What is a microlight?

Essentially, a microlight is a very light aeroplane carrying one or two people, with no more than 50 litres of fuel and weighing no more than 390Kg.

MFC offers expert training in two distinct types of microlight:

The WeightShift Microlight

[Animated weightshift] The weight-shift microlight has a wing very similar in appearance to a hang glider with a one or two seat trike unit complete with engine connected to it at the center of gravity by a monopole.

The weight-shift microlight did in fact evolve from the hang glider but has now developed into the highly sophisticated and robust aeroplane that we have today, generally stressed to a much higher load factor than some light aircraft. Modern weight-shift wings have the capability of flying in excess of 80 mph and the latest high powered engines can give a climb rate in excess of 1500 fpm.

With a range measured in hundreds of miles the world can be your oyster, in fact the most recent notable achievement in a Mainair Blade (the type we use for training) has been to fly from London to Sydney in 49 days. However, before attempting to emulate this feat we recommend you take a course of lessons with the Moorland Flying Club.

The 3-Axis Microlight

[Animated 3-axis] The 3-axis microlight is essentially a very light conventional plane. It offers a greater degree of comfort than the weightshift in that it is enclosed and the traditional controls require a comparatively light touch. The 3-axis microlight is built to the same very stringent set of airworthiness requirements as the weight-shift and is equally as strong, it's great advantage is that it can be handled on the ground in much rougher weather conditions but the downside is they invariably cost more.

Another lady ex-student of the Moorland Flying Club was the first to fly a 3-axis Microlight to Australia in 1986. The aircraft she used was a Shadow, still in production today.

Buying a microlight.

Should you wish to purchase a microlight of your own:
We would be glad to give you the benefit of our expertise.

We have our own ever changing stock of second hand a/c and we are agents for all the major British manufacturers and importers of kit a/c.

We also have our own in-house company importing the Ukrainian Aeroprakt and the Indian X'air which are both currently in the process of being approved to the very stringent British airworthiness standards.