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Changing horses..

I knew someone would find one. Must have been an early one with six pack, right?

The 2005 one I used to fly (one of the last six-pack ones) was already 780ish on empty weight. All the G1000 ones seem to be around 800 kgs or even above…

Mainz (EDFZ) & Egelsbach (EDFE), Germany

boscomantico wrote:

All the G1000 ones seem to be around 800 kgs or even above…

Yep. Our G1000 C172S weighs 796 kg empty. Too much, really…

ESKC (Uppsala/Sundbro), Sweden

“ULM fields” concept doesn’t exist anymore in Spain. Now we have public and restricted airports. The only difference being, basically, that is not allowed to do passenger transport operations in restricted aerodromes.
All the former ULM airfields are migrating more or less slowly to the new restricted aerodrome concept, and any kind of airplane can be operated if runway length is considered adequate by the PIC.

Regarding the limitation to fly outside CAS as mentioned by Peter, is going to be eliminated in the new ULM regulation that is currently being drafted. It will take some time yet to be published, but in the meantime, have a look at a chart, it’s relatively straightforward to keep yourself outside CAS just playing in some areas with your altitude, e.g. under Madrid TMA. In any case this TMA is Class A so cannot enter anyway if VFR.
Additionally, in practice an ULM will be allowed to transit CAS very frequently. What is true it’s that you won’t be allowed to land in any controlled airport. Not as bad as it can seem, since usually AENA airports have all kind of nuisance for small GA anyway (e.g. handling), and there is a good network of restricted airports/aerodromes.

LECU - Madrid, Spain

Coolhand wrote:

“ULM fields” concept doesn’t exist anymore in Spain. Now we have public and restricted airports. The only difference being, basically, that is not allowed to do passenger transport operations in restricted aerodromes.
All the former ULM airfields are migrating more or less slowly to the new restricted aerodrome concept, and any kind of airplane can be operated if runway length is considered adequate by the PIC.

In which case I repeat my recommendation of a Katmai / Petersen C182!

Thank you @coolhand. I was not aware that there are talks to allow ULM’s in (non-A) CAS. This means that the way that they are operated right now will become legal

I understand what you say about “ULM airfields” migrating to wider use. Correct me if I’m wrong, but AFAIK it’s not a matter of the PIC to consider that the airfield is good enough for the aircraft, but also that the airfield operator/owner needs to agree to that. Which he would do only on the basis of a confirmation from AESA (Spanish CAA) that certain bigger craft than ULM’s can fly there? Enlighten me (us) please!

@C172, Why is it that some of our GA-friends at the other side of the Atlantic seems to push me into big, masculine machines! I remember @adamfrish suggesting me a turbine

Impressive, the Katmai, I learned about it when one visited me earlier this year at Son Bonet. But then again, the travel/load capabilities of that machine are not really what I will need.. Plus of course my wife will expose me as the biggest hypocrite in the solar system or even the entire milky way. I can already hear “so this environmentalist with his electric cars and his solar panels goes for a lead spewing….” And she would be right of course

Son Alberti LEJF, Mallorca, Spain

aart wrote:

Why is it that some of our GA-friends at the other side of the Atlantic seems to push me into big, masculine machines! I remember @adamfrish suggesting me a turbine

If the legal restriction on certified aircraft at the ‘ULM airfields’ you like is actually no longer true, I might ‘break the mould’ by suggesting a Socata Rallye like this one for under Euro 30K. If it were me, I’d want it on N-register to simplify ownership. A 150-HP version should I think be STC’d for auto fuel, although I haven’t checked it. They were made for what you want to do.

Last Edited by Silvaire at 27 Nov 20:20

aart wrote:

I understand what you say about “ULM airfields” migrating to wider use. Correct me if I’m wrong, but AFAIK it’s not a matter of the PIC to consider that the airfield is good enough for the aircraft, but also that the airfield operator/owner needs to agree to that. Which he would do only on the basis of a confirmation from AESA (Spanish CAA) that certain bigger craft than ULM’s can fly there? Enlighten me (us) please!

I don’t know all the details. Off the top of my head, basically the owner of an ulm airfield has to provide some info to AESA and ask for the homologation/conversion to restricted aerodrome in accordance with the new regulations. It’s more of a formal thing, I think, because the requirements to certify a restricted aerodrome are not more restrictive than the ones for a ULM airfield.
Once AESA recognizes the airfield as a restricted one, it’s published in AIP and then it’s available for any aircraft.

I’ve just checked in AIP (AD 1.3) and there is one airfield in Mallorca already declared as restricted aerodrome: Petra
So in principle you can use that one if the runway is enough for your aircraft.

LECU - Madrid, Spain

@aart

You have any update for us? did you actually gone for a ULM?

Would be nice to get a little Review ;)

Austria

Hi Matt,

I was planning to, and now you prompted me.

Although i did renew my IR recently so that i still have access to bigger stuff, i made the jump to ULM for the main part of my flying.

