Basic flying lesson Middenmeer

Ultralight is high tech business. For aviation they are comparable to what the Formula 1 means for the car industry. They are a playground for innovation. Ultralights may weigh up to 450 kg. That includes the crew, fuel and luggage! Hence, their constructors have a great incentive to keep the aircraft as light as possible. So it's no surprise that major developments like composite materials found their way from ultralights to the larger aircraft. Are you curious already? Come and fly with today's pioneers!

Location

This flying lesson is available from Middenmeer. The airfield of Middenmeer is in the Northern part of North Holland, just above Amsterdam. It has a grass runway and is only open for the lightest category of airplanes. The airfield has a cosy restaurant only steps away from the airstrip, ready to enjoy all the action just in front of you.

High tech aircraft

You are going to take the controls of one of the most sophisticated airplanes of this moment, equipped with state of the art equipment. The plane is lightweight and thus very manoeuvrable. The slightest changes in input will have effect immediately. This makes it a very sportive plane to fly. You'll be amazed!

It's time to fly!

Theory

The experience starts with a briefing and introduction about the principles of flight. Your instructor will explain how a plane can fly, how you create lift. He will show how the controls work; the rudder, ailerons, flaps and elevator. He will show what all instruments in the flight deck are about. Of course there is ample time to ask all questions you have. If you have brought company, they're free to join the briefing.

This theoretical part takes about 20 minutes, independently from the flight time you chose.

Practical

After the briefing you'll be heading to the plane with your instructor. You'll check if the airplane is ready for departure and do some safety checks together. Then you taxi to the runway. Using your headset you can hear the instructor and the control tower. The instructor will ask for permission to depart and there you go! Once you're up in the air you'll get control of the airplane. You can fly everything yourself, except the last part of the landing. Of course the instructor will coach and assist you where needed. He's trained for and prepared to correct any mistake you might make while steering, so don't worry. If you want to hand over the controls and enjoy the views or take some pictures, you're very welcome to do so.

How long the flying lasts is up to you. The minimum is 45 minutes. But the longer, the more fun of course!