Flying A Quicksilver Ultralight in Extreme Turbulence! C166
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 26 ก.ย. 2024
- #quicksilver #ultralight #microlight Courtney is surprised by extreme turbulence after takeoff and shows how to calmly return to the airport and land.
Note: A LEGAL ultralight is limited to 1 seat and requires no pilot certificate to fly. A 2-seat "ultralight" is, in fact, a Light Sport Airplane and requires a pilot certificate to fly. There is no such thing as a "legal 2-seat ultralight."
Courtney is an FAA-certified Advanced Ground Instructor (AGI).
Courtney's Website: www.CourtneyTak...
Courtney's Facebook Group: / deafpilots
For more like this: th-cam.com/play/PLXiwu51wI29qpl9AkqXRZNp7Mt5GByGEd.html
Courtney, when I was 17 my father was a Civil Air Patrol pilot. We flew a lot together and he was trying to teach me the basics of being a pilot. He did power on and off stalls and spins with me and it scared me to the extreme. I wonder if there is any way to overcome that feeling of falling. Great videos and I love watching you fly. Thank you.
Courtney I'd fly with you anytime
what kind of helmet are you wearing?
That was a crazy amount of control input
As needed for the uneventful landing
Better to be on the ground, wishing you were in the air, than in the air, wishing you were on the ground ! NICE JOB getting it home ! I personally don't like a lot of turbulence in my MXL, the 'invisible hand" is something I have never enjoyed !
Thank you!
Old paraglider pro verb :)
When it’s windy, I always put my lawn furniture up much less try to fly it.😂
LOL
The sudden realizations that the air has a will of it's own, and that making it back alive is not a given that day, is an intense emotional experience.
We are only guests, Been there a few times .
Great camera angle and great flying. I could feel it.
Thank you!
Fun video. I started ultralights at the beginning, in 1978 or 79 as I recalI. Get this, first Quicksilver was the weight-shift controlled (rudder controlled by body swing) with a 9 hp engine. On a hot day, climbing was nearly impossible. Then flew the single surface MX with a 35 hp Rotax which was a huge improvement. No ailerons, but it had surprisingly good control. However, I chose my flying conditions very carefully, generally opting for non-convective days with light winds. Logged about 200 wonderful hours in it before moving onto Cessnas. To this day, I believe a parachute-equipped ultralight flown by a competent pilot who chooses conditions carefully is one of the safest ways to fly.....but there's some big "if's" there.
Thanks for your comment! I can't even imagine what flying around with a 9-hp engine is like!
@@CourtneyTakesFlight Let's just say I developed a deep appreciation for excess horsepower. 😁😁 Safe flying!
A LOT of stick work there! I fly a single surface MX, so flying in turbulence can be quite a work out. Nicely done!👍
Thank you.
I had the same bird. Sold it when my kids were little. Despite having a last chance chute, the risks were too great when I considered my three kids without a dad. Engine trouble at under 200 ft banking into a downwind was the final wakeup call. When i got on the ground and realized that the chute would not have saved me I didn'f fly again. Without kids it would have been different. I miss it greatly.
An engine in an ultralight aircraft should be considered a luxury and not a necessity. Don't fly where you can't land safely , ever! Two cycle engines with internal fans for cooling the cylinders with a CDI ignition system are known for overheating and causing engine failures.
@@jewelmock4946 I often hate the term ultralight because it often leads to a lot of misconceptions about part 103 aircraft for those who don't fly them. Some think of them as as you would a hang glider or a glider, but that could not be farther from the truth. They don't ride the thermals or have high aspect ratio, low-drag, NACA profile wings. They are high drag , low speed aircraft with a wingspan of 28ft and an average weight (airframe, engine, pilot) around 450lbs. When you lose the engine, you lose airspeed fast. And considering your airspeed was never that high to begin with, it's even more critical as a stall recovery attempt at any altitude in such an airframe would be a disaster. The only way to regain lift is to regain speed by putting the nose down. Unfortunately, the time you react, take action and try to regain enough speed for sufficient lift, you're likely to be on the ground, or in it.
Its always nice to have a straight in approach at 1000'agl, descend and land, but depending on the airspace, terrain, towers, etc it's not always possible...especially when your strip is a neighbor's mowed field in a valley next to a winding river. An engine in an ultralight that was designed for an engine is an absolute necessity. An abundance of altitude and the ability to gain lift by sacrificing it is the luxury.
@@jewelmock4946 not if you maintain them
That was awesome! Amazing to see the adjustments made at ground effect. So cool!
Thank you.
