How is microlights flying in South Africa...

[tthierry]

...compaired with planes flying?

I am a private pilot flying planes in France. Here, more and more planes pilots give up their licenses to get a microlight one, because it is cheaper, there is much less harassement from the administration, especially for technical visits and maintenance. Moreover, the microlight license is permanent, whereas the PPL one is valid for 2 years only.

How do the two kinds of flying compair in your country? Is it the same thing than here?

Thierry.

[Thunderboy]

Hi tthierry and welcome

Microlight pilots do have to renew their licences yearly but not re take a test, (although an unofficial flight test is not a bad idea)
We also have to renew our medical certificates every second year (or yearly depending on age)

Microlight planes are maintained differently accoriding to engine type and manufacturer but this can be done by the owners in some cases and then the documents supplied to the CAA of the maintenance while some owners choose to have service agents do it for them.

As far as I know with PPL if the aircraft is registered as non certified the same rules can apply as a microlight, there are some 3 axis microlights in South Africa that can be redistered as either microlights or light aircraft for ppl licences

[Morph]

Welcome tthiery,

yes flying microlights compared to PPL type aircraft here is very much as you explained it. The licencing is more relaxed, flying is cheaper, planes are cheaper (for the most part, there are some very expensive microlights). You are responsible for maintaining and servicing your plane, so much cheaper.

As far as acceptance goes, Microlights are generally accepted by the flying community here, you can land at hundreds of informal private airfields and majority of the formal airfields will allow you in under certain circumstances. Exceptions are the big international airports like Cape Town, Johannesburg etc because we do not have transponders installed and their traffic is too heavy to allow the small planes in.

Conditions here vary depending on where you are. It can get very hot 30 to 40 deg C and thus thermal turbulance is a problem. Here in Cape Town we get a lot of wind in summer but we still manage to fly 100 to 150 hours per year

[DieselFan]

Here in Cape Town we get a lot of wind in summer but we still manage to fly 100 to 150 hours per year

Interesting I wonder what the stats for each province are?

[Thunderboy]

Here in Cape Town we get a lot of wind in summer but we still manage to fly 100 to 150 hours per year

Interesting I wonder what the stats for each province are?

The Highveld must have the best all round Wx

[Morph]

Dieselfan it also depends on pilots. There is a select bunch at Morning Star who are active. I know the boys from Wintervogel are very active as well.

[DieselFan]

Well we all know pilots on Microlighters.co.za get the most flying done, we eat sleep and drink flying. Just look at Big D, his wife has forgotten what he looks like...and I'm sure Demon gave Kwk an engagement ring and extended his Honeymoon too. Arnulf in his Aquilla is clocking more mileage than his Boeing does.

Seriously tho at my airfield the only guys I see flying out of well MANY trikes are guys from the forum - And not many at that. 6 Trikes close to mine haven't budged in 4 months.

[tthierry]

Of course, microlights are more wheather dependant than planes, but all the same, 100 to 150 hours is a number most planes pilots only dream of, not because of the wheather, but because we can't afford them, being grounded by money rather than weather.
Here (France) also, many private strips can be used by microlights and not by planes. But in France, the microlight license is permanent. You can get a 3 axis microlight license with your PPL, which more and more pilots do.

The problem is that microlights can only accomodate 2 people. Flying mostly with my 2 young kids, it's not for me...