Welp...someones going to lose their license.

1362599_02bcdea730.jpg
 
Don't even need that.

If it's an FAR part 103 qualifying ultralight (under 254lbs, stall under 24kts, max speed 55kts, 5gals max fuel, and single seat)... there are zero pilot qualifications.

No age requirement, no training requirement, no drivers license, no medical, no airworthiness standards for the aircraft, no inspections required.... pure freedom!


I heard a story about a guy that got busted for a dui and lost his drivers liscense. well he still needed to get to work so he bought an ultralight. he would take off from his house and fly to the ford factory he worked at. he got away with it for a while but one day he busted the class D around KARB and the tower sent the police to follow him. when he got to the factory they were waiting for him. ends up he was intoxicated then too.
 
I heard a story about a guy that got busted for a dui and lost his drivers liscense. well he still needed to get to work so he bought an ultralight. he would take off from his house and fly to the ford factory he worked at. he got away with it for a while but one day he busted the class D around KARB and the tower sent the police to follow him. when he got to the factory they were waiting for him. ends up he was intoxicated then too.
must be an ultralight-weight
 
500 feet away from any person, vessel, vehicle, or structure. I fail to see the problem.

Several years ago (late 70's?) a guy was buzzing the surf line in Huntington Beach. A surfer kicked out, board shot into the air hitting and causing damage to the aircraft.

The pilot insisted he was legal too.
 
Are Water-Effect and Ground-Effect the same? I would think so, but I do not know.
yes, let's think for a minute as to what ground effect* does for you...

OK now do you think that the water does the same thing?










* when you are flying close to the ground, the ground interrupts the wingtip vortices that swirl around to the top of the wing and spoil lift. Winglets are designed to do the same thing, so really (simplified version) a winglet provides greater lift by interrupting the air that wants to run from the high pressure side (under the wing) to the low pressure side (over the wing). The ground (or water) does the same thing when within a wingspan.
 
yes, let's think for a minute as to what ground effect* does for you...

OK now do you think that the water does the same thing?


That's what I think, but I also ask myself, how could water be different?

To illustrate my point, put some jello in the water, the water will thicken. Then, when the airplane is in 'jello effect' the airplane will oscilate because jello wiggles. Now, one could assume that the 'jello effect' is no different than the 'ground effect', but the first time some-body crashes an airplane because they got into a self-enforcing jello vibration wing-tip stall--I will not have that on my conscience. :biggrin:










* when you are flying close to the ground, the ground interrupts the wingtip vortices that swirl around to the top of the wing and spoil lift. Winglets are designed to do the same thing, so really (simplified version) a winglet provides greater lift by interrupting the air that wants to run from the high pressure side (under the wing) to the low pressure side (over the wing). The ground (or water) does the same thing when within a wingspan.
 
Except that the water is elastic and will have a tendency to be blown by the wing, thereby providing a very slightly less drag reduction than solid ground.
 
Except that the water is elastic and will have a tendency to be blown by the wing, thereby providing a very slightly less drag reduction than solid ground.
well OK...if you say so, although I'm not certain it would be any less (energy reduced) and maybe more (energy reduced) because the elasticity of the water may actually take out MORE energy, but at this point it's silly time on the internets...
 
And that's not actually why winglets work, although they do reduce vorticies, that is after the fact.
 
Except that the water is elastic and will have a tendency to be blown by the wing, thereby providing a very slightly less drag reduction than solid ground.


Which goes to why I expressed my doubts in the first place. Had I not expressed my ignorance, I would not have been exposed to this line of reasoning--which I find very interesting. Now, the next question is for any sea-plane operators who can comment on it with authority.
 
Shot down by a SASB, tragic and awesome all at the same time!
Submariners dream of having a weapon that they can use to shoot down ASW aircraft while submerged...it turns out all you really have to do is throw a surfboard at an airplane...
 
It's hard to judge the distance from the video, but there doesn't seem to be a serious issue. It's definitely not the smartest move on his / her part, but at least they're not over the beach.
 
Back
Top