That was a sketchy flight. Glad you are as experienced as you are. A lesser pilot may not have made it back to the airport. You had me on the edge of my chair. So glad you are ok.
Thank you. I started with light winds and worked my way up to higher winds. I've also been practicing flying in thermals, too.
Dad used to say fly it in hot and right to the ground unless you want to do a wingover. After 40+ years I still miss him. Cancer sux.
Wow that was Awesome control there I on the edge of my seat here didn't even notice when you turned base glad you made it☝🏾☺️👍🏾
Thanks 👍
Interesting. Thanks for sharing not to panic. So much to learn.
You're welcome.
Disagree with much of the armchair folks above. I would offer a couple of things, though from my own armchair: 1) Adding speed for control is good to a point. Beyond that point, you are just increasing the impact of the turbulence. It may not seem intuitive, but consider slowing. It will put less stress on the wing, and on you. If you see the variance in wind speed, and you want to increase controllability, add half of that variance to your normal speed, rather than going as fast as you can. 2) In turbulent air, flying the approach so low is not helpful. The air may be a little smoother, but if you have an engine failure, you are downwind, looking at a very fast, sudden landing. As long as you aren’t flying too fast (so a severe gust could cause damage), altitude is always your friend. My experience: several thousand hours in hang gliders and ultralights in the heyday early days (1977 - 1990’s). Private pilot, instrument rated, glider rated, currently flying a TBM turboprop. Turbulence on final approach isn’t fun in any plane I’ve ever flown, but do avoid those low approaches. Altitude = options. And you only need enough speed on final to maintain control through the gusts. In the video, I suspect no more than 5-10 knots (or mph) over your normal approach speed would have been adequate. But, been there, know the feeling! Any landing you walk away from is a good one!
I agree with most of what you've stated.
@@CourtneyTakesFlight I think you were wise to add speed as you did. It does increase the gust loads, but it also minimizes the risk of stalling due to tailwind gusts. In an ultralight you're particularly vulnerable to that.
800 hr Sel, Mel, Instr. with 200 of those hrs in an Mx 503 Rotax and a Sprint 2 I would agree with this TBM Captain!😎
Thank you very much for sharing this video…❤
As a new pilot 🧑✈️ it is extremely helpful to see realistic portrayals of the actual conditions that can be encountered…
Because of your video I am now committed to getting my private license with CFI instructors…
And what a Landing!!
There's also the Sport Pilot option. Look into it!
@@CourtneyTakesFlight Will do...Thank you! 👍
Well done, good control all the way and a great landing.
Thank you.
Was a real pleasure to watch you land that thing. Top shelf work
Thank you.
Woooooow! That was a heck of a flight my friend! I’m glad you were able to safely handle that left wing combing up outta nowhere like that!
Thank you. It's practice. Eventually you'll be ready for anything that comes your way.
Great advice about keeping the speed up until hovering right over the runway. Keeps steering authority high to counteract the wind.
True!
That was some good piloting skills, Ive encountered lots of turbulence in my flights and it does test your skills in several ways, most newer pilots would probably panic in your predicament, keeping a cool head is another aquired skillset that pilots need. I like it when its relatively calmer out and go look for rising pockets of air/thermals in my avid flyer, some thermals i have been in are real elevator rides, with my avid i can pull throttle back to idle, keep nose down and circle in the rising air currents, sometimes rising up to 1,500 FPM in some cases.
Thank you. I've been trying to improve my thermal riding skills!
Yea it helps having knowledge of what to expect but nothing can account for having "been there and done that" when it comes to flying. The first flight I took in a Cessna was a crazy experience. This coming from someone who understands the dynamics at play in flight very well. Grew up around planes, flying simulators and overall being a bit of a flight nerd. Even so the first time you hit turbulent pockets of air is a wild feeling. Just like piloting a boat in rough waves, you get used to it. Having grown up on the waters kf Lake Erie on fishing boats helps with not feeling too overwhelmed too. Everyone's experience and knowledge level is different coming into flying and even though some people come into much more prepared than others, it's a big mistake to think knowledge equals experience.
Gee - Thanks for the ride ! ! !
🙂😎👍
You're welcome!
I also had such an experience, for me not long after solo. Flying a Blanik L13 glider my shins hit the bottom of the instrument panel just after lift off behind my clubs 180 Super Cub. After fighting for control the entire ~15 minute flight I opted for 80mph rather than 55-60 in the pattern. I’m not sure if that was really smart, but it worked. Our field was enclosed by trees so there was almost no wind on the ground. Landed long of coarse. Spoilers really help get rid of speed. During the flight my ASI was swinging up and down even though I maintained good attitude wrt the horizon. It must have stabilised enough to set the speed. Like you there were hills around us. Thanks for sharing.
