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From: ned@SCIRTP.UUCP (Ned Robie)
Newsgroups: net.aviation
Subject: Re: Ultralight advice sought
Message-ID: <188@SCIRTP.UUCP>
Date: Wed, 26-Jun-85 20:27:14 EDT
Article-I.D.: SCIRTP.188
Posted: Wed Jun 26 20:27:14 1985
Date-Received: Sun, 30-Jun-85 01:27:11 EDT
References: <491@gitpyr.UUCP>
Organization: SCI Systems, Research Triangle Park, NC
Lines: 35

> I'm getting interested in flying ultralights.  I do not have a
> private pilot license, nor do I intnd on getting one in the near future.
> 
> I've read a few articles here and there, but am looking for more 
> detailed info.  Can someone direct me to a good reference, or better 
> yet an Atlanta area Ultralight club where I could get lessons?
>                      
> Steve Tynor
> Georgia Insitute of Technology, Atlanta Georgia, 30332
> ...!{akgua,allegra,amd,hplabs,ihnp4,masscomp,ut-ngp}!gatech!gitpyr!tynor

I don't know much about ultralights except what I saw in a news program
about 2 years ago (60 minutes?).  It reported distressing fatality
statistics (even for "expert" pilots) and went on and on about how
incredibly unsafe they are.  Then they capped the program off with
a TV newsreel in which one of the TV reporters got in an ultralight
(with little if any training), taxied around for a while to get the "feel",
took off, climbed to a very deadly altitude, then stalled it.  The
thing just fell... you could see the pilot struggling (in vain)
and then he just jumped to his death (they showed that too).  I'll
never forget it.

Anyway, they might make much safer ultralights now, and this program
may have been sensationalizing the whole thing.  But I would suggest
that anyone who is considering flying these things should get the latest
accident statistics and check them out!

Just for comparison, I have heard that unpowered hang gliders are much
safer than ultralights given the proper training.  The above mentioned
news program claimed that ultralights are dangerous no matter how
experienced a pilot you are.

Hope this helps...

-- Ned Robie