WoopyFly Inflatable Wing Ultralight Aircraft

For more, click here: www.avweb.com/avwebflash/news/...
The WoopyFly, a sort of paraglider/trike/ultralight hybrid shown on the world stage at AERO Friedrichshafen this April 2010 in Germany, has a wing that folds for storage like a paraglider - because it's inflatable. Currently, it appears the wing itself is only available from distributors in Switzerland, Russia, and Japan. Those wishing to buy the trike (plus wing) can expect a complete kit cost to run about 13,780 Swiss Francs, which currently is about US$12,400 - plus the legal disclaimer that releases the manufacturer of liability.
Video narration by Glenn Pew for AVweb.com.

[@JEFFC1958]

I must say very creative and innovative combination of existing technologies. Appears to combine the advantages of a trike and paraglider with none of their disadvantages. My biggest concern would be those tiny landing wheels. Hit a rock pr gopher hole and you'll be using the wing as an airbag.

[@LalitKumar-cu5iu]

The company also makes a limited edition design where the seat is in the shape of a duck and the wheels have bells attached to the Rim.

[@yop911]

simply amazing! the fact that you can store the aircraft in your trunk on take off and land so quickly in a small field makes me want one!

[@barking.dog.productions1777]

Arf Arf to that!

[@houstondronephotography]

i wish people didnt forget about this technology so that i could go to target and buy one for a 100 bucks, assemble it, then inflate it, and then run off a hill and fly.

[@skylinesquid]

@@houstondronephotography cant belive this is my first time seeing something like this

[@mirekjaneczekpl]

Fantastic ! Congratulation from Poland.

[@myopicchiwawa]

Can you make it 5X bigger and then fill it with helium? Then it could probably lift 2 people and a more powerful Rotax engine.

[@stevemiller7433]

< $5,000 and you might sell one or two. $12,000? What the hell? For a blow up doll?

[@wayne11122000]

I'm waiting for an inflatable, or semi rigid paraglider, just not one for $12,500.

[@VladAndreis]

I want one too! That looks like insane fun!!

[@ShadowRifft]

Nice Landing!👌

[@legojoe12345]

that would be great for flying to school. When you land you stuff the thing in your locker and go to class. THATS WHAT I WANT FOR X-MAS

[@leviterande]

Love the NASA Grade A7 Matching Fuel tank!

[@JFrazer4303]

Landing was pretty hot. A low aspect ratio plane of that weight should stall at less than 20. Land maybe little faster because the wing would need 40 degrees plus AoA.

[@thomasnappo6309]

12,000 IS RIDICULOUS..FOR A BALLOON AND WHEELCHAIR...CRAZY

[@thermicphil]

I like the look of that!

[@rosicroix777]

The wing itself is the most complex part to manufacture, if it could be made w/some self sealing substance inside it could easily have some military applications. Getting a military contract would definatley help getting this into the commercial market. I would love to own one as it'd make recreational aviation more affordable for beginners like myself

[@benorthup]

I like it, great idea, I want one

[@aviator147]

that looks like a crap load of fun!!

[@skyr4higher]

Anyone puts float on this yet and take off from water? Really cool. As a trike pilot that flies paragliders and kite boards and also witness how tough inflatable kayaks can be bashing on rocks in class 5 and never rip, this can totally be a great way to get in the air and with the right training and skills can be done safely. Order a different color if you dont like the chicken look. I wish I had 12k to invest.

[@James-wd9ib]

"put floats" ? The whole thing is a float! You just need it to be a sort of biplane configuration so you don't end up beneath the water. The real question is, can you generate enough forward speed on the water to get any lift with a lower wing dragging water like it would?

[@emforty2]

this will be a good candidate for the new electric power systems currently used for paraplanes

[@TiagoTiagoT]

How does the wing handle a birdstrike if at all?

[@modelrc9500]

Fitting in a trunk is the selling point. Only ultralight I know that you can fit in a trunk is a broken one!

