The appeal of taking to the skies strapped to a wing and a skeletal metal frame powered by a tiny 18 horsepower, 100 Ibs (45 kg) engine evokes the nostalgia of early years powered flight when aviator/inventors built and flew their airplanes. With lower operational costs and easier maintenance than heavier aircraft, ultralights offer a unique way to experience the freedom of the skies. These lightweight flying machines, designed to carry one or two passengers, are ideal for those seeking the sheer joy of personal flight. Ultralight aircraft are renowned for delivering the purest flying experiences, which is the primary reason for their continued popularity. I flew one on several occasions and found it a friendly flying machine with no evil qualities that will fly exactly as you’d expect.We can all agree aircraft can offer some incredible fun, but there’s one type of airplane that’s especially enjoyable to fly for many: ultralights. Sewn Dacron wing, tail, and surface coverings were common but they save the weight of paintįor a flight at the end of the day or on a pleasant weekend, Aerolite 103 is just about perfect, no doubt why it continues to sell well after 26 years.An aluminum fuel tank, not a plastic one that discolors in time.Hydraulic brakes - brakes were not common on Part 103 ultralights due to the weight constraints of Part 103 plus slow landing speeds.Tricycle gear - many used standard or taildragger types to save weight.Partial enclosure with a nose cowl and windscreen - open cockpit designs were common.Discreet (separate surface) ailerons not full-span flaperons.Electric flaps - few Part 103 ultralight offer flaps, and rarely electric.Full, conventional three-axis control - common now but wasn’t then.A control yoke - most others used joysticks.A former CGS Hawk kit builder and Quicksilver MX assembler, he fused a vision for a simply-constructed aircraft that could stay within Part 103 while offering features other ultralights of the day were not providing.įrom the start, Aerolite boasted features others lacked, including: Raber may have departed from the aviation scene but he did a wonderful job of invention. Over a decade he has likely doubled the fleet that is approaching 1,000 aircraft (based on Raber’s reported “400 or so” during his 15 years of operation, plus steady production by U-Fly-It.) I’ve seen him maintain this pace for several years. Over the decade he has operated U-Fly-It, the company increased to present capacity of 50–60 Aerolite 103 aircraft per year. After moving all of Raber’s inventory and tooling to Florida in January 2013, he reported 20 sales in his first full year of business: a worthy achievement for a re-startup.Ĭarley’s pace has never stopped. He built more than 100 ultralight and experimental aircraft over a 20 year period, experience that proved valuable when he began manufacturing Aerolite 103.ĭennis Carley looks up from assembly at an airshow. Prior to Aerolite, he won awards for his craftsmanship. He connected with former Challenger build shop operator, Dennis Carley, who has breathed new life into the enterprise.Ĭarley moved Aerolite to Deland, Florida, and began to set up manufacturing. But many years ago he chose to exit aircraft manufacturing to pursue other interests. Raber built and delivered several hundred of these, it is reported. In the video below, nearly a half million viewers have heard inventor Terry Raber describe his Aerolite 103. Most of that success at keeping Aerolite 103 affordable is due to just two men.
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