Thanks so much Scott!

Thanks Giles! Hope it might interest even one person! :)

I see Induced Bank commenting on Giles’ vids and Giles commenting on Induced Bank’s vids. Thanks to both of you for uploading your videos!

Hi@@tomcoryell, it's quite a as small flying community in the UK and I've had the privilege of meeting Mike when he flew to Darley Moor last year.

Hey @tomcoryell, firstly - Thanks! - and as Giles rightly says, it is a pretty small flying community here, and even smaller when it comes to flexwings - although that community is growing now, mainly thanks to the rapid growth of the sub70 lightweight machines, which is just awesome!

Thanks Grahame. Must admit I was surprised anyone was flying yesterday - too windy for my liking!

Go for it, Grahame - You know you'll love it! When you say, "try properly"....does this mean you've already tried "improperly"? Wot does that entail?

Thanks Byron!

Thanks Tony! I hope you do give it another go 👍

Hey Mathew, thanks for that recommendation, I'll look that up 😀 I've also been recommended "A wing and a chair" by David Sykes, which is on my reading list. 👍

Thanks buddy, yes, wind sock one direction one minute, switched 180degrees the next - gotta be on your toes!

@@InducedBank what license do I need? I want to have lessons

Hey Danny, in the UK it's a NPPL(M) - basically a private pilot licence for microlights. The BMAA manages all aspects of the syllabus and examination requirements on behalf of the CAA. There's more detail on the BMAA website. Even better, find a local school, take a trail flight, and they will be able to take you through the whole journey to get your licence 👍

@@InducedBank perfect thank you so much for all that information. stupid question but I will ask anyway, how much flight time do you have ? And what would happen if the engine failed when your so high up.

@@user-ly4yl1hr5l I was around 40 hours total when I got my licence - off the top of my head not sure what I'm at now! Certainly more than that 🤣 In the event of an engine failure, the higher you are, the better - that gives you more time to look for a suitable landing site, and more choices of landing sites, since you will be able to glide further. Height is your friend 👍 The training syllabus includes lots, and LOTS, of engine failure practice 👍

Hope you enjoyed your flight! On a hot day the best place is over the sea, so nice and calm!

Thanks so much - so glad you're enjoying them, and many thanks for the subscription, that's really appreciated :)

Hey! Best of luck with that - hope it works well. We wouldn't be able to do something like that here in the UK without permission!

Thanks! Best of luck with your NPPL :) Yes, I'm flying solo but under supervision and am still working towards my licence - 'supervision' means my instructor checks my flight plan, authorises my flight, then discusses it afterwards, although once I'm up and away I am completely on my own.

You should see my video 'Commercial Pilot vs Microlight' 🤣 You can fly both - I know folk who do - however I think if we were to take a leaf from the commercial pilot world, where you can only be type-rated on one aircraft type at any one time, for exactly the same reason you mention - habit kicking in - then yes, maybe not ideal to fly both types 🤣 Thanks for taking the time to watch and comment - the freedom and satisfaction of flying is hard to describe - a sheer joy, and privilege! 😁

Hey! Thanks, glad you enjoyed it 👍 I recommend finding a microlight school and getting a trial flight, and take it from there. Depending where you are in the world will define what flexwings are available, then it's a case of being patient and waiting for the right one to come up for sale. The GT450 I fly now is the same one I learnt in. If you're near to a club/school there may be syndicates available. Take the leap, it's an amazing journey 😁👍

Life does rather get in the way sometimes doesn't it! 😅 Glad you're making progress though - keep it up! Soon be ready for the GST I hope! 👍

already done my GST just need my nav hopefully tomorrow

@@livingladolcevita7318 excellent! Hope the weather works out for you!

No - training is great for helping with that. Any early fears will go away after a few flights and releasing that those fears had no basis in reality. At least that's how it worked for me 👍

Cheers Mike! No such thing as daft questions 😉 Every aircraft has its own limits, and manufacturers provide details of the operating limits. So as long as those limits are not exceeded, no risk of a wing failing 😊 Yes, we are strapped in. All the best!

@@InducedBank appreciate the reply Mike, look forward to your next adventure. 👍

Hi Majed - congratulations on your first solo! Instructor ratings will vary between countries and the different authorities that manage the pilot licensing system. I suggest you chat through the options with your local instructor. One thing worth noting is that most instructors I know have a 2nd income - either from inspection/maintenance work, or something outside the flying world, because the weather doesn't away play nice, and there are always ups and downs will the numbers looking to learn... Whatever career path you choose, I hope it goes well 👍

@@InducedBank Thank you for the guidance and congratulations! I will discuss the options with my local instructor. Your advice is invaluable. I'm aware of the importance of having a secondary income. Thank you for your well wishes; I'm excited to pursue this career path with enthusiasm and dedication.

Hi Frank, depends on the part, but for the main spares it's GS Aviation - and although there have been long delays between Covid and the sale of P&M and its move to India, things are steadily improving, with availability improving and waiting times decreasing.

Cheers! It's so important to keep an eye on the speed on final isn't it!

For me, especially because we almost always have an "atmospheric pot hole" about a 1000 or so feet before reaching the 08 at my home base (EDMY) during the warmer months.

Honestly I can't recall if it was taught or not, but it's a combination of needing a good reference point, as well as if all the lumps and bumps are making you queasy watching the horizon is a big help - however as I've hardly ever felt queasy it's more about having that reference to judge whether you are level or not

Hey! Can only really say from the UK perspective, and the two biggest limitations are money, and weather! Assuming money is ok, then around 45 hours logged is average, and 8 months to a year is achievable - with enough flyable weather!