[@JimPfarr]

I love the innovation and the fact that it helps people with limited space get out flying. I don't care for that big fat wing and the fact that it looks like a flying wheelchair. For $12k most enterprising people can get a reasonable ultralight that looks better and flies faster - but that's just my opinion. Kudos on the idea!

[@engineer9528]

Right! In my opinion, my flying machine can look like whatever - a piece of board. The thing is - ''I am flying while you guys, down there are on the ground, able just pointing at me and telling your BS'' :D :D

[@Bearthedancingman]

Personally, I like the shape of the wing. But the McDonald's colors and the chair that looks like a baby stroller is definitely less appealing. The idea is very cool. Keeps weight way down. And more than half the cost is probably the engine. Lol.

[@JFrazer4303]

Another person to whom looks are more important than function. This thing is the inflatable version of the Arups in the 1930s, and they were perfectly awesome performing planes, but people said they look funny.People like planes that will stall and spin and kill them, and need 80knots+ to take off.

[@Stooch]

Prove it, name one engine you can buy for 12 grand

[@shekhargaidhani1618]

Very nice,,,👍

[@legojoe12345]

@broncosdude93 yah but that thing is not worth $12,500 Thats to much for 35lbs of plastic, a lawn mower engine, and a stroller thats a rip off but at least it flys

[@WokeX111]

get a kitesurfing parachute for like 18 and fly

[@verdemanthe1]

@kjmford yeah but you hit a wasp in this thing and your wing deflates,where it might just put a hole in your fabric

[@ebach1]

can the wing collapse if the fans stop working?

[@TheHeroOfBerlin]

Where can i buy this woopy onla the woopy without te other things

[@hogey74]

@Chubearishere yeah where's the parachute?

[@fritagogo1]

good idea

[@bradbrown2168]

Still flying? Or discontinued? Thx

[@noonedude101]

I wonder how high you could get it on a climb... It'd make a great glider I bet.

[@stone8597]

A number of people are trashing the $12,500 price tag, and I agree, that is a lot of money. Have those same people priced any Powered Para Gliding (PPG) rig lately? You can easily spend that on a PPG. Now it doesn't look like much, but less is more. There's a guy who says he can build this for $200...that's rich.

[@FTroop37F]

This was 11 years ago....what happened with this machine?

[@AdmiralUmptDumpt]

can you fill the wing with helium if you seal up the scoops?

[@papaal7014]

sure

[@PremiumFuelOnly]

and what happens if the prop hits the wing??

[@LarryPhischman]

I think the Goodyear Inflatoplane was better.

[@JessHull]

yeah way better, this really doesn't even need to be inflated, its almost a waste of inflation.

[@yasminzahra3333]

But the goodyear inflatable not exist anymore

[@Thechist781]

What happens if the fans used to keep the wing inflated suddenly stop in mid-flight ? I think it would be a hell of a bad situation.

[@roidroid]

You'd be fine. The scoops are facing forward so that they act as air-rams while in flight, much like paraglider wings. I imagine the fans are mostly just to assist in initial deployment, and in emergency situations where holes have been torn in the wing material (the video mentions this).

[@Wolf-xu1fj]

I think the high price is the reason why we don’t see them anymore

[@ReavinBlue]

what if you fill it with helium tho

[@verdemanthe1]

very cool though

[@FriendsOfTheRoad]

Its cool and all that but for 12k you could build yourself a motorized hg for a fraction of the cost. 12k is a joke of a price.

[@iamgort70]

What could possibly go wrong!?

[@bradbrown2168]

Still in business?

[@anderman72]

I want one!!!!!!!!!!!

[@wufongtanwufong5579]

This looks awesome. But would be a death trap in the area of Australia i live in.

[@nilosantos4862]

Good option for beech

[@EngineeringFun]

It must have very forgiving flight characteristics and it must be almost stall proof. It has my approval and endorsement.

[@endokrin7897]

That's a relief!

[@Veldtian1]

they neglected to mention you get a free Rolex with each one hence the 12K price taggery.

