Ultraflight – News

USAF LOOKS AT ULTRALIGHTS FOR TRAINING

A number of ultralight manufacturers have been invited to display their wares before senior brass at the prestigious USAF Colorado Springs Air Academy. The flying academy has 41 active training squadrons and USAF foresaw a possibility that each such squadron could have its own two-place ultralight for training and familiarisation purposes. The programme is continuing and if acceptable a decision is expected during 1985 for the commencement of what might be the first official ultralight wedge into the air training environment.

PARACHUTES – THE BEST INSURANCE

With the lifting of the current height restrictions on ultralights to 500 feet, the use of parachutes in ultralights is now practical.

Until now, the 300 feet height restrictions made the use of parachutes marginal, people’s attitudes to parachutes vary from the uninformed ‘I don’t need one because I’ll land in the plane’ type to the informed who understand that the parachute is the only safety device that could save their life when all else fails – they are the best insurance available.

Between 1977 and 1982 there were 27 accidents of which 12 were fatal. Between 1983 and May 1984 there were 21 accidents with six deaths. To ignore these figures is foolhardy.

Ultralight aircraft have no certification requirements, allowing for innovation and change; this places restrictions on the manoeuvres, speeds etc. that pilots can safely fly without exceeding design limits. This is the reason parachutes should be used in ultralights. Because the all-up weight is the major design restriction, a parachute can be designed that will be suitable for ultralight recovery (including the pilot). To date, a number of designs have evolved. They are simple. (1) Hand-deployed parachute fitted on the chest, usually with a full body harness attached to A/C as well, to prevent the pilot being ejected on parachute opening or when the A/C lands. (2) A remotely operated parachute that allows the parachute container to be mounted remotely and operated by an emergency handle. These can be spring-activated, ballistic fired etc. and take many forms. (3) A third type is used successfully by glider pilots and is a backpack, certified parachute that requires the pilot to leave the ultralight before opening.

Each of these types of emergency parachutes has its place and its advantages and disadvantages; one thing that they all have in common – they provide insurance if anything fails. Parachutes are a last resort. They are simply insurance for that one emergency when nothing else will suffice.

The types of emergencies in ultralights vary, but the reports of the last two fatalities in ultralights show that a parachute would have saved those lives. With the lifting of the 300-foot height restriction to 500 feet, parachutes are now a viable emergency escape device.

PARACHUTE FACTS AND FICTION

(1) Parachutes take more than 300 feet to open. Not true – Opening height loss depends mainly on the air speed at opening time. The faster your speed the faster the canopy will open. Typical height loss for a 25 foot zero porosity canopy at 60 knots would be 200 feet. The parachute ‘travels’ a certain distance to open, either horizontal or vertical distance. Testing of most parachutes is made from 500 feet, they all open at 200 to 300 feet above ground level.

(2) The carrying capacity of a parachute depends on the design and not size, i. e. a 26 foot canopy made from a porous material descends faster than a 20 foot zero porosity material, with the same suspended weight. Many design factors are involved to achieve the best drag efficiency, i. e. line length, canopy shape, number of lines, fabric porosity and size of vent.

TWO-SEATERS PROLIFERATE

As one who had his first taste of ultralight flying a la solo I can certainly appreciate the major step forward in terms of safety and convenience that two-place training ultralights will afford. Most of the popular manufacturers are now placing their first production two-seaters into service. In recent months we have seen a two-place Chinook, Hawk, Thruster, Lazair, Cobra, Falcon in addition to the Maxair Double Drifter XP and Eipper MXL which have been here for some time. A word on two-place training – through the Department has not officially sanctioned two-place training (as the ANO has still to pass into legislative law) the Department has tolerated it to date providing it has been undertaken in a professional and discreet manner.

ULTRALIGHT INSURANCE NOW AVAILABLE

The long-established Australian Aviation Underwriting Pool has announced a basic third party property damage or bodily injury policy for ultralight operators. The new policy will give protection against claims from third parties for property damage or bodily injury to people other than passengers. At present this cover is restricted to individuals for private flying only. While the AAUP will not at this time insure the machines themselves, this may be available in the future. A cover of $250,000 is available for a premium of $250 plus local Stamp Duty.

The major problem with hull insurance is that until ultralights have specific DofA VH-type registrations it is virtually impossible to verify which ultralight is which. An unscrupulous owner for instance may own three ultralights of the same make, insure one and regardless of which should crash, make a claim. The scenarios are endless. The DofA is however anticipating that during 1985 definitive arrangements will be made regarding the issuing of VH marks against ultralights so hull insurance may become available at that time. We will keep you updated on this most important issue.

MORE ON POLICE ULTRALIGHTS

The use of ultralights by US suburban police forces is increasing. The Los Angeles county of Downey is in stage two of its ultralight programme as reported in our June issue, while neighbouring Monterey Park has returned to using ultralights with the recent purchase of a specially equipped Lazair. Ultraflight Sales, manufacturers of the Lazair, have now produced a special Police Surveillance model that features the full array of police equipment; siren, lights, full instrumentation, and radios in addition to more powerful engines and a beefed-up airframe. Other firms offering specialised police models are Eipper, Advanced Aviation with the Cobra and Ultralight Flight with their Phantom. The employment of ultralights in the police role is not suitable for every region, though where terrain and population density permit they have already proven the concept as cost-efficient, viable and effective as a deterrent to crime.