There are numerous ways of experiencing this but no craft makes this easier and more affordable than a microlight.
The trike is designed to take you safely and comfortably across countryside that can only be experienced from the air. Explore new horizons, beaches and bushveld teeming with game, or fly off on a breakfast run with friends who share your spirit of adventure and love of wide open spaces. What is amazing is to be able to take off and land in about 60 m.
The main manufacturer of the trikes produced in South Africa is Solo Wings of Pinetown, KwaZulu Natal, which is responsible for building the Aquilla trikes. Trikes are also imported mainly from the UK.
Outlay
Expect for pay about R350 000 for a brand new microlight and the fuel consumption of the Rotax 582 powered version is only 12 litre per hour with one person on board and Mogas is used. You can also fit a Rotax 912 engine or Japanese HKS one.
Microlights can carry a passenger and up to 50 litre fuel giving it quite a range. Typical speeds of a basic trike are around 88km and the stall speed is very low at 56km.
Wing loading is low at 19 kgs per sqm - much lower than your average Boeing or Airbus.
How do they work
Weight shift trikes are controlled by moving the chassis and aviator’s weight around the wing by way of a control bar. Move bar left for a right turn bar right for a left turn. The bar in is needed to descend and bar out to climb along with appropriate throttle which is foot controlled.
Trikes are stable and extremely forgiving by nature. The wing has a built-in flex capability to facilitate better general handling. Where permitted you can easily land on a secluded beach and soft sand doesn’t present an issue.
Transport
This story is from the December 2019 edition of Global Aviator.
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This story is from the December 2019 edition of Global Aviator.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
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