Short answer, 10
to 15 hours. I have seen it take less than 10 hours and more than 30 hours,
even with a person who was a good student and is a great pilot, and now even an
instructor. There are two aspects: one
is actual skill and the other is confidence.
Some people get the skill, but still want the instructor in the aircraft
because they don't have full confidence in their ability yet. That situation should not be rushed, because
without confidence, fear can displace skill.
Tuesday, January 8, 2013
What is a Weight Shift Control wing and how does it work?
First some definitions:
Weight Shift Control (WSC): this is the FAA's term for an aircraft with a hang-glider type wing. These aircraft are also commonly called 'trikes', which is short for 'hang glider trike'. Hang gliders are foot launched: your legs are the landing gear. As people added motors to hang gliders, they made three-wheeled carts that the hang glider sits on top of. This enables you to sit and roll rather than stand and run to launch your glider. The name shortened from 'hang glider trike' to 'trike'. The name 'trike' stuck with this type of aircraft even though most aircraft have a three-wheel tricycle undercarriage configuration.
Other terms that also describe WSC are: Rogallo wing, delta-wing, flex wing, and 2-axis control. You may also hear the term 'microlight' and 'ultralight' which I will explain.
Rogallo: Dr. Francis Rogallo, an American aeronautical engineer (27 Jan 1912 to 1 Sept 2009) pioneered the use of folding wings for NASA space capsules and other aircraft using weight shift control. These laid the foundation for modern hang gliders and trike wings.
Delta wing: this term comes from the triangular shape of the wing resembling the Greek uppercase letter delta (Δ).
Flex-wing: As opposed to 'rigid wing' aircraft, trike wings are designed to flex significantly. The flex is an important part of the design that gives it much of its directional and pitch stability, and helps it turn.
2-axis control: In an airplane, you control 3 axes--pitch, roll, and yaw. In a trike, you can only directly control pitch and roll. The design of the wing makes it self-correcting with regard to yaw. This third axis is controlled automatically.
Ultralight is not a particular type of aircraft. The term describes a set of criteria defined by the US Federal Aviation Regulations (254 pounds max weight, one seat, five gallons of fuel, etc.). If a craft meets these definitions, it is considered an ultralight, and is exempt from many pilot and aircraft regulations regarding licensing and registration. There are airplanes, helicopters, gyrocopters, trikes, paragliders, powered parachutes, and hot air balloons that all can be called 'ultralights' because they fit the FAA criteria.
Microlight: outside of the United States, 'microlight' is the more common term roughly analogous to 'ultralight'. Again, 'microlight' is not a particular type of aircraft (there are airplanes, helicopters, gyrocopters, trikes, hot air balloons, etc. that all could fit the microlight criteria). In many countries the criteria is broader than it is in the US, so an aircraft that does not fit the ultralight criteria in the US may fit some other country's 'microlight' criteria.
As an FAA Designated Pilot Examiner (DPE) I conduct check rides and issue pilot certificates (licenses) on behalf of the FAA. Applicants often come to me for a check ride in a Weight Shift Control aircraft without really knowing how one works. Here are some questions to start your study of how it works.
If a conventional airplane needs a tail for stability, what gives a tail-less wing directional stability? Think archery for a moment: What would happen if you took an arrow, without any tail feathers, and shot it from a bow? (It would tumble end over end). What about throwing a tail-less dart? (It would likely tumble before it reached the dart board). A surfboard, water ski or wind surfer needs a fin at the back to keep it going straight too. So how is it possible for a tail-less wing to fly?
This video explains a lot. It is 23 minutes long. This Department of the Air Force film depicting advantages of the Northrop YB-49 flying wing design over conventional aircraft
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WPIZMJv09DY
Weight Shift Control (WSC): this is the FAA's term for an aircraft with a hang-glider type wing. These aircraft are also commonly called 'trikes', which is short for 'hang glider trike'. Hang gliders are foot launched: your legs are the landing gear. As people added motors to hang gliders, they made three-wheeled carts that the hang glider sits on top of. This enables you to sit and roll rather than stand and run to launch your glider. The name shortened from 'hang glider trike' to 'trike'. The name 'trike' stuck with this type of aircraft even though most aircraft have a three-wheel tricycle undercarriage configuration.
Other terms that also describe WSC are: Rogallo wing, delta-wing, flex wing, and 2-axis control. You may also hear the term 'microlight' and 'ultralight' which I will explain.