[@delawarepilot]

awesome but... $12,500 ?1?!

[@heavyhittersgaming3759]

Sure, awesome, till you spring a leak......no way in hell

[@BlueMax333]

12 years on, whatever happened to the Woopy?!

[@MoniqueDMarcano]

I bet it floats when it lands in the water, kinda like a raft?

[@autoreplyvmz]

For those that consider this as a great design, I suggest to google "Didier Favre" to see how this man designs his aircraft. Apparently Kalbermatten didn't see the use of any testing or modeling, which led to the death of his test pilot. That doesn't necessarily mean this is a bad or a dangerous design... but it should make one cautious...

[@choppergirl]

I dub this, the potato chip ultralight! Who thought "Lays" when they saw this? If not for anything else, this is a win for zero hangar costs. Too bad it doesn't look terribly sexy. Considering how its built, the price should plummet, this is probably their first models out the door. I mean, most of the airplane is sewn, as opposed to tedious spars and doped fabric or alluminum riveted construction. Sewing (in third world countries) is and cloth and air is rock bottom cheap. Lays Potato Chip should buy one and use it for promotions.... or advertisment.

[@Bearthedancingman]

CHOPPERGIRL's AIRWAR. Now I can't unsee the flying potato chip! XD

[@unambitious]

I would never pay that much. Good idea, but there are better options imo.

[@TobyMcVinn]

@aerhearts maybe

[@crapper1]

I WANT ONE

[@carlschmiedeke151]

What a ridiculous amount of money

[@houstonhelicoptertours1006]

Not when it comes to airplanes. You could design and build one yourself for half the budget, but most people aren't capable of that. Personally, I'd rather buy a Quicksilver or used Aerolite for the same money.

[@yukonheart]

12 k.... ouch

[@autoreplyvmz]

For those that consider this as a great design, I suggest to google "Didier Favre" to see how this man designs his aircraft. Apparently Kalbermatten didn't see the use of any testing or modeling, which led to the death of his test pilot. That doesn't necessarily mean this is a bad or a dangerous design... but it does make one cautious...

[@alexvonhoene1391]

Missing information / context from this comment that took me a while to find: "Kalbermatten" is "Larent de Kalbermatten", the original designer of this hang glider, and other unusual hang gliders. Didier Favre was a very experienced hang glider pilot who died while testing one of Kalbermatten's prototypes, the Delka. You can see the Delka (but not the fatal crash) in this video: kzbin.info/www/bejne/Zpaqpqirdttrp68

[@motorcycleism]

Is He put?

[@jgray110]

why can't it have big fluffy wheels

[@TobyMcVinn]

how do you get a license for this?

[@benjaminrapp7418]

Toby McVinn none required

[@phillynn79]

Dear Santa...

[@fogliner]

I'd at least have to wear a reserve chute which I noticed he wasn't wearing. But a cool rig for calm day flying.

[@Chubearishere]

Crafts like this scare the living crap out of me. I have issues in a 152 for crying out loud lol

[@jarrodkaplanppg8064]

I'd call it the Flying Chicken Wing :)

[@chestateegold]

ill take two

[@karlstice7482]

Whoopie Cushion !

[@theultimateprogrammer6932]

1:09 Well that's safe

[@docatomics]

~ how much for a up-sized sail balloon that I can fill with hydrogen, helium and/or heat salvage from engine exhaust & cooling or the dimension plan your airfoil, perhaps instructional DVD and I'll make my own from solar sail balloon para-glider with gas layered and finished in almunimized pet ( polyester ) " space blanket " to keep the hot lifting gas inside longer ? ( as kit pieces your not selling a Ultra light plane which makes shipping easier and assembled as a experimental ) using twin leaf blowers for directional thrusting when not quietly floating or gliding and bag gas management and/or consumption as fuel ( 1 cubic metre at room temperature lifts one kilogram from sea level, all the way up to 140,000 ft if the envelope will expand with the lower pressures, which one could then inflate stiff with the leaf blowers to stiffen the wing or what ever lifting gas, and descend in a speed increasing skipping manuover, like an eagle or falcon )

[@MelindaGreen]

I doubt the volume of gas involved would make much difference and certainly not be worth the cost of the helium or its recycling.

