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600 Kg Aircraft

In some of the various “600kg UL” people were getting upset over the proposal, because it would create a “two class UL community”: 450kg with the traditional UL privileges (which are substantial e.g. the no-medical one in France, which like the UK PMD route must be priceless for many) and the 600kg one which half the countries do not recognise… forcing prospective buyers to either avoid the type totally, or somehow downgrade it to 450kg.

Administrator
Shoreham EGKA, United Kingdom

Airborne_Again wrote:

arj1 wrote: IF it is 600kg ultralight, has the standard been approved yet? Not to my knowledge…

It is not a standard. It is a option for each country to raise the MTOM for an UL to 600 kg which was adopted by the EU two years ago. It is up to each individual country to decide if they want to use the higher limit.

@Airborne_Again, in the UK (OP’s country of origin, I believe) there needs to be some local standard (BCAR), and this standard currently shows only one option – 450kg.
There was a lot of noise re: 600kg new rules, but I cannot find anything in writing that says that is is now in force.

EGTR

Approval varisarj1 wrote:

IF it is 600kg ultralight, has the standard been approved yet? Not to my knowledge…

These aircraft are not under EASA, so the approval varies from country to country. Some countries have already approved them, some haven’t. Interestingly enough, Czech CAA announced its willingness to manage them similarly to Annex 1 aircraft. Presumably, one would be free to choose between LAA and CAA registrations.

LKBU (near Prague), Czech Republic

In France I believe the limit has been raised to 500kg , 527.5kg with parachute.
I don’t believe it will go heavier. The FFPLUM who basically run the activity are not keen for many reasons.
There are other regs I think such as a Vs maximum and I think there is a maximum horsepower. I can’t remember that offhand but I could look ot up if anyone is interested. I think it’s either 100ch or 120ch
Apart from no medical needed but one starts with a note from your gp. There is no need to have a note every year.
I think the type of ULM must be on the list of approved types for France but there is no need to have annuals or a maintenance and an owner can do it all him/herself or with friends or professional mechanics. There are no calendar related parts. Many ULM owners buy second hand Rotax engines cheaply, when they come to the end of calendar life in one of their LSA cousins.
Pilots from France have flown their ULMs down to Morocco and even Senegal and back. I think to fly through Spain they had to contact AENA, fly below 1500ft AGL and avoid controlled airspace except for I believe 2 airports where they are permitted to clear immigration. Our Spanish posters will know if this has changed. However there are quite a number of small airfields in Spain which like in France, are happy accept visitors. But like in France many people you will come across on those fields only speak the local language.
ULM’s over 500/527.5 kg are not permitted to overfly France.
However, there are people who fly their ULMs to other countries under their PPLs to avoid some of the regulations in other countries. After all it is difficult to tell some of the modern ULMs from certified LSAs.
Rules do evolve over the years but the changes come from within the ULM community and not from EASA or the DGAC and that’s the way they like it.

France

It is up to each individual country to decide if they want to use the higher limit.

Or opt for something in between of 450 kg and 600 kg. France went for 525 kg. Btw different numbers apply for seaplanes, a bit more margin there.

EDIT. Sorry, missed gallois’ post..

Last Edited by aart at 05 Jul 08:59
Private field, Mallorca, Spain

LeSving wrote:

ormazad wrote:
Cessna\Piper climbs a lot worst with 2 POB than the average ultralight
Yes, when considering 450 kg MTOW, but not necessarily 600 kg.

I flew a CTLS with 600 kg MTOW , I know what i’m talking about

Pegaso airstrip, Italy

ormazad wrote:

I flew a CTLS with 600 kg MTOW , I know what i’m talking about

So what’s its rate of climb at ISA, sea level? (Is it an “average” UL?)

ESKC (Uppsala/Sundbro), Sweden

At MTOW ( meaning me, another guy and full fuel ) around 800 ft\min and I always outperform friends with a rented Cessna or Piper .

Pegaso airstrip, Italy

ormazad wrote:

At MTOW ( meaning me, another guy and full fuel ) around 800 ft\min and I always outperform friends with a rented Cessna or Piper .

So the usual Piper and Cessna spamcans have 5-10% worse climb performance. Hardly “a lot worse” like you wrote.

ESKC (Uppsala/Sundbro), Sweden

Maybe that is what is written in the POH but my eyes say something different.

Pegaso airstrip, Italy
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