Rogallo: Dr. Francis Rogallo, an American aeronautical engineer (27 Jan 1912 to 1 Sept 2009) pioneered the use of folding wings for NASA space capsules and other aircraft using weight shift control. These laid the foundation for modern hang gliders and trike wings.
Delta wing: this term comes from the triangular shape of the wing resembling the Greek uppercase letter delta (Δ).
Flex-wing: As opposed to 'rigid wing' aircraft, trike wings are designed to flex significantly. The flex is an important part of the design that gives it much of its directional and pitch stability, and helps it turn.
2-axis control: In an airplane, you control 3 axes--pitch, roll, and yaw. In a trike, you can only directly control pitch and roll. The design of the wing makes it self-correcting with regard to yaw. This third axis is controlled automatically.
Ultralight is not a particular type of aircraft. The term describes a set of criteria defined by the US Federal Aviation Regulations (254 pounds max weight, one seat, five gallons of fuel, etc.). If a craft meets these definitions, it is considered an ultralight, and is exempt from many pilot and aircraft regulations regarding licensing and registration. There are airplanes, helicopters, gyrocopters, trikes, paragliders, powered parachutes, and hot air balloons that all can be called 'ultralights' because they fit the FAA criteria.
Microlight: outside of the United States, 'microlight' is the more common term roughly analogous to 'ultralight'. Again, 'microlight' is not a particular type of aircraft (there are airplanes, helicopters, gyrocopters, trikes, hot air balloons, etc. that all could fit the microlight criteria). In many countries the criteria is broader than it is in the US, so an aircraft that does not fit the ultralight criteria in the US may fit some other country's 'microlight' criteria.
As an FAA Designated Pilot Examiner (DPE) I conduct check rides and issue pilot certificates (licenses) on behalf of the FAA. Applicants often come to me for a check ride in a Weight Shift Control aircraft without really knowing how one works. Here are some questions to start your study of how it works.
If a conventional airplane needs a tail for stability, what gives a tail-less wing directional stability? Think archery for a moment: What would happen if you took an arrow, without any tail feathers, and shot it from a bow? (It would tumble end over end). What about throwing a tail-less dart? (It would likely tumble before it reached the dart board). A surfboard, water ski or wind surfer needs a fin at the back to keep it going straight too. So how is it possible for a tail-less wing to fly?
This video explains a lot. It is 23 minutes long. This Department of the Air Force film depicting advantages of the Northrop YB-49 flying wing design over conventional aircraft
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WPIZMJv09DY
Is a Soaring Trike for you?
Many people contact us about soaring trikes, usually because of the lower price of soaring trikes compared to 'regular' trikes. Everyone wants to save money, so will a soaring trike work for you? First, what is soaring? Soaring is using thermals or ridge lift to keep an aircraft airborne without using the engine. This is how hang gliders, sail planes, and other un-powered aircraft stay in the air. It takes just the right conditions and is a skill that you must practice. Your opportunities to soar are limited to certain weather conditions and certain times of the day. A soaring trike is essentially a hang glider with a small engine added to it.
A good analogy for soaring vs. powered flying is sailing vs. power boating. When conditions are right, sailing is fun, and saves gas. But when the wind dies, no sailing. What if you put a motor on your sailboat, so you can still go places when the wind dies? That helps, but the motor on your sailboat doesn't really make it a motorboat. I mean it is a boat, and it does have a motor, but you can't go anywhere fast, and it is no good for wakeboarding or waterskiing. The sailboat with a motor can't do all the things you expect a motor boat to be able to do. Likewise, even though a soaring trike does have a motor, it is not the same as a regular powered trike.
A soaring trike has 'just enough' motor to allow it to take off and climb. That is one of the main reasons it costs less. A soaring trike uses a motor typically about half the horsepower of a regular trike. And a soaring trike will use a wing which is good for soaring but not for going fast. Soaring wings operate in the 20 to 30 mph range, whereas a regular single seat trike will cruise between 40 and 60 mph.
A good analogy for soaring vs. powered flying is sailing vs. power boating. When conditions are right, sailing is fun, and saves gas. But when the wind dies, no sailing. What if you put a motor on your sailboat, so you can still go places when the wind dies? That helps, but the motor on your sailboat doesn't really make it a motorboat. I mean it is a boat, and it does have a motor, but you can't go anywhere fast, and it is no good for wakeboarding or waterskiing. The sailboat with a motor can't do all the things you expect a motor boat to be able to do. Likewise, even though a soaring trike does have a motor, it is not the same as a regular powered trike.
