Ultralight Helicopter Training

An ultralight aircraft cannot exceed 55 miles per hour by law.

The Federal Aviation Administration sets the rules pertaining to piloting an ultralight aircraft. Under the Federal Aviation Regulations, there are no training requirements to pilot an ultralight helicopter, but there are strict requirements on what an ultralight aircraft can do.

Function

An ultralight helicopter is the most basic type of single-rotor aircraft available. It has one main rotor to provide lift and a tail rotor to counter the forces of torque. An ultralight helicopter cannot weigh more than 254 pounds, cannot have more than a 5 gallon fuel tank and cannot exceed 55 miles per hour.

Considerations

Ultralight helicopters can be purchased in kit form so you can build the helicopter yourself. When you purchase such a kit, the manufacturer often offers to train you to fly the helicopter, usually where the craft is made. Learning to fly an ultralight helicopter is the same as learning to fly almost any helicopter, and students need to master the takeoff, hover, turns and landing. Training always includes an emphasis on safety.

Benefits

Flying an ultralight helicopter will provide you with all the benefits of rotor-craft flight without the expense of operating a traditional helicopter. Since the training requirements to fly an ultralight helicopter are not mandated by law, the expense of training to fly will be minimal.

References

• Ultralight Airplanes: Ultralight Helicopter
• Federal Aviation Regulations: Part 103 Ultralight Aircraft