I went for a Bristell NG5 tri-gear. I actually planned on buying a new Bristell tail-dragger when this opportunity popped up. It is based on Mallorca, built in 2013, new engine in 2016, very well taken care of, and very important it came with a very nice individual hangar, with water and electricity on one of the fields nearest my home! Sometimes things just work out perfectly.

The aircraft has a Dynon PFD and Garmin 795 navigator. 2-axis autopilot, and a parachute. Electric aileron and elevator trim, electric in-flight adjustable constant speed prop, 8,33 kHz radio and a mode S transponder. It is the ‘HD’ version, which has a stronger wing spar and is marketed in the US as a LSA. This means that I’ll very likely be able to get it ‘certified’ for a 600 kg MTOM this or next year, as it will also meet the other requirements in terms of max stall speed, max empty weight and max take-off distance. Will probably need a different parachute though.

The aircraft is D-reg so that meant going to Germany to get a D UL license. I did that at a school next to the DULV HQ in Morbach. Quite a nice experience driving up there at 13:00 and out again at 17:00 with a license in my hand! Very nice and professional people at the DULV.. UL flying in Germany is well organized.

Sofar I’m quite happy. She’s a joy and easy to fly. Leaps off the ground in 150 m, climbs at 1000 ft/min and cruises 100-120 knots. 110 knots feels best, and the 100 HP Rotax ULS then burns about 17 liter/hr of Euro 95. 120 liter fuel capacity, so quite an impressive range, although i don’t expect to do any 6 hours flights For local flying, which I do and will be doing a lot, 90 knots seems like a sweet spot.

I had to get used to the light controls and low inertia but that was a matter of a few hours. Kind of interesting that you can play with that light inertia. If too ‘hot’ (well…) chopping the throttle and prop in fine pitch takes care of that! Also interesting to note is the difference in flight characteristics when with 2 people and much fuel vs solo and low fuel. Obviously with a empty weight of about a quart of a DA42 the effects of turbulence are a lot more pronounced. I guess it will be a bad idea to fly over land here in summer at midday. But that would not be the plan anyway, it would be around sunrise or sunset. Right now, lovely flying, any time of day.

The outside views are excellent, like a DA20/DA40. The cockpit is roomier than a DA40/42 and much roomier than a DA20 (130 cm wide and quite tall), and this seems to distinguish the Bristell from most of the other ULM’s. That was important factor in my decision making.

Haven’t done any touring yet. Waiting for the sea temps to go up a bit Preparing for it though, with a PLB, a hand held radio, vests and a raft and an inflatable bible. Did go up a bit into still air and once properly trimmed she is very stable. The autopilot is OK, but not near as rock solid as a Garmin GFC700, especially in holding altitude.

The previous owner used it quite often to go to Germany and back, one stop on the way. I think i may venture into Europe as well once this summer and see how it is. France looks like ULM heaven, you’re basically treated like any VFR traffic. I do need to get into VFR flight planning again though. I guess it would be a shame to get a dent in my lovely plane from some brush with a Rafale in one of these corridors..

My main purpose was to get the F of Freedom back into my flying and I’m still amazed how this has met my expectations. Just driving up to your hangar, open the door, pull out the aircraft with your left index finger, do some checks and go fly.. How about going there before sunrise, get out on the runway, wait until you can see something, take off and see the sun come up over the sea? I hadn’t seen that in my 27 years of flying..

We are just a handful on the field, which is owned by a friend. It feels as close as my own field as can be. Ahh, don’t use the radio here unless you want to hear comments like “you think you’re an airline pilot?” On saturdays the ULM community comes to life which means that many make the round of the 3 fields, and regularly one of the fields have fired up the BBQ. The other day, 4 of us from my field did a nice formation flight around the island, chatting all the way on our dedicated frequency. Our chatting was picked up by some others who joined the formation for a while. While one could go to Son Bonet, nobody does. Who cares for filing a plan, carrying a yellow vest, paying fees, and nothing to do there? ULM’s can now go to Menorca so we’re organizing a nice ULM raid to San Luis (LESL) soon. Hope i still know how to fill in a FPL..

I just did an internal refurb of the hangar, basically a clean up and putting a new floor in. Next on the list is putting some striping on the aircraft. And putting in a bed of course! Well, actually, my wife told me she’d buy me one for my birthday. Hmm, is that a good sign?

So all of you, stand by for a fly-in to Son Alberti airfield! I’ll line the hangar walls with bunk beds. Although these beds will be non-certified, they will be reserved for the Certified crowd of course. Us in the lower cast of deplorable uncertifieds will sleep under the wings or under a local bridge. No excuse to not come. The runway is unpaved, but hard, and 800 m long, and then there is an ‘unofficial’ 600 m one at right angles, only to be used in emergencies of course, like heavy X-winds.

The man cave:

Some pics from a formation flight around the island:



Son Alberti LEJF, Mallorca, Spain

Congrats Aart! Freedom part sounds very nice, as I have to take off my shoes before most flights from home base..
I’ll be spending Easter on Menorca. Maybe we can do some formation flying then ;-)

LPFR, Poland
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