A soaring trike has 'just enough' motor to allow it to take off and climb. That is one of the main reasons it costs less. A soaring trike uses a motor typically about half the horsepower of a regular trike. And a soaring trike will use a wing which is good for soaring but not for going fast. Soaring wings operate in the 20 to 30 mph range, whereas a regular single seat trike will cruise between 40 and 60 mph.
When you are soaring, you want the trike to be as light as possible to
most resemble the hang gliding experience. So everything will be built lighter.
The engine will have 'just enough' power to get you up to the thermals, and the
frame will be built for light weight as opposed to being built rugged like a
tank. Regular trikes are very tough. They have much more engine
power so the extra weight for ruggedness is not noticed.
For many people, part of the fun of flying a trike is the
ability to zoom up, then swoop down for a touch and go, then zoom up
again. With ample power, part of the fun
is how sporty it feels, like sports cars, wave runners, dirt bikes, or anything
else where 'power' makes it fun.
A soaring trike will have
enough power to take off and climb out, but not enough to zoom up like a rocket. By comparison, a regular trike will make you say 'wow, this is powerful!' to the point
that you may not feel the need to use full power on takeoffs and climbs.
A soaring trike is great for soaring and okay for a small amount of cruising around. But compared to a regular trike it is slow, flimsy and under-powered. Unless you are positive that soaring is the main type of flying you want to do, you will probably be happier with a 'regular' trike. The normal trike will be much faster, more powerful for faster climbs, and more ruggedly built for hard landings and operations from rough fields.
These articles are from my thoughts and experiences. I welcome your thoughts and experiences. Write me at AirtimeAircraft@gmail.com.
These articles are from my thoughts and experiences. I welcome your thoughts and experiences. Write me at AirtimeAircraft@gmail.com.
Thursday, January 3, 2013
Maverick vs. Pacer wing
Maverick vs. Pacer wing
If you have decided on a single seat trike, the next decision is which wing to get. The Maverick is tried and true. The latest revision is the Maverick 3. The Maverick wing is well proven and I can strongly recommend it. It has pleased many customers. The Pacer is also a nice wing but it is more specialized, for those who want to go faster but still keep to a single seat trike. The downside for the extra speed will be increased setup time (only a factor if you are trailering instead of renting a hangar), reduced climb angle (not much of a concern except when operating out of very short fields), and extra fuel consumption. The extra fuel consumption is an issue because an ultralight can only have a 5-gallon fuel tank. With the faster wing your endurance will be less even though your range may be greater. So long cross country is limited with the ultralight fuel limitation.
If you have decided on a single seat trike, the next decision is which wing to get. The Maverick is tried and true. The latest revision is the Maverick 3. The Maverick wing is well proven and I can strongly recommend it. It has pleased many customers. The Pacer is also a nice wing but it is more specialized, for those who want to go faster but still keep to a single seat trike. The downside for the extra speed will be increased setup time (only a factor if you are trailering instead of renting a hangar), reduced climb angle (not much of a concern except when operating out of very short fields), and extra fuel consumption. The extra fuel consumption is an issue because an ultralight can only have a 5-gallon fuel tank. With the faster wing your endurance will be less even though your range may be greater. So long cross country is limited with the ultralight fuel limitation.
Most people just want to go up and fly around a local area, and either wing is fine for that. Five gallons will keep you going for a couple hours and that is plenty at one time for most people.
The Pacer is a less forgiving wing, which will require more training. The ideal approach would be training with an instructor in a two-place trike, then soloing that two-place trike, then soloing a single seat trike with a Maverick wing, gaining some experience and proficiency before flying the Pacer wing.
The Pacer is a less forgiving wing, which will require more training. The ideal approach would be training with an instructor in a two-place trike, then soloing that two-place trike, then soloing a single seat trike with a Maverick wing, gaining some experience and proficiency before flying the Pacer wing.
Unless you have a definite need for the faster wing, I advise going with the Maverick. And if later, you just have to go faster, we can always take your Maverick back as a trade-in towards a new Pacer. The Mavericks have great resale as they fit what most people want from their flying.
Ultralight Trike (Single Seat) vs. Two Seat Trike
Choosing between a single-seat and a two-seat trike: If it only has one seat, it MAY be an ultralight.
