 ULS HET AL SOWAT 400 URE IN TOTAAL EN GENIET ELKE OOMBLIK !!

PM MY ASB JOU INSTRUKTEUR GEORG SE KONTAK NOMMER ASSEBLIEF

GROETE
BUCKEYE

Georg Terreblanche 0723783430

At what age can you fly the PPG's? ('Backpack' versions)
Great to know that we have a new pilot!!
Please tell your son well done from all of us here on the forum!
Cheers
Trikenut