| "Why fly? Simple. I'm not happy unless there's some | | | | hovercraft hover at the ground using an aerodynamic |
| room between me and the ground". That wasn't me, it | | | | air cushion. These vehicles have originated from the |
| was said by Richard Bach but is true for many of the | | | | ground effect aircraft (usually a big aircraft interesting |
| people who call themselves aviation enthusiasts. Are | | | | mostly for the military) to become now one of the |
| you one of us? You don't need to have flying | | | | modern toys for people with some extra cash. |
| experience to be aviation enthusiast. You only need to | | | | The commercially built personal hovercraft are kind of |
| have passion about flying. | | | | expensive - $20,000 and up. But people are always |
| I know getting sport pilot license isn't an easy job. The | | | | looking to make things more affordable so many have |
| airplanes are also quite expensive - and then there are | | | | started to create simple and almost free DIY |
| hangaring fees, airport fees and so on. But what if | | | | hovercraft. And of course you can find some of their |
| there are alternatives? What if you could fly cheaper, | | | | instructional guides for free or for cheap online. |
| safer, or don't need hangar and a runway? | | | | Hovercraft are generally considered safer but less |
| Well, there are alternatives. | | | | exciting because you don't really go much above the |
| Fly a Powered Paraglider | | | | ground. So if you real passion is flying you may prefer |
| If there is a way to fly for cheap, this must be it. | | | | the other ways - and especially the next one! |
| Powered paragliders are the most affordable ultralight | | | | Fly a Gyrocopter |
| aircraft. If you have never seen a powered paraglider, | | | | If you dream about flying a real aircraft with controls |
| just imagine a regular paraglider with a big propeller | | | | and a cockpit, here's a great idea for you. The |
| and a seat. The propeller is usually attached to the | | | | gyrocopters (known also as gyroplanes, autogyros) |
| pilot's back and the seat is not always there. That's it - | | | | are rotorcraft that looks a lot like helicopters but |
| essentially these aircraft are just paragliders. They | | | | operate like airplanes. Confusing? No, brilliant. The |
| come with low fuel consumption, low price and same | | | | gyrocopters have a propeller on the top but it isn't |
| safety as of their non-powered brothers. | | | | powering the flight - the flight is powered by a propeller |
| The best thing about them is that you don't need a | | | | at the back. The top one auto-rotates driven by the |
| license although getting proper training is highly | | | | aerodynamic forces. Due to this gyrocopers are easy |
| recommended. A powered paraglider doesn't need a | | | | to operate and quite safe - even if the engine stops, |
| hangar either - you can store it in the basement, in the | | | | the gyrocopter can safely land. |
| garage or even at home. Then when you drop in | | | | Autogyros need a little runway to start flying but can |
| some field anywhere on the ground you can just pack | | | | land almost anywhere like helicopters. They are faster |
| the paraglider on your back and walk from there. | | | | and fuel consumption can be lower. What's most |
| Powered paragliders are probably the less pretentious | | | | important is that they just look and work great. They |
| aircraft and offer excellent fly. Of course it's a plus if | | | | are able to fly i weather conditions that will ground |
| you have experience flying a regular paraglider before | | | | most of the other types of aircraft. |
| trying a powered one. | | | | The price of the personal gyrocopters is about the |
| "Fly" a Personal Hovercraft | | | | same as the price of ultralight and microlight airplanes |
| If you are up to something more unusual maybe you | | | | and of course there are options to build your own |
| will be interested to "fly" a personal hovercraft. I put | | | | yourself if you have proper knowledge. |
| "flying" in quotes because it isn't really flying - the | | | | |