What You Need To Know When Buying An Ultralight Airplane

Buying an ultralight airplane is like buying a new car. Itcosts from $20,000 and can go to more than
can be expensive or cheap, it can be great$50,000
experience or great failure, it can bring you a lot of- Used fixed wings can be found for $10,000 or even
joy and happiness or unpleasant and dangerousless, but better don't buy cheaper than $10,000
accidents. It's not like buying a hamburger, so don't- The new ultralight trikes (fixed wing airplanes) start
do it when you are hungry.from $10,000 and usually go up to $30,000
There are many important decisions that you must- You can find used ultralight trike for $5,000 or even
take before buying an ultralight aircraft. Of courseless
the price is important, but there are more - what- A powered paraglider can be built or bought for
model to be, used or new, fixed or flex wing, where$2,500 (if you find someone selling such - it's a rare
to buy it from and so on. This article will try to givechance).
you some basic directions for taking this importantAs you see, there are opportunities for everyone.
step.Just make sure that what you buy is safe. Your life
Choosing the right typecosts more than any amount of money.
If you have decided to buy an ultralight airplane youAdditional factors to consider
probably have your preferences. The main choiceYour safety is the most important and it's not
you'll need to make is either to buy a fixed wing or aenough to ensure that your ultralight airplane is not
flex wing aircraft. The flex wings have a lot ofbroken. You do need a parachute system. This can
advantages like lower cost, taking less space, beingadd $2,000 to the costs, but can save your life.
able to take off from an automobile road etc. On theSometimes (especially with the trikes or powered
other hand, if you want to have a real airplane withparagliders) you need a helmet too.
pilot's cabine, professional devices and all that, and toWhen buying an ultralight aircraft, you also need to
use it for more than just fun, you'll have to choose aknow in what license category it falls for your
fixed wing. You can search the Web for my articlecountry. The regulations are different and you need
Flex Wing Vs. Fixed Wing Ultralight Airplanes if youto ensure that you will be able to fly in your area.
want to learn more about the advantages andHangaring your airplane also can cost you a lot of
disadvantages of these two types.money and nerves. If you don't have a good place
In addition to this, you may want to take a look aton your own or there is no airport hangar close to
the ultralight seaplanes, the gliders or the poweredyou, maybe you should think about buying a trike
paragliders. You could miss something pretty cool justwhich can stay in your car garage.
because you don't know about it. So, study moreWhere to search?
about the types of ultralight airplanes before makingOf course the best option is to browse the classified
your choice. You can find a lot of information aboutsites on the net. Cost-wise however it would be
them atmuch better to find a good airplane in your area,
Used or New?because transportation on big distances can be an
Isn't that a dilemma which comes to you each timeissue. Check if there are any companies around you
when you are going to buy something big? Buying awhich build or resell ultralight aircrafts. Often they will
second hand airplane has some advantages, but ofalso offer used ones.
course the main is the lower price. An used aircraftIf you prefer to search the Web, write "ultralight
can cost 50% or less the price of a similar new one.airplane for sale" in your favourite search engine and
On the other hand, you should not buy second handyou'll get a lot of classifieds and company sites. If
if you don't know how to check its quality. You needyou have decided on the type, make or model, you
to ensure that the engine, fuselage and wings arecan narrow your search.
good enough and are not damaged. If you don'tAnother good idea is to search for "ultralight airplane
know how to do that, you need either to go with akits" - then you will get a whole lot of results, options
friend who knows, or just buy a brand new airplane.and prices. But building plane yourself from a kit is an
The Pricesentire different topic which I won't cover in this
Talking about prices, what can you expect? Ofarticle.
course, the prices vary a lot and it's up to you toWhatever you decide to do, make sure that you
choose within a lot of models and types dependingspend enough time planning and researching. Your
on your budget. Here are some very basic guidelines,airplane can be your partner for the next 10, 20 or
but please note there can be big exceptions:even 50 years. It's like a marriage except that you
- A brand new ultralight airplane with fixed wingscould have more than one partners.