Single- and 2-Place

Ultralight Vehicle Federal Regulations

Including Selected Excerpts From FAA
Exemptions and Advisories

The Federal Aviation Administration regulates ultralights in Federal Aviation Regulation Part 103 and associated exemptions and advisory circulars. The preamble to FAR Part 103 offers a portion of FAA's rationale, as follows:

"... the best practices and methods to preclude the need for further federal regulation appear to at least include: self-regulation and self-policing, safety standards, membership in organizations and associations equipped to function and operate programs approved by the FAA, marking and identification of vehicles, programs including provisions similar to Federal Aviation Regulations relating to aircraft (both operational and airworthiness), etc.

"FAA will continue to monitor performance of the ultralight community in terms of safety statistics, growth trends and maturity and, if indicated, will take additional regulatory actions to preclude degradation of safety to the general public while allowing maximum freedom for ultralight operation. In summary, it should be emphasized that the individual ultralight operator's support and compliance with national self-regulation programs is essential to FAA's continued policy of allowing industry self-regulation in these areas."

For more than a decade, the U.S. Ultralight Association has proudly provided the powered ultralight student, pilot, instructor and owner programs that have been recognized by FAA as the kind envisioned at the issuance of ultralight regulation.

U.S. Ultralight Association

Ultralight Vehicles

Including Excerpts From Associated
Exemptions and Advisory Circulars

General

FAA describes a powered ultralight vehicle as a vehicle that:

* Is used or intended to be used for manned operation in the air by a single occupant (through exemptions, FAA allows 2-place ultralights to be used for instruction only - see below);

* Is used or intended to be used for recreation or sport purposes only;

* Does not have any U.S. or foreign airworthiness certificate; and:

Single-Place

* Weighs less than 254 pounds empty weight, excluding floats and safety devices which are intended for deployment in a potentially catastrophic situation;

* Has a fuel capacity not exceeding 5 U.S. gallons;

* Is not capable of more than 55 knots (63 mph) calibrated airspeed at full power in level flight; and

* Has a power-off stall speed which does not exceed 24 knots (28 mph) calibrated airspeed.

Two-Place

FAA defines 2-place ultralight vehicles in several exemptions to be used for flight instruction only and:

* Weighs less than 496 pounds empty weight, excluding floats and safety devices which are intended for deployment in a potentially catastrophic situation;

* Has a fuel capacity not exceeding 10 U.S. gallons;

* Is not capable of more than 75 knots (86 mph) calibrated airspeed at full power in level flight; and

* Has a power-off stall speed which does not exceed 35 knots (40 mph) calibrated airspeed.

Inspection Requirements

* Any person operating an ultralight vehicle under this Part shall, upon request, allow the FAA Administrator, or his designee, to inspect the vehicle to determine the applicability of this Part.

* The pilot or operator of an ultralight vehicle must, upon request of the Administrator, furnish satisfactory evidence that the vehicle is subject only to the provisions of this Part.

Waivers

No person may conduct operations that require a deviation from this Part except under a written waiver issued by the Administrator.

Certification and Registration

* Notwithstanding any other section pertaining to certification of aircraft or their parts or equipment, ultralight vehicles and their component parts and equipment are not required to meet the airworthiness certification standards specified for aircraft or to have certificates of airworthiness.

* Notwithstanding any other section pertaining to airman certification, operators of single-place ultralight vehicles are not required to meet any aeronautical knowledge, age or experience requirements to operate those vehicles or to have airman or medical certificates.

* Ultralight instructors are subject to the program/training requirements of the FAA Exemption and of the administering organizations. Each instructor is required to carry a copy of his/her personalized copy of the FAA Exemption which authorizes his/her operation of the 2-place vehicle for flight instruction and flights associated with flight instruction.

* Notwithstanding any other section pertaining to registration and marking of aircraft, ultralight vehicles are not required to be registered or to bear markings of any type.

Operating Rules

Hazardous Operations

* No person may operate any ultralight vehicle in a manner that creates a hazard to other persons or property.

* No person may allow an object to be dropped from an ultralight vehicle if such action creates a hazard to other persons or property.

Daylight Operations

* No person may operate an ultralight vehicle except between the hours of sunrise and sunset.

* Notwithstanding [the paragraph above], ultralight vehicles may be operated during the twilight periods 30 minutes before official sunrise and 30 minutes after official sunset or, in Alaska, during the period of civil twilight as defined in the Air Almanac, if:

- The vehicle is equipped with an operating anticollision light visible for at least 3 statute miles; and

- All operations are conducted in uncontrolled airspace.

Operation Near Aircraft - Right-of-Way Rules

* Each person operating an ultralight vehicle shall maintain vigilance so as to see and avoid aircraft and shall yield the right-of-way to all aircraft.

* No person may operate an ultralight vehicle in a manner that creates a collision hazard with respect to any aircraft.

* Powered ultralights shall yield the right-of-way to unpowered ultralights [hang gliders, ultralight sailplanes, etc.].

Operations Over Congested Areas

No person may operate an ultralight vehicle over any congested area of a city, town or settlement, or over any open-air assembly of persons.

Operations in Certain Airspace

No person may operate an ultralight vehicle within Class A, Class B, Class C or Class D airspace or within the lateral boundaries of the surface area of Class E airspace designated for an airport unless that person has prior authorization from the Air Traffic Control (ATC) facility having jurisdiction over that airspace.

Operations in Prohibited or Restricted Areas

No person may operate an ultralight vehicle in prohibited or restricted areas unless that person has permission from the using or controlling agency, as appropriate.

Flight Restrictions in the Proximity of Certain Areas Designated by
Notice to Airmen

No person may operate an ultralight vehicle in areas designated in a Notice to Airmen (NOTAM) under Section 91.143 or Section 91.141 of this chapter, unless authorized by ATC.

Visual Reference With the Surface

No person may operate an ultralight vehicle except by visual reference with the surface.

Flight Visibility and Cloud Clearance Requirements

No person may operate an ultralight vehicle when the flight visibility or distance from clouds is less than that in the table found below. All operations in Class A, Class B, Class C and Class D airspace, or Class E airspace designated for an airport, must receive prior ATC authorization.

Note: Refer to FAR Part 103 for vehicle definitions and operating rules.

Some flight operations are regulated by FARs 61 and 91. Be sure you know the difference before you buy or fly.