As long as you stay within your airplane's maneuvering speed, you'll be okay.
As a hang glider pilot, I can say that hitting those punchy thermals can be intimidating also, but we are only doing it at about 18-22 MPH. When I get towed up, it's much more ruff hitting them than it is at my trim speed or just above. Great job getting back though. I would love to have a Quicksilver MX double surface with ailerons some day when I retire.
I can relate. Flew a weight shift Quicksilver in the 80's in Arizona. One time right after a thunderstorm came through I took off. With the sun back out, thermals were popping. I hit one and the rate of climb was over 2,500 FPM ! I throttled back to idle but kept rising quickly. You really feel helpless. I finally got out of it.
Getting sucked up under cumulus clouds can happen in a C152 also...
This is the reason why flying cars will never become commonplace without artificial intelligence flying it on autopilot the whole time.
One of the reasons for sure!
Great video! Safe flights!
Thank you.
I had a ride in a Quicksilver over 40 years ago! Great little Plane!!
Cool!
In the very beginning, Quicksilver was the way to go, because they required you get training and construction assistance from the dealer. My particular instructor was very experienced with hang gliders before becoming an Eipper dealer. My first flight was in a Yamaha-powered weight-shift Quicksilver. Then, moved on to the Cuyuna (thumbs-down) MX and finally the wonderful Rotax MX. Tallied-up 85 hours before I gave it up.
But, one thing I learned from the very beginning was to avoid any sort of sketchy weather conditions. I always preferred flying with no breeze at all, and all my flights were safe and enjoyable. I understood that the aircraft could deal with rough conditions, but I never liked being shoved and yanked around the sky.
My time was logged back in the early-1980's and I had a dream to fly coast-to-coast to help raise funds for the upgrades to the Statue of Liberty happening then. School kids had helped raise money originally for the statue's pedestal, and I thought it would be fun to barnstorm across the country, visiting schools and taking their pennies to NYC. The idea of spending that many weeks flying in possible marginal conditions, caused me to put that dream on the shelf.
Thanks for the comments!
I dont know to much about flying but i will say that you are an excellent pilot
Thank you kindly.
You slammed that stick around like me on Ace Combat 7.
Full respect!
LOL thank you!
wow! well done Courtney!
Thank you.
Goodonya Courtney! Been there Soooooooo many times!
Thank you!
I flew my MXL (full 3-axis ship) for 500hrs back in the '80s and it was very controllable. Built and flew a Kitfox 1 for 10yrs then built an RV-6A that I've been flying for the last 25yrs. The UL and Kitfox were good learning planes. Don't be afraid to use your feet to help lower that wing in turbulence.
MXL-2
I flew Quicksilver MX's back in the mid 80's, no ailerons just elevator and rudder with spoilers on the wing. It wasn't any worse or any better. Flew from East Bakersfield to Isabella and got knocked around pretty good but I pushed through.
Good memories I bet!
Please leave the words on the screen long enough so us "slower" readers can read it???
I love watching the take offs.
That was a dicey flight. I saw full control deflections multiple times at altitude. Glad you made it down safe.
After a lot of practice, one become rather used to this.
You get days like that I guess where the windsock is dead, but it' like a washing machine out of ground effect.
Things noted, Your yaw string is virtually useless, needs to be longer and more in front of you for reference.
Watch how many times you're holding the ailerons 'out' of the turns, implies a bit too much rudder in turns.
Conversely, watch the sudden corrections done while in straight flight, but with little rudder input, inducing yaw making you apply even more (uncoordinated) aileron: Rudder ALL the time, even if just a little.
You would probably find most of that turbulence would dissipate above 500~800ft, you stuck right in the turbulent layer.
Don't be afraid to push that thing down steeply from a high approach with engine at idle, it's a huge drag bucket, so it won't accelerate like a normal plane, and you won't find yourself floating half the length of the runway, praying for it to land. (4k+hr ultralight instructor).
Thanks for your comments. I agree I need a longer yaw string.
Had an experience like this while training in a 152 Cessna. We got up about 500 feet, and all hell broke loose! Turned into a bucking bronco! Lol... Instructor let me keep it all the way back to landing. It was a bit scary, but freaking awesome at the same time!
Great video
Thank you.
Those big climbs are what paragliders crave! Circle up on em and wait for the sun to get low!
Yup!