[@Johnny-rj9on]

Am I insane or shouldn't someone make a slightly bigger version filled with helium?

[@alalameen]

من يعرف وين تشترا

[@e1cycle]

This is cool , but the price totally sucks ! Check out basic Ultralite gliders or BUGS . Build it yourself , With a Hacksaw and a drill , in your Garage , drawings are free , And cost is less than half of this .

[@paulocesarcorreia7399]

EU QUERO UMA KKKK MUITO BEM

[@zestydude87]

take my damn money already!

[@vontajay302]

zestydude87 dumb

[@kasteman1]

I'm glad I don't have $12K to throw around on whim, I'd be dead quicker than the time it takes to put it together. ((hmm... I wonder if I have enough altitude to invert this thing... only one way to find out....

[@macrumpton]

Make it cheaper and electric so it is silent and it would be the ideal craft.

[@miguelcasco5080]

Oh no, it's so expensive.

[@windematera3159]

its 12,000 hospital bills : )

[@kdvlder]

@electricblue7 negative ghost rider, the pattern is full

[@TheChickeneer]

What happens if the fans stop working?

[@Marconey111]

I'd buy it for 7k

[@viktortech4931]

what if they fill it with helium haha

[@benjaminrapp7418]

$12,500?! Who else here wants to see their profit margin?! Let's see, a little fabric sewn together, a few electric fans, some aluminum tubing, a lawn chair, a small lawnmower engine and a small propeller. Not exactly $12,500 worth of materials. I'd say 1/10 of the price might be fair.

[@ozertayiz]

Why don't you make something cheaper and sell for a better price, if you know that much about their costs and profit margins?

[@jonasteuma3219]

Many things are over-priced because of people who are willing to pay the extra money for the ready-to-go item, instead of undertaking the effort, and some degree of risk, to build it themselves. So in other words, lack of will-power, patience and risk-tolerance to build your own stuff, will cost you $$$.

[@88119966]

i want one, who doesn't?

[@Ripstop_pilot]

That'll never take off!

[@wilurbean]

for 12k...a while lot of NOPE

[@williambutler3204]

give me the plans, and I will build my own for around no more than $200.oo US dollars that would include the motor, $12,000 £ are you crazy or just greedy.

[@stone8597]

I dare you to build this (even though you would just be coping his design) for $200! I dare you to build it for $8,000!!

[@yamkaw346]

@@stone8597 not including the tools surely it could be done for well under 8k

[@wrath90210]

This is a great idea! NASA uses inflatable aircraft for many things! This is the cheapest application i've ever seen

[@1956warden]

If you think the trike is worth 12k I will sell you a license for 5k with no training needed! "Just Kidding"

[@jessehart05]

not in a million year would i get into that pool toy of a wing

[@CTFlyer7]

The Swiss always come up with ingenuity like this because it's against the law to have any fun that's been invented already.

[@64wing]

@DrPilotRedC This aircraft seems very light therefore it would most likely fall under part 103 as an ultralight vehicle...these require no sort of license to fly in the U.S. It would be very unwise to buy and fly without receiving some sort of professional training!

[@spektrum33]

Looks a little to basic for me but flyies well all the same {"_*}

[@wisestudent1463]

LOL LOL LOL About $9000 over priced !!!

[@VonParazAdvocatusDiaboli]

Wise Student ...oh, and what kinda price you thinking? ready to inflate and navigate !

[@truckerray7533]

Wise Student . $12,500 overpriced

[@iichthus5760]

Donor cycle

[@mythologicalmyth]

$12k hahaha jajajaja lol

[@jasmijnariel]

3000dollar would be better!

[@SpiritofDaniel]

Pilot must wear clown Suite with clone nose by law.....and have a clown horn,,,and shoes!

[@carloscurti]

Powered Paragliders are much better.