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Changing horses..

How about an ULM helicopter ? Like the Cabri ? But then something that burns mogas…

EBST, Belgium

The Cabri is a fully certified helicopter, a mini Eurocopter, much more advanced than the ubiquitous Robinsons. Nothing ULM about it.

If I had the money (~100 000 EUR) I would get a Blackwing.

http://www.blackwing.aero/en/home

  • VNE 400 km/h (216 kts)
  • CRUISE SPEED 75% 278 km/h (150 kts)
  • STALL SPEED 65 km/h (35 kts)
  • FUEL CONSUMPTION 14 l/h (range 10h)
  • TAKEOFF DISTANCE 150 m (15 m obstacle)
  • LANDING DINSTANCE 300 m (15 m obstacle)
  • CLIMB RATE 7.6 m/s (1500 ft/min)
  • CABIN WIDTH 1.21 m (47.5")
  • MAX TOW 450 – 472.5 kg
  • EMPTY WEIGHT 297.5 kg (incl. BRS)
  • WINGSPAN / AREA 8.4 m / 9.4 m2
  • ULTIMATE LOADFACTOR +12 / -7.5G
Last Edited by Dimme at 18 Nov 19:34
ESME, ESMS

There are actually UL helicopters, here’s one:

https://www.dynali.com/

I’m not convinced by their performance though, especially at high temperatures. Plus of course their quite limited travel capabilities.

Blackwing: very impressive craft and a promising team of people working on it. They are just starting up series production though and have quite some orders, so earliest delivery way into 2019. At my age cannot afford to wait this long Btw, price of a fully equipped one will probably be more in the range of 150k plus VAT.

Private field, Mallorca, Spain

WOW Aart that is quite a change

But it’s been done before. Many pilots have downsized, having climbed up the capability food chain and then decided they didn’t need it. I know a guy who went all the way to a CJ1, then climbed back down via a KA90, and AFAIK is back down to his original Cessna 300 twin. Lost millions in the process.

I hope you find something.

There are many Blackwing-type planes shown at Aero EDNY. Everybody seems to be making the same shape – it’s a standard formula e.g.

But look at the landing gear – would it be good for “grass roots” flying?

How far do you need to go?

Administrator
Shoreham EGKA, United Kingdom

I agree Peter, retractable gear is probably not the way to go for ULM fields here.. Besides, I don’t need the only advantage it brings: speed. And I really don’t need added complexity and forgetting to extend them one day (Aartsheimer may kick in one day )

Distance: I’d be mostly flying local and between the islands here, and go to Catalonia. Max 2 hour flights. I may still venture into Europe occasionally and would take it easy, take 2 days to go to Holland. I may still even join in for a EuroGA fly-in, but don’t worry, I’ll sit at a different table!

Private field, Mallorca, Spain

Visiting EDNY one can tell that it’s a quickly developing market. These sleek planes look great. In the certified world loaded Cirruses are getting close to a million dollars. What a joke.. Good luck picking!

LPFR, Poland

I’ll sit at a different table

You can sit at my table with italianjon and ploucandco
Edit: ….and Pavel and Pavla of course

Last Edited by europaxs at 19 Nov 09:54
EDLE

These sleek planes look great

They do look great, and they’re big on fun, too! Lance Neibauer really started something back in the 1980s with his designs for composite homebuilt aircraft kits.

I’m a big fan of @aart ‘s approach – try on everything for the grin factor ! No doubt about it, the microlight market has a lot to offer, it’s a different kind of flying, that’s all.

If you’re planning on using a lot of grass strips, the VL3 probably isn’t the best choice, but if you want a bit of speed….well, ok, you say you don’t, but be careful what you wish for

Whatever you choose, I know you’ll be happy – that’s the mysterious “aart factor” !!

Bordeaux

You can order the VL3 and the Dynamic with FG as well, which will knock off a few knots that you can get back by ordering them with the Turbo Rotax 914. That way you’d also not limited to 18k ft any longer as with the DA42

Last Edited by europaxs at 19 Nov 10:03
EDLE
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