Ultralight Flying - Understanding FAR Part 103

Did you ever dream about flying? Well then,inspect your vehicle to make sure that it complies
Ultralight Flying may be for you!to these regulations and that the pilot must
But before you go out and start ultralight flying,furnish satisfactory proof of the same if
you need to understand what is an ultralight andrequested.
what are the rules about them.The FAR part 103 also covers license
That is where FAR Part 103 comes in. You see,requirements for the operator and also
FAR part 103 is the Federal Aviation Regulationscertification requirements. Basically, there aren't
and Part 103 is the section that pertains toany. What I mean by this is that as long as the
Ultralight vehicles. Now I am not going to list thevehicle meets the requirements laid out above, an
regulations exact, but what I am going to try toultralight vehicle is not required to meet any
do is relate them in a way that most people willcertification standards as to airworthiness.
understand.However, as an operator or pilot of an ultralight it
What is an ultralight vehicle? According to the FARis your responsibility to operate and maintain your
Part 103, an ultralight vehicle is a vehicle that iscraft in a safe manner. Remember, your life may
operated in the air by a single person. The rulesdepend on it.
go on to state that the purpose of an ultralightAs to license requirements for the pilot, there are
vehicle must be solely for sport or recreation only.no requirements for a license or knowledge of
Also, the vehicle must not have an air worthinessaeronautics what so ever. That being said, I think
certificate issued for it, either domestic or foreign.only a fool would attempt to fly an ultralight
This means that if you buy an ultralight vehiclevehicle without some instruction from a qualified
from a manufacturer and that manufacturer hasinstructor. There are no age, or medical
issued a certificate for the ultralight, it can not berestrictions either. But again, you are responsible
operated under Part 103.for you and your aircraft.
There are two major classes of ultralight vehicles.There are no requirements set forth in the FAR
Powered and unpowered. If the vehicle isPart 103 concerning any registration or aircraft
unpowered, such as hang-gliders, hot air balloons,makings.
etc. the regulations state that the maximumThere are restrictions on where and when and
weight must be 155 pounds or less. If on thehow you can fly an ultralight. Some of the
other hand the vehicle is powered, then theimportant ones are things like- do not operate in a
maximum empty weight of the vehicle must bemanner that is hazardous to other people or
254 pounds or less. This weight does not includeproperty, don't allow things to be dropped from
the weight of safety and float devices. Thesethe vehicle in flight. Here is a big one-ultralights are
include parachutes that are meant to be used inonly to be operated during daylight hours. Ultralight
the event of an emergency. Full power speed andvehicles must practice the see and avoid aircraft
stall speed are regulated by this part. Full powerand to yield the right of way to other aircraft and
level flight must not exceed 55 knots calibratedalways yield to unpowered ultralights. There are
airspeed. Power off stall speed must be less thancertain airspace restrictions concerning ultralights,
24 knots calibrated air speed.but they are beyond the scope of this article.
FAR Part 103 also covers requirements forI hope that this will give you a better
inspection of the vehicle by the FAAunderstanding of the rules concerning ultralight
administrator. Basically the FAA has the right toflying.