Are ultralight pilots, second class citizens? Recently I was enjoying lunch with a couple of pilot types and the subject of insurance came up for discussion. As the group proudly announced the amounts of insurance each carried, I made mention of the fact that I carry no hull insurance. This was followed by the comment, “Yeah but you’re only flying an ultralight” Hmmm…

So, why an ultralight. Let’s see Carstairs to Kirby’s is about 35 miles, Carstairs to Sundre about 30 miles, Carstairs to the North 40 only 22 miles, 20 miles to Linden. Innisfail is 35 miles from Carstairs, and even Red Deer is only 43 miles. So, from Carstairs I have lots of places to fly that are reachable in 30 to 60 minutes and that is flying low and slow at 60 to 70 mph. Then there are the times when you just hop in the plane with no destination in mind. You probably remember a time when you were just out flying in circles and looked at your watch and realized a couple of hours had passed.

I remember when I bought the Buzzard and sold the Chinook, and a friend used the term “It’s a progression.” Recently Stu posted a new video, and I was reminded of the term “it’s a progression”. The new video does not seem to have any easily identifiable ultralights. If you go back to one of Stu’s earlier videos “Some random thoughts about flying” there are a couple of pod and boom style ultralights, a Challenger and various ultralight style planes (Note, Stu does some great video work and has promised to do a presentation at an upcoming meeting about producing videos). Just a progression, I guess. Still, I wonder why if we are doing this to relax (Judy says I turn into a bear if I go too long between flights) why are we racing to relax.

There are some of us that like the low and slow. Some fly a 65 hp Piper Cub or such style of airplane and enjoy the 65 to 70 mph flight. I do understand a higher speed aircraft when fighting winds but even that should only be an issue if you are using the aircraft for travel. For just bouncing around the headwind might not make that much a difference. You just get to watch the cars go past you (sometimes even the coyotes can be faster).

I have talked to a couple of different pilots that have gone to the faster aircraft and sometimes wish they still had the low slow flyer. And we have a member with an RV that will soon be building a Highlander to get back to the low slow flying (still keeping the RV, just adding to the stable).

I guess it comes down to, your mission. That determines what is best for you, also remembering the environment you fly in. It seems like Carstairs/Didsbury area is a bit of a dividing line with winds north and south of that area being quite different. I know flying north is quite often much smoother than flying south so a lighter plane may not have as much of an issue the more you head north.

I know there are probably more recreational type planes than ultralight types in our club, but I believe that speaks to the progression level of our members. Being one of the oldest ultralight flying clubs in Canada, I believe that as members have progressed in their flying many have gone to bigger and faster planes, but that does not mean we are not ultralighters at heart. There still seems to be many who enjoy the flight of groups with wingmen. Whether we are off to Linden for pie, Red Deer or Lacombe for lunch, Morley for breakfast, or Vulcan for Golf we still enjoy the camaraderie of a group flight.

It really does not matter what you fly as long as you are flying what works for you and you are enjoying the time in the air.

As for the comment made at the beginning of this article, the pilot that sounded like he was putting me down for flying only an ultralight, I now realize it may have just been a bit of jealousy that I don’t have to spend a month’s rent on insurance.

Fly what you want and what you can afford but fly and don’t let someone else’s value set make you feel any less of a pilot for flying a smaller slower plane. One proviso: make sure it is safe and enjoy.

The guest speaker for March is the Global One chief pilot and one of the lady reporters.

Till next time (golf season is just around the corner), good lies and smooth skies.