Flown and had lessons in all types of aircraft. The ultimate is the sailplane. First lesson in a Grob wihen I was 15. Do it. Thermalling is on another level.
I've a friend with a sailplane.
Our single seat 83 Quicksilver MX has elevator and rudder on the stick and no ailerons…just small spoilers on the top of each wing each controlled by a foot pedal. We usually pulled it out only a couple hours before sunset on the nicest of days, checking for fronts and winds aloft on ForeFlight. This was at 49N Lufker on Long Island NY surrounded by oceans, winds were more easily predictable. It always amazes me the crazy stick inputs to keep her steady when you do hit some wind.
Yes, you have very early model!
Well you stirred the Christmas pudding there on landing, nice and safe with the speed kept up to give control.
Thank you.
Your videos are the only videos I see that give you the feeling of actually flying! You’re recording method is amazing.
Thank you.
good sound on the engine too, we can feel the strategy by this !
Nice Job! Rough air like that will for sure pucker you up! Fly safe and God Bless😊
Thank you.
According to my MS flight simulator Captain license, the conditions were deamed optimum for a safe flight and the completion of missions safely. This is if you don’t mind having to respawn a few times of course. Good stick management, a bit nervous and on the wild side, but if you adjust the force feedback and lower the weather strenght you will find it easier to fly without respawning often.
You don't have to be in the mountains to encounter mountain wave. Calm on the surface, an inversion layer, with the wind blowing over the top. Doesn't take much to get it going. Nice job.
Thank you.
Great flying and landing. I wish you much success on future flights.
Thank you
I hate turbulence like that, I was about 6 hours into phase 1 flight testing and took off late in the after noon after the wind had died down thinking it would be nice and got about 300 ft above ground and hit the worst air ive been in. got up to about 1500 feet above ground then hit massive down drafts that had me dropping 1200ft pre minute at full throttle, once around the pattern was all I could take.
Understood!
Wow!! Good job, Courtney!
Thank you!
Shortly after I went solo in a Dragonfly, I was told "If you get into any strong turbulence, don't give up, just keep stiring that pot."
Keep it aimed in the general direction you want to fly, too.
@@alexp.6406 That is exactly how I interpreted his advice. The main theme being "don't give up no matter how rough it is."
Hi. Ballistic chute to. Fantastic pilot! My very best regards and respects!
Thank you!
Great flight..smart decision to call it a day.
Thank you.
I can relate to fighting turbulence on landing, then see a limp wind sock. It leaves you scratching your head. Good landing.
The limp windsock is why I thought it would be a nice flight! LOL
:)
Hi Courtney. I really enjoy your videos. I fly a trike, but if I flew a 3 axis, it would be a Quicksilver. Is there a lot of slop (free play) left and right in your stick or is it just the way Quicksilvers fly?
Actually there's hardly any free play. It's just that the deflection of the ailerons in the beginning isn't enough to make a difference.
That was awesome! I have about 600 hours in Cessnas, Pipers, and lately, DA40 but those are like cars, "flying cages", if you will - compared to your flying motorcycle! Too bad I live in a metro area under class B airspace.
You could find a hangar outside that airspace. It'll be cheaper, too. My hangar is 30 minutes away.
great video!
Thank you!
I bet you were very relieved to get that back in one piece. Don’t worry about gliders, they are much less twitchy to fly, even in those conditions. It certainly looked like hard work. Well Done!
Thank you.
what a nice job! im a glider pilot,an ul pilot, and to get in this kind of air in a ul is not a plessant feeling!! even in a glider we sometimes hit sink where we are in trouble! so again well done!
Thank you!
Very nice video. Being scary was intertaining too.
Thank you.
Love the comment "flying into pockets of air" sure better than encountering pockets of vacuum while flying :)
LOL
I'd be checking my control cable connections...and subsequent cable guides... .
They're all good.
Try that in a Weedhopper! You will go face down on the placement and kiss it after you land.
Been there...done that.
Very Very good job Man!!! Congrat's..
Brazil - Ceará - Fortaleza.
Thank you.
It looks like you were shifting through all 18 gears on that manual transmission during landing! You were going to make it back to zero altitude one way or another, glad to see you did it in one piece.
My goal is a smooth landing! :)
Good job
Thank you.
Wow! You handled those down drafts or what ever they were like a Pro," your guardian angel must be riding shotgun. Keep em Flying & catch ya on the next one.😉✝️
Thank you kindly.
I damned near crashed my chair!
LOL
Those thin wispy clouds means winds aloft are fairly strong.
