is a ultralight glider classified as a glider or a plane (license or no license)?

Answer 1

no license for "pilot" no license (registration for ultralight)
definition of ultralight (for the FAA) is as follows
Authority: 49 U.S.C. 106(g), 40103–40104, 40113, 44701.

Source: Docket No. 21631, 47 FR 38776, Sept. 2, 1982, unless otherwise noted.
Subpart A—General
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§ 103.1 Applicability.
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This part prescribes rules governing the operation of ultralight vehicles in the United States. For the purposes of this part, an ultralight vehicle is a vehicle that:

(a) Is used or intended to be used for manned operation in the air by a single occupant;

(b) Is used or intended to be used for recreation or sport purposes only;

(c) Does not have any U.S. or foreign airworthiness certificate; and

(d) If unpowered, weighs less than 155 pounds; or

(e) If powered:

(1) Weighs less than 254 pounds empty weight, excluding floats and safety devices which are intended for deployment in a potentially catastrophic situation;

(2) Has a fuel capacity not exceeding 5 U.S. gallons;

(3) Is not capable of more than 55 knots calibrated airspeed at full power in level flight; and

(4) Has a power-off stall speed which does not exceed 24 knots calibrated airspeed.


The code of federal regulations 14 CFR part 103 says in part :
§ 103.7 Certification and registration.
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(a) Notwithstanding any other section pertaining to certification of aircraft or their parts or equipment, ultralight vehicles and their component parts and equipment are not required to meet the airworthiness certification standards specified for aircraft or to have certificates of airworthiness.

(b) Notwithstanding any other section pertaining to airman certification, operators of ultralight vehicles are not required to meet any aeronautical knowledge, age, or experience requirements to operate those vehicles or to have airman or medical certificates.

(c) Notwithstanding any other section pertaining to registration and marking of aircraft, ultralight vehicles are not required to be registered or to bear markings of any type.

Answer 2

An ultralight is considered a powered aircraft, not a glider, which is non-powered. In 2004 the FAA introduced the "Light-Sport Aircraft" category, which closely resembles other countries' Ultralight categories.

In the United States no license or training is required by law for ultralights, but training is highly advisable. For light-sport aircraft a sport pilot certificate is required, which is similar in requirements to other countries' Ultralight license.

Answer 3

Ultralights do not require a license to fly. You should find an FAR/AIM and read the ultralight section, which is only a few paragraphs long. You might even be able to find it online.

The basic requirements of an ultralight are that it weigh less than 254lbs, fly less than 65kts (74-75mph) and have only 5 gallons of fuel aboard.

Ultralight aircraft are very safe, with only about 500 accidents ever, most due to pilots.

Answer 4

An ultralight is no glider. I don't think you need a licence - but you should know - the stall speed of an ultralight is very low. Just a few miles an hour. But compared to it's cruising speed it is dangerously high. If the ultralight is going say 10 mph, and it's stall speed is say 5 mph, if you get a gust of tail wind at 6 mph, you're gonna fall right out of the sky. Your lift will disappear. In fact, ultralight aircraft is one of the most dangerous sports there are. I don't know about now, but a few years ago it had the highest rate of deaths per participant than anyother sport.

Answer 5

What you are describing is a hang glider and it is an unpowered ultralight aircraft of the crudest type. It does not require a license to operate but does require some training in order to not get killed on your first outing.

Answer 6

If I remeber correctely, the FAA classifies an ultralight as and "experimental" airplane. Meaning yes, you need a license to fly one, and a special license at that.