5 min. ago
That must be John Mc Havin a great time.
I don't think its john he was in town just min.'s before.
But it does turn out they are his.
looks like big fun!
Flying Golf Carts :-)
John and the pilots have been working laboriously the last year with the GOB/Tropic/Maya to get everything in order so that they can start doing offering tours with these aircraft... which is WONDERFUL for us and any/all tourist who visit the Caye. I've had the great fortune to go up with one of their pilots. The experience is nothing short of incredible. It's an AMAZING way to experience flight. Simply put, a must do.
'Ever envious when you saw a frigate bird lazily swooping overhead? Here's your answer.
What about self-drive rental to qualified pilots? After an appropriate checkout, of course.
pilots that fly real airplanes don't fly these things. they are a step back in aviation history.
Or a step forward. These are way more advanced than a Cessna 182 for example. Can safely take positive 6g, negative 3g. Fully instrumented with transponders, glass cockpit, etc. 500 mile range. Max speed 120, stalls at 20. Takes off in 175 feet. Dual ignition engine, water cooled. Climb rate 2,000 fpm.
These are the equivalent of flying motorcycles. They are no more a step backwards from current aviation technology than motorcycles were a step backwards from cars. They a simply a step in a different direction. They are for sport flying. The only difference is that it takes twice as long to learn to fly one than it takes to fly a fixed wing aircraft.
Don't forget the Big Fun part!
When has flying ever been like this!
5 min. ago
Wow...had no idea they could fly so low and keep lift. I wonder if they've thought about offering "Ultra Light Trolling". "Your once in a lifetime experience to reel in a big baracuda while gliding just feet off of the beautiful waters of Ambergris Caye"!!!!
He was even lower but I didn't get that shot quick enough.
Probably deserves the caption 'Don't try this at home'.
Do these have good mufflers? The one's around here are incredibly annoying.
These ones aren't too noisy - not as annoying as jet skis.
Kinda noisy here by the airstrip...like a large mosquito
That would be fun to jump out of!
one here didn't get hi enough to use the chute
OH - you could jump but wouldn't need a shute. That would bring a new meaning to "take one giant stride" into the water.
Or maybe you could do a back roll entry. LOL
The Ultralights look like fun and I enjoyed watching them over the reef up north the other day. They are a little noisy and you definitely know they are around.
These are serious machines which could be very dangerous if some thing goes wrong and that means over the water or land. I would not want to be in one if it decided not to fly for what ever reason.
Years ago, I'm sure they are better now, a brother to an engineer I worked with was killed when his ultralight came down after its engine stalled. Even hitting the water would be tough from most heights and they don't look too buoyant to me.
Still they look like fun, but I think I'll pass for now.
I agree with ragman big time, flying lawn chairs scare the hell out of me.
Even without the prop turning they still glide quite well. There must have been something else wrong. Not that I'd want to come down in the water anyway.
Is this the same type aircraft that John Denver died in?
Do they still have that daylight flying restriction for all of Belize? I know they never used to allow pilots to operate legally in their airspace after dusk(without prior permission.
Tropic and Maya often operate after dark.
I read that the Tropic and Maya pilots took training recently so that they could operate after dark.
"To equip myself for the worst possible scenario I have a life raft, I have satellite positioning equipment, a distress beacon and a radio. My friends and family are very, very supportive, but they think I am criminally insane."
Not sure about the "criminally" part, but going ifr on a lawnchair with a motor and sail strapped to it is definately insane.
Looks like fun to me, I can't wait! Couldn't have a better place for it! How much are they charging and where can you go? I see all kinds of sharks and rays and sometimes manatees on the way over to SP from Belize City on Tropic or Maya. Would be great to get a bit closer aerial view! Can you imagine just hanging out up there 10 feet off the water?! Open cockpit?! Must be incredible! Looking forward to it.
Just as a matter of interest, search and rescue fly at a minimum of (not sure) 700 feet AGL because you can't see anything less than that. The ground moves by too quickly.
Depends on speed..slower is better
We will be in SP in March? Would love to try a flight... how much?
Did anyone really pay attention to the few people that say they are noisy? They are incrediblly noisy. Today one flew just above roof level over my house heading out to the reef, and we were afraid we needed to take cover. I suggest they don't fly over our houses, and make the turn out to the reef beyond the end of the runway, like the real planes. I sure wouldn't want something to go wrong, as a few people have suggested and have one slam into my house. Bah Humbug.
are the pilots commercial rated (which means that they are allowed to carry passengers for money)? Also is it legal for them to fly at these low altitudes? do they carry a life vest?
I think they're noisy too. They fly right over the top of us multiple times during the day.