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What is the difference between a 3 axis micro light and a trike?

Ultralights and microlights are defined differently in different countries. Essentially, they are very light airplanes, either single-seat or dual seat and the licensing regulations for both pilots and aircraft are less stringent than for conventional light aircraft. There are two main types: 3-axis - which have conventional controls, and weightshift, or trikes, which use a similar control system to hang gliders. The new category of ULM requires the same skills of flying as conventional aircraft and frankly, some of the newer models out-perform some conventional aircraft.

The world of Micro lighting has advanced so much over the last 15-20 years that it has become the most affordable and safest form of motorised flight.

The advancement of four stroke dedicated aviation engines now make the aircraft more reliable than before, faster, as well as sleeker looking.

There are two types of Microlight aircraft, one is derived from hang-glider technology and the basic principle to operating the weight-shift, as it is called, is by moving the wing in the airflow to manoeuvre the aircraft in the air, usually you are open to the elements in this type of aircraft.

The other type of Micro light aircraft is the simple 3 axis stick and rudder control, very similar to normal aircraft, being in an enclosed cockpit, these have surfaces on the wings and tail-plane which can be moved in the airflow, to manoeuvre the aircraft in the air, they are better known as 3-Axis types.

The weight-shift aircraft are able to carry two people and fuel up to 4 hours duration in the air. Pilot and passenger sit in tandem like a motorbike; they have been likened to 3D motor biking. The 3-Axis types usually have side by side seating arrangements like the normal cockpit of a small aircraft. The aircraft is controlled by deflection of flight control surfaces. These are hinged or movable surfaces with which the pilot adjusts the aircraft's attitude during takeoff, flight manoeuvring, and landing (aircraft attitude