What an ultralight actually is:
FAA ultralight criteria (FAR Part 103)
One seat only!
5 gallons max fuel capacity
254 pounds max empty weight, excluding floats and safety devices
max top speed 55 knots (63 mph)
max stall speed 24 knots (28 mph)
If it meets these criteria, it is an ultralight, and the FAA is not involved. There is no federal requirement to get training, to have a pilot license, FAA inspection or registration. But the laws of physics still apply here, so you still need training so you don't crash and die. Federal law stays out of the way to let you use your own sense about how much or little training to get.
There are no 'two-seat ultralights' and there never really were. The confusion comes from years ago when the FAA gave an exemption that allowed two-seat aircraft to be used as ultralights to train ultralight pilots. These two seat aircraft were very popular, even more popular than actual ultralights. The general public still commonly refers to any small open cockpit aircraft as an ultralight even though that is not (an never was) correct.
So two seaters require FAA registration, annual inspections, pilot license, etc. No big deal but not as simple as Part 103 ultralight. From an aircraft ownership aspect, keeping the FAA out saves you some time, effort and money. But from a flight training perspective, it doesn't change much. Your flight training is almost identical whether you plan to fly a single seat ultralight trike or a two seat trike. Here's why:
Flight Training
Whether you need a license or not, you still need to learn to fly. To teach you, we'll take you up in a two seat trike. You will start out riding in the back, observing and taking the controls as the instructor eases you into flying. Soon you will be up front 'in the drivers seat' with you doing most of the flying, and your instructor just saving your life every once in a while. After you are really doing all the flying without your instructor's help, one day when conditions are perfect, your instructor can step out of the aircraft and let you solo it. The instructor endorses your student pilot certificate (the FAA calls a license a certificate), scribbles some endorsements in your log book, and you are legal to fly solo in that two-seat FAA registered aircraft.
IT IS EASIER TO SOLO THE TWO-SEAT AIRCRAFT THAN TO SOLO THE ULTRALIGHT!
Here's why: When you solo the two seater, it is the same aircraft you have been training in. Same seat, same view, same controls, same engine sounds, same wing feel, same foot pedals and steering. Everything is the same except the aircraft gets 20% lighter when the instructor gets out. If the trike weighed 1000 pounds with you, your instructor, and fuel, it will weigh 800 pounds when your 200 pound instructor gets out. Your instructor will have a chat with you about how the aircraft will feel when it is 200 pounds lighter so you will be prepared for quicker takeoff, better climb rate, slower landing speed, etc.
BUT, what if instead of soloing the two-seater, you want to solo in the ultralight? Now you would be hopping into an entirely unfamiliar machine with a different seat height, different view, different feel, different wing, different controls, different engine, etc. Instead of going from 1000 pounds to 800 pounds, you drop directly to a total weight less than 600 pounds. This aircraft will feel radically different. You have never been in the air with this machine before. Good luck on your solo!
We can talk about how the ultralight will take off different, fly different, and land different. But since it is a single seater, you will have to be a good enough pilot to be able to quickly adapt and adjust to the new aircraft characteristics. It is a great experiment to see how well you adapt to unfamiliar equipment while under the nervous excitement of your first solo flight. With so many aircraft variables changing, we really need perfect weather conditions to give you a fighting chance in this experiment.
I hope you now understand that you really need more training and experience to solo an unfamiliar light weight single seater than to solo the two-seater you have been training in. So from a flight training standpoint, it is better to get your student pilot certificate (typical cost $50) and get some solo experience in the two-seater. Your solo endorsement is good for 90 days. Your instructor can renew it over and over again for additional 90 day periods.
Sometimes people have the notion that you start with a single seater and 'work your way up' to carrying a passenger. The opposite is true. You start in the two-seater, and your first 'passenger' is your instructor. You work toward flying solo.
Comparison
Part 103 Ultralight Trike Two-seat trike flown solo
No FAA registration FAA registration fee ($5)
No annual condition inspection Need annual condition inspection ($500)
No license required Need minimum of Student Pilot license ($50)
How to learn to fly it? Save money by training in your own aircraft.