Pass!! Pilot, not an aeronautical engineer! Sorry, dacron is the fabric for wings - super tough!

@@InducedBank do you know rain umbrella is made of dacron fabric buddy ?

@@wasifkhankhan4528 Definitely not - umbrellas would be way too heavy, and wouldn't fold up nicely either - For wing material choice consider that you are relying on this fabric to hold not only your weight, but also the weight of the machine/frame too - just one small tear could rip under load (i.e. in flight) and that would be disastrous! Recommend you source a local hang gliding club and see for yourself how they're made.

Hi Wayne, please take a look at the following vid where I cover that 👍kzfaq.info/get/bejne/j6icn5ig2tOpeHU.html Thanks!

@@InducedBank thanks, great help.

I suspect it would - although the opportunities to fly paramotor in Scotland will be few and far between as they don't cope with moderate winds or turbulence at all well.

@@InducedBank - True

@@InducedBank i heard somebody say that they prefer paramotor in winds. Many paramotor wings are great in winds. Opinions depend from person to person. I think both ppg and microlight can be good in turbulence depending on setup used.

Hey, I can't say for sure re paramotors as I'm not a paramotor pilot, but for example, paramotor planet advises that a wind speed of 12mph is the top limit - as the paramotor wing is not rigid, it can take collapses all too easily in turbulence - Whereas our primary restriction is a crosswind limit of 12mph, but once we're up in the air, it's not such a concern - I've flown with 35mph+ winds at 1,000ft with no issues 👍

@@dkdanis1340 what I dont like about paramotor is wing collapse potential from a negative G or weather or a potential stall. With the microlight u have a fixed wing above u all the time and the ability to fly out of things.

Ha ha! If only!! I'm still a student pilot, so I'm the one paying! I absolutely love it though, so I'm not complaining!

@@InducedBank - Yeah, your loving it definitely comes through in the vids. I love the vids.

@@topcat1358 thanks - far too kind!!! So glad you're enjoying them :)

Why start off the grass? Because it's part of the runway, and as the saying goes, the runway behind you is among the most useless things in aviation. So we use the grass extension make best use of the runway space available :)

@@InducedBank If the strip is long, then the grass is not needed. It's a long run on the grass.

@@deltaangar It's far from long though - our tarmac section is only 300m so after a few near misses with club members we're all asked to make use of at least part of the grass extension when on runway 11 - it's simply safer.

delt - I had one of them, but the wheels fell off.

@@InducedBank - I assume that tarmac is dearer than grass? .....Get Jill to withdraw some money from the bank! Or, probably much easier, increase hangarage, coffee + landing fees to pay for tarmac! EF is worth it. Currently, only a donation is requested for landing....EF is worth at least a landing FEE (Kingsmuir + Balado - £5.00 each)

Yes - with the caveat that proper training, good weather awareness, proper aircraft maintenance etc are all essential elements. At the end of the day though, it's an advanced glider with an engine. The modern 4 stroke Rotax aero engines are super reliable if maintained correctly, but if the engine does fail, we glide down and land in a field. In the 'old' days of 2 stroke motors, landing out was pretty much par for the course. Not so much these days, but with a mandatory 35mph stall speed, we can fly very slowly indeed, giving us longer glide range, slower decent, and lower landing speed. Super safe! It's not to say there's no risk, but I feel safer flying than I do driving, so it's all a matter of what's acceptable risk to you? 👍

@@InducedBank thank you buddy What is best cloth for glider fram ???

@@wasifkhankhan4528 All our wings are covered with a material called Dacron I believe

@@InducedBank thanks very much

Feel your pain, although it's all part of the game, and once I have my licence I'll have a lot more latitude to pick decent flying conditions - there is also the reality that you do need to be comfortable to handle thermic conditions as and when the appear, since they are part of flying. To be honest I'm probably working harder than I NEED to in the bumps, could probably relax a bit more and go with the flow a bit better!

@@InducedBank Sub70...

@@mindfulmunchkin1215 Hey! I've seen Giles' (GolfFoxtrot22) PeaBee up close and watched him set it up and fly it - awesome little aircraft and looks great fun, but they are more vulnerable to turbulence precisely because they are so much lighter, and of course, lack the range and carrying capacity of the GT450...

​@@InducedBank Im really looking into getting a sub70 this year, Im only looking for little flights and soring, seems less stress with less weight. Been watching Giles a lot ;) our Oz thermals must be killer thou.

@@mindfulmunchkin1215 very best of luck! I hope you do manage that 😁 If the smile on Giles' face every time he flies, or even talks about the PeaBee is anything to go by, you'll LOVE it!! 😁 Thermals in Oz will be interesting - early morning and late evening might be your friends?

Not sure how to answer that..

🤣 Flexwing all the way for me, you just can't beat the feeling of that open cockpit 😁

@@InducedBank Then you haven't flown in a basic ultralight, which is the same 'out in the air' experience. After six years of being grounded by crappy weather when others were up, and having the control bar ripped from my hands at zero notice, I love the two FINGER control of an ultralight. IMO.

@jiefuster Horses for courses buddy, there isn't the same set of rules in the UK for microlights as elsewhere in the world, and do remember too that this is why I personally like Microlights - Flexwings - not any argument there about flexwings vs ultralights - the only point I made vs other aircraft is the cost vs the general aviation aircraft - and that financial point is still valid to support the pro's of pretty much any ultralight 👍