Well done!!!! Dayummm
Thank you.
That's why we check weather charts before flights.
Charts don't go below 3k feet for winds aloft.
Very nice landing, on down wind in turbuleted condition always fly little bit higger speed and keep your speed high till the base leg. Your actually flying with rigid kite and these things could loose its kinetic enerji very easly in turbuled conditions.
That's about how I looked in an archer 3 in az when it was 120 degrees out.
I add one of these flights last summer! Seems nice on the ground, poop in the air, just circled around and landed. Isn't worth it. And my CFI (RV-12) and I were coming in with a heavy cross wind, and he says if I have to puke here's a bag, and this is going to be a rough one, and I calmly said, I fly a MX Sport, this is almost a daily experience.
LOL
If it occurs again…. I’d suggest staying over darkfields till your at good altitude. I’m powered paraglider on a trike in Canada, and I’ll fly midday turbulence but never so low!
lol yeah, we get those here, I once got pushed all the way down into a field, had to wait for the rotors to pass
Oh, man... What a shocker above 200ft. You sure handled that situation well. Cudos!
Thank you.
🎉🎉Nice, cool & Daring person🎉🎉
Thanks! 😃
Please let me know the Cost of this flight and it's engine specifications.
Where is your work shop or Residence.
Thank you 🎉
looked fun.
It was!
Anytime the temperature/dew point spread is 17°C or higher. Be ready for gusty winds or even windshear. (Learned that w/ an old pilot... now I'm old and I don't mind sharing with you younger pilots!)
17C at ground level ? Radiosonde Skew-T plots are worth their weight.
I wish I was a younger pilot myself
Great job getting it back down without bending it.😊
Thank you.
I owned four syndicated ultralight planes over the years. Walked away from the hobby after friends who were more careful pilots than me had minor crashes due to bad luck.
You handled that very well
Thank you!
Nice !
Thank you
Flying on days like this gets you this
Sometimes you can't tell until you're airborne.
Tengo uno exactamente igual, he volado muchas veces en esas condiciones el Quick responde bien.
awesome
Thank you
Scary flying a light aircraft when it’s bumpy out, sometimes u go down 200’ and have to let it do it’s thing because right after you’ll be pushed up 200’ a game of control just enough to not be in any danger but don’t over control to be in any danger lol
Brings back old memories, I've flown a Quicksilver backwards, with a good strong head wind it takes off like a helicopter ....
Yup, I've heard that being done.
Excellent pilot.
Thank you.
Ground turbulence will subside around 1500 feet AGL.
That looked very bloody hairy to me, I would have thrown the towel in as well. Good job at getting back to the airfield safely.
Thanks 👍
Heading home was a good decision. That was way too much action for such a short flight
LOL, a bit much. ;)
Wow!!!! Congratulation.
Thank you.
Here's your crowbar to detach from that seat! Wow. Well done.
IMPRESSIVE
Wow.
First plane i ever flew was a single surface rudder only quiksilver. I was in the USAF at the time.
I sold it after 120 hours of rebuilding it to perfection including sails and engine. The first flight i hit a pocket of air and lost complete control. I remember watching the brace wires and wing tips flex in the turbulence which on this day was so calm the balloons were flying. (If hot air guys were out i usually was too).
I got the plane down and another puff of wind pushed me off runway. As to not sideload the plane I just kinda went with it as the side was grass. I came to rest in a large fire ant pile and they climbed up the tire and destroyed my legs and thigh. I healed up fine, plane had no damage, so i parked it.
2 weeks later the FAA called me and notified me in was under investigation for leaving the runway at this small airport on my rollout. I explained what happened and at the time i was a student so i wasnt quite solo legal to fly and my thirst for flight was immense so i flew ultralight between training. Theybdid their best to try and revoke my student pilot license but it took a lot of convincing ultralights dont count. Turned out the airport Karen had reported me, and said i hit a runway sign. This particular sign was always bent from time ive been there and still to this day its bent. They fined me a couple thousand for the sign and inwasnt allowed to fly again till i finished my pilots license. After that things just weren't fun anymore and lost its magic. I still fly alot and enjoy it but im very anxious when flying now and hate being recorded which happens alot.
I'm sorry this happened to you, but thanks for sharing this story here.
Very many years ago I had some friends that liked to go flying under severe thunderstorms as it was brewing. Fly up to 2000 ft or so and kill the engine to soar on the lift and cloud suck if there was any present. Of course they were experienced glider pilots, so liked killing the engine on their ultralights and gliding. Then power up and go again and again.
Glider pilots are a different breed!