5-gallon fuel capacity limits endurance and range 17 gallon fuel capacity gives expands range
(2 hours, 80 miles) (5+ hours, 300 mile range)
Speed limited to 63 mph Speeds over 100 mph possible
Limited weight allowance restricts engine choices Multiple engine choices to over 100 hp
No room for luggage Duffle bag in back seat holds a lot of gear
Flight time does not count toward license Time counts toward Sport Pilot, Private Pilot
and Instructor ratings
There are pros and cons to both approaches. For local flights both work well. But for cross country flights, a two-seat trike has a huge advantage. For those who really want to trike cross country, a two-seater works better because there is no fuel quantity limit imposed by the FAA. Some trikes hold 17 gallons or more, so you can fly 4 hours or more on one tank, while going faster than most single seat trikes. Second, the two-seaters are usually much faster than the singles. And when flying solo, the rear seat gives you a place to stuff a big duffle bag with luggage and supplies.
Flight Training
Whether you need a license or not, you still need to learn to fly. To teach you, we'll take you up in a two seat trike. You will start out riding in the back, observing and taking the controls as the instructor eases you into flying. Soon you will be up front 'in the drivers seat' with you doing most of the flying, and your instructor just saving your life every once in a while. After you are really doing all the flying without your instructor's help, one day when conditions are perfect, your instructor can step out of the aircraft and let you solo it. The instructor endorses your student pilot certificate (the FAA calls a license a certificate), scribbles some endorsements in your log book, and you are legal to fly solo in that two-seat FAA registered aircraft.
IT IS EASIER TO SOLO THE TWO-SEAT AIRCRAFT THAN TO SOLO THE ULTRALIGHT!
Here's why: When you solo the two seater, it is the same aircraft you have been training in. Same seat, same view, same controls, same engine sounds, same wing feel, same foot pedals and steering. Everything is the same except the aircraft gets 20% lighter when the instructor gets out. If the trike weighed 1000 pounds with you, your instructor, and fuel, it will weigh 800 pounds when your 200 pound instructor gets out. Your instructor will have a chat with you about how the aircraft will feel when it is 200 pounds lighter so you will be prepared for quicker takeoff, better climb rate, slower landing speed, etc.
BUT, what if instead of soloing the two-seater, you want to solo in the ultralight? Now you would be hopping into an entirely unfamiliar machine with a different seat height, different view, different feel, different wing, different controls, different engine, etc. Instead of going from 1000 pounds to 800 pounds, you drop directly to a total weight less than 600 pounds. This aircraft will feel radically different. You have never been in the air with this machine before. Good luck on your solo!
We can talk about how the ultralight will take off different, fly different, and land different. But since it is a single seater, you will have to be a good enough pilot to be able to quickly adapt and adjust to the new aircraft characteristics. It is a great experiment to see how well you adapt to unfamiliar equipment while under the nervous excitement of your first solo flight. With so many aircraft variables changing, we really need perfect weather conditions to give you a fighting chance in this experiment.
I hope you now understand that you really need more training and experience to solo an unfamiliar light weight single seater than to solo the two-seater you have been training in. So from a flight training standpoint, it is better to get your student pilot certificate (typical cost $50) and get some solo experience in the two-seater. Your solo endorsement is good for 90 days. Your instructor can renew it over and over again for additional 90 day periods.
Sometimes people have the notion that you start with a single seater and 'work your way up' to carrying a passenger. The opposite is true. You start in the two-seater, and your first 'passenger' is your instructor. You work toward flying solo.
Comparison
Part 103 Ultralight Trike Two-seat trike flown solo
No FAA registration FAA registration fee ($5)
No annual condition inspection Need annual condition inspection ($500)
No license required Need minimum of Student Pilot license ($50)
How to learn to fly it? Save money by training in your own aircraft.
5-gallon fuel capacity limits endurance and range 17 gallon fuel capacity gives expands range
(2 hours, 80 miles) (5+ hours, 300 mile range)
Speed limited to 63 mph Speeds over 100 mph possible
Limited weight allowance restricts engine choices Multiple engine choices to over 100 hp
No room for luggage Duffle bag in back seat holds a lot of gear
Flight time does not count toward license Time counts toward Sport Pilot, Private Pilot
and Instructor ratings
There are pros and cons to both approaches. For local flights both work well. But for cross country flights, a two-seat trike has a huge advantage. For those who really want to trike cross country, a two-seater works better because there is no fuel quantity limit imposed by the FAA. Some trikes hold 17 gallons or more, so you can fly 4 hours or more on one tank, while going faster than most single seat trikes. Second, the two-seaters are usually much faster than the singles. And when flying solo, the rear seat gives you a place to stuff a big duffle bag with luggage and supplies.
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