Jun 5, 2024 · The Pig1, Goats1 & 4, and Bug4, are home built, basic ultralight gliders. Technically these aircraft are ultralight sailplanes, but they are best described as "airchairs", which are simple, slow flying gliders with the pilot sitting out in the open air rather than inside a fuselage.

Apr 28, 2010 · My monoplane glider, the Goat, has been soaring in one version or another since the spring of 2003. The Goat is technically an ultralight sailplane (under United States weight rules) with conventional three axis controls, similar to the Bug4 and the commercial Super Floater.

The Pig (Primary Instruction Glider) is my latest airchair project, a biplane ultralight sailplane with a two axis control system (rudders & elevator, but no ailerons).

A true ultralight does not need to be moved with a motor, this often just adds unnecessary weight, complexity, noise, dust, and engine wear. Hand Deployed Emergency Parachute: My total recovery system is light, easy to inspect, compact and out of the way, as it would be on any paraglider or hang glider.

Apr 28, 2010 · Bug2 and Bug4 have demonstrated casual and comfortable airchair soaring, drogue chute landings in small fields, and novice instruction on training hills. They have been towed by trucks, winches, and ultralight airplanes.

As far as I know, Floyd Fronius continues to be the only pilot in the world rolling off hillsides in an ultralight sailplane for weekend soaring. As always, he flies with hang gliders and paragliders at local launch sites in ordinary conditions.

I have made the first fight with electric motor on the Goat glider, which I call Synchronus Goat now because the name of the electric propulsion system that I developed is Synchronus.

Jun 19, 2024 · For lightness and simplicity, flight control is two-axis (rudder/elevator), there are no ailerons. A private project with nothing for sale, the Bluebird operates in accordance with FAR Part 103 regulations as an ultralight vehicle, and thus neither aircraft nor pilot requires any direct official oversight or licensing.

Last Update: 11 May Here are the technical drawings which describe the airchairs I have designed, built, and flown. They are released into the public domain and are free to anyone for any purpose. Each aircraft is described by a set of about 69 to 96 drawings. The drawings are intended to describe the aircraft as it was flown.

Mar 25, 2004 · Most ultralight injury accidents occur during takeoff or landing at airspeeds near normal flying speed. The Hillhopper is designed to protect the pilot in these situations by surrounding him or her with frangible protective structure and limiting the crash energy by flying slow in the first place.