Visiting Aero Friedrichshafen 2024

I focus my report from the 2024 Aero Friedrichshafen on the phenomenal pace of change within the microlight/ultra-light/Light sport aviation sector.
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[@flysport_tedder]

nice to see my part of the aviation market, thanks :)

[@theflyingprofessor8039]

That's a very smooth report. Great production values, and a very interesting market segment!

[@clearprop]

Thanks as always John for providing truly top quality coverage, and for having the humility to include the moments that didn't go so well...😉 Best wishes to you and yours. 👍

[@skyleaderuk]

It's what we love about our flying reporter. Top bloke 👍

[@stevendavies4006]

Loved the bloopers at the end! Lol

[@smithrhod]

An interesting, informative update! The obvious next step is a series of "test" flight videos of the aircraft coming to the UK 😀

[@Fig330]

You nailed the pronunciation this year! 😀 Great reporting, thank you.

[@skyleaderuk]

Well done Jon and Michal. The beers are on me 😊

[@KarlGosling]

I obtained my PPLA just over a year ago with the sole intent of going Microlight (Flight Design CT) for all the reasons here and more, running costs, self maintenance, cheap permit inspections, faster cruise and climb speeds, short take off and landing performance and in my case a much more spacious cabin than an equivalent two seater Cessna or similar.

[@flying-squirrel-SK]

Unfortunately there is one big drawback of ultralights / microlights. It is a pain in the butt to fly internationally as you have to keep track of every country's specific rules and often getting the special entry permits . And for the new pilots the hours do not count towards EASA licensing requirements such as IR CPL etc.. . :-(

[@tobiasgoeller6592]

Yes, this is a BIG problem at the moment. Switzerland is one of the worst countries from that point of view.... I hope that will change in the next couple of years.

[@markh7288]

The prices of these aircraft are still very high. You would need to get this to a more suitable level. Microlights are a problem in France as far as I can see too, Which is disappointing for anyone that has one.

[@andrewsampson9952]

Register as Experimental instead of Ultralight. Can even fly IFR.

[@flying-squirrel-SK]

@@andrewsampson9952 Are you sure? AFAIK experimentals are also regulated by every country separately not EASA. Germany allows experimental to fly IFR only if engine and avionics are certified... Experimental seems even bigger mess than UL from regulatory point of view. But maybe I am wrong it is very hard to get authoritative answer. If you have links to official documents please post it here.

[@flox8342]

thank you so much for giving some deep insight about microlight adv/disadvantages and why its expanding so much atm. International flying is a concern though especially with machines like the JMBs that have the speed and the range…

[@theflyingcircus2070]

Thanks for a great video :) As an ultralight/microlight pilot in Germany I agree with all the comments versus GA; economy, environmental, modern designs and safety etc.

[@skyleaderuk]

Spot on 👍

[@theflyingfool]

Loved the blooper section Jon!

[@nigelcaughey2119]

Another interesting video. Looked like a great show and your bloopers made me laugh. Well done.

[@trevormills]

Nice video Jon - looked a great show. Haven't been since the early 2000's so must go again. The outtakes made me laugh 🤣Having built and operated a Bristell NG5 for over 4 years I have to say that they are very capable and affordable aircraft to own. You get a lot of bang for your buck.

[@CaptainSultan]

I was unable to attend AERO. Thanks for your great summary video.

[@DeadReckoner]

The Shark does look pretty impressive.

[@andrewsampson9952]

Good video but should have included the Porto Aviation Risen, the WT-9 and WT-10, and several other excellent very fast Ultralights.

[@cedarkey]

Very interesting video Jon 👍🏻

[@rainbowdash7194]

Nice video Jon. Very insightful.

[@stevenewton7230]

Have looked at the VL3 in the past as it looks great, but it has taken a long time to get it allowed in the UK. They seem to be doing well in Europe so fingers crossed. Interesting comments on the qualifying hours for IR etc, will have to look into that, hadn’t realised that.

[@skyleaderuk]

Looking forward to having some of these super fast birds over UK skies

[@mauriceevans6546]

Here in the United States, we are expecting the biggest change to light sport aviation in the last 20 years. Mosaic will become law in 2025 and if it is implemented as proposed it will allow 1. Up to 3000lbs aircraft 2. Four seat aircraft 3. 250 knots speed limits 4. Constant speed prop 5. Retractable gear 6. Helicopters for light sport 7. Night flight for those qualified. I am waiting for the proposal to become law before identifying which aircraft I want to purchase. I am very excited because all of what you talked about will be legal here.

[@skyleaderuk]

Looking forward to those changes. We might have a 4 seater with retractable and constant speed prop in the pipeline just for that 👍

[@tcc-bl4tt]

Very interesting Jon. But no mention of Pipistrel despite them having two both the 525kg Alpha and 600kg Virus available in the UK? It would be interesting to see a video of you talking to Deepak at Damyns Hall.

[@TheFlyingReporter]

The last time I spoke to Deepak, he was not interested in a video.

[@stephenbuckle6180]

The Microlight entry level second-hand is priced like a car £5,000-50,000, £30-35,000 buys a VERY nice Micro'. Ongoing costs the same as running a car; insurance, maintenance & 10-15 litres (£15-25) of petrol per hour. As for turbulent weather, how can anyone enjoy domestic-liesure aviation in poor weather in ANY light aircraft? Never been an issue for me 🙃. [negatives: no night 🌃 rating, extra 1 or 2 seats only rarely missed]

[@neilrmcd]

Anyone reading these comments got a spare couple hundred thousand GBP down the back of the sofa I could have. That VL3 looks ace.

[@skyleaderuk]

We might have an aircraft for you that doesn't involve breaking any sofas😁

[@GyrocopterGirl]

And what about the Risen? You were standing in front of the Aircraft.

[@skyleaderuk]

The Risen did look awesome 👍

[@EtiRats]

Nice one thanks Jon. The two seat vs. four seat argument is one that often comes up, ie. why lug four seats around when most of the time you’re only carrying two people? My take on that is all to do with margins…….. I fly a ‘legacy’ old, certified, ancient, gas guzzling four seater with generally two people on board for touring. By the time I’ve loaded everyone’s personal kit’n caboodle, enough fuel to get somewhere interesting and the aircraft’s fly away kit in reality we’re approaching MTOW, particularly if operating hot and high, or in and out of shorter non-tarmac strips. Like most four seaters, in no way is four people, max baggage and full fuel an option. Not trying to put people off their new 600kg £250-300k microlight, but I have a suspicion some of the ones shown here may also be similarly challenged with two ‘normal’(!) sized adults, full fuel and baggage, especially when fitted with the sort of typical avionics we all like installing. Additionally, can they be operated IFR? For touring in European weather, that option opens things up enormously.

[@flying-squirrel-SK]

empty weight is usually about 300kg so after loading 2 adults and fuel you don't have much left for luggage. Technically they can be more than capable to fly in IFR, but not legally. :-( Some of the manufacturers have also EASA certified versions and IFR capable. But prices are getting close to 400 - 500k and for that you can have almost new DA40. (Certified 4 seater IFR capable with G1000) Anyway completely theoretical discussion for me as I don't have money for neither option :-)

[@tobiasgoeller6592]

There are other disadvantages with the ULs (especially the fast ones): Structural loading of the wing in rough air. I am not 100% sure I would want to buy a used VL3, to be honest. In addition: On composite aircrafts you don't really see hail damage by eye. The wing might be structurally damaged - but you might not able to see it... (same problem with Cirrus, too)

[@skyleaderuk]

Skyleader offers a reasonably priced modern 600kg Microlight starting at £120k. Although not as fast as some of the others here, it's perfect for our weekend bimble around the IOW😁

[@ginger-viking]

Great video!

[@thedroneguy2024]

Great video, really enjoyed this one, keep em coming :)

[@skyleaderuk]

Check out our channel for more Aero content. Will be posting soon.

[@georgsteidl2249]

This turbolennce thing vs stirr wings and dropps :P

[@juddhadley8778]

Great to see the advances in microlight aircraft, the benefits are ten fold. How many people regularly if ever fly with four people and fly in europe ? 13 / 18 litres an hour and land almost anywhere with the performance of legacy aircraft, the future is looking bright for microlights and if the CAA sort out a pathway to progress to EASA PPL it will open up possibilities for so many more future pilots.

[@skyleaderuk]

Absolutely spot on. We are also looking forward to those changes.👍

[@johncarr123]

The prices for the micro lights are out of the range for 95% of the flying public.

[@chrisg9627]

Greetings from Lindau, I usually bring my son to Aero, as it's only a 20 minute drive, but ugh, the weather this year meant no outdoor time ... next year.

[@skyleaderuk]

It was such a shame that many VFR pilots couldn't make it either. Hopefully next time 🤞

[@LetsGoFlying]

Microlights are absolutely fantastic! I own two and I also own a PA-28. Cost wise, ownership of the microlights is incredibly affordable. The PA-28 in comparison is quite frankly depressing!

[@prilep5]

We can compare ultralights (are two seaters)with motorcycles and certified four-five seaters with cars

[@davidjaques1332]

Excellent video Jon. Be great to see you fly a modern microlight one day ?

[@skyleaderuk]

We might be able to arrange that 😜

[@jcopeman]

I've never managed to make the weights work in my head - MTOW 600kg, take off roughly 350kg empty, 100kg fuel, only leaves 150kg of useful load when full. I'm at least 100kg, wheres the room for luggage and a passenger?

[@flying-squirrel-SK]

you need a skinny girlfriend :-) The reality is that you either fly alone crosscountry with a bit of luggage and fuel for more than 4 hours or 2 adult guys 2x100kg fly 1 hour around the chimney. Anyway after more than one hour with somebody else in the tiny cockpit you are happy to be back on the ground. :-)

[@TheMissendenFlyer]

Love the idea of some of those newer LSAs but £300K + VAT is getting stupid expensive for all but the very well heeled.....aircraft prices have gone nuts over the last 20 years.....great vid by the way!

[@tobiasgoeller6592]

The prices are quite atrocious. And nobody knows how long those aircrafts will be serviceable in the future. The current GA Fleet has not been designed to grow that old - and yet: the average GA-Aircraft is over 40 years old. We have to see how the LSAs and ULs will age. Also, with the carbon structures in those ULs... if you have structural damage I am not sure it is fixable at all.

[@skyleaderuk]

Skyleader offers a reasonably priced modern 600kg Microlight starting at £120k. Although not as fast as some of the others here, it's perfect for our weekend bimble around the IOW😁

[@simonadamson9261]

If you had 100k to spend what GA aircraft would you buy.

[@mickmoulton-tanarg4190]

I fly a “real” microlight, a very modern flexwing, I take offence at your “open cockpit contraption” comment!

[@tobiasgoeller6592]

Well... Leaded Avgas... it higly depends. I run a PA28-151 with Peterson STC. Yes, it's not nearly as fast as a VL3 or Blackwing (probably about half the speed on a decent altitude while burning more fuel) but it in theory seats four people (or a lot of luggage). In addition, many GA Aircrafts could run unleaded fuel. In addition, almost all lycoming-powered aircrafts are allowed to bur UL91 (the fuel is quite pricey but it's unleaded at least). Check out Lycomings Service instruction No. 1070AB. Your mileage will vary if you have a Continental Engine under your cowling... but as far as I see it (at least at our airfield) the SEP-World, to a vast majority, runs on Rotax and Lycoming Engines (most of the GA Fleet consists of C172, C152, P28A and some mooney 201s with lycoming engines) The fact so many still use avgas is to a big portion due to the fact that flying clubs & airports still order Avgas (instead of UL91). BTW: When having a Rotax: Avgas is absolutely not well for those engines - which is a problem when travelling!

[@skyleaderuk]

We met Water Aviation with AKI 93, their new automotive derived UL fuel without ethanol. Hopefully that will become widely available in the future. The price seems to be very attractive aswell compared to current UL91 prices

[@LetsGoFlying]

You can run a Rotax engine on Avgas absolutely no issue providing you adapt your servicing accordingly.

[@oscarharriet7030]

Who can afford these…..

[@DanFrederiksen]

ultralight and microlight are misnomers at this point, just fortuitous that flying sails with a lawnmower engine were given such a weight range because some of them were made too heavy. Aviation shouldn't really be chance outcomes from bureaucratic incompetence but here we are. And while this weight class has tremendous potential it's very detrimental that prices do not match the products. Rotax engines are 1.2liter 4 cylinder boxers, very similar to 1950s VW beetle engines yet now they want 50k$ for just the engine. That's the price of a Tesla Model 3, a rather sophisticated bit of kit. And Elixir and TL Sport with blushing say 400k$ for the plane. Actually TL Sparker is 420k because 400 didn't quite cover it... These planes are just not that complicated. They could be done for a fraction. Never mind the revolution that small turbofan jet engines would deliver. We could have more mobility than the Honda jet for less than light sport prices. Such vast potential is left on the floor.