About Us
NI Microlights is an independent Flight Training School operating from the Ulster Flying Club at Newtownards Airport.
Our Instructor is a highly experienced Civil Aviation Authority registered Flight Instructor and Flight Test Examiner with over 7000 hours spent over the last 22 years teaching people to fly Microlights.
We offer a comprehensive range of Microlight related services including:
- Competitively Priced Tuition and Gift Vouchers
- Initial Trial Flights
- Full National Private Pilots License (NPPL)
- Final Flight Test with our in house CAA registered Examiner
- Aircraft Sales, Servicing, Permits and Repairs
The Ulster Flying Club facilities include - Extensive Runway and Hangar Facilities, Excellent Members Clubroom, Cloud 9 restaurant - open to the public Most importantly the atmosphere is warm, friendly and somewhere you will be happy to bring your friends and family.
Find Us
RADIO: A/G 128.30 Newtownards Radio
Full instruction on the Ulster Flying Club website
Our Aircraft
The British built Thruster aircraft is known for it’s ruggedness and affordability with owners varying from first-time pilots, though to flying schools and believe it or not Australians use it to round up sheep in the outback.
A tried and tested design, the Thruster is a remarkably capable aircraft with some innovative designs and an excellent safety record. It’s short field performance is exemplary, making nearly every field a potential landing site.
The T600 with Jabiru 2200A engine cruises at 65 knots (75 mph) and has a maximum climb rate of 1200ft a minute. With a 50 litre fuel tank and fuel burn of as little as 10 litres an hour, you can easily make it across the UK or in to Europe!
What Are Microlights?
Microlights are small aircraft that have reliable and economical purpose built four-stroke and two-stroke engines. You don't need a large airfield, a farmer's field will do and many microlights can be packed up, placed on a trailer and taken home to your garage. With relatively slow flying speeds and low inertia, the microlight is one of the safest forms of recreational flying in the UK. At Newtownards we cater for two main types of microlight.
Fixed Wing
(also known as 3-Axis)
The FIXED WING microlight has controls in common with conventional aircraft in as much as they will usually have a control stick and rudder pedals to operate ailerons, elevator and rudder.
The wing is fixed to the aircraft, has ailerons to control the roll and an elevator to control the pitch. The 3rd control being the rudder that controls the yaw, hence the term 3-Axis. These control surfaces are controlled by a stick and two rudder pedals requiring co-ordination of the hands and feet.
HOME BUILT & KIT PLANES:
Regulated & Tested by Popular Flying Association (PFA)
FACTORY BUILT AIRCRAFT:
Regulated & Tested by British Microlight Aircraft Association (BMAA) (Built to a very high standard)
Instructor: KEN CROMPTON (Fixed Wing)
Flex Wing
(also known as weight shift)
The FLEX WING microlight is controlled by weight shift much akin to hang gliding. They can be recognised by their hang glider style looks with the TRIKE unit hanging underneath.
The engine is attached to the trike and the pilot and passenger sit in the trike. These aircraft have been called the motorcycle of the air and are great fun to fly. The flex wing has a more “open to the elements” feel that a fixed wing and is much simpler in construction. This allows it to be easily dismantled by one person to fit on a small trailer in around half an hour. Although it is possible to build a flex wing yourself it is very rarely done as there are few kits currently available on the UK market.
FACTORY BUILT AIRCRAFT:
Regulated & Tested by British Microlight Aircraft Association (BMAA) (Built to a very high standard)
For more information about Flex Wing Microlights click here
Instructor: GERRY SNODDEN (Flex Wing)
Please note that Gerry operates independently of the fixed wing instructor and you should contact him directly using the contact details listed by clicking the Flexwing tab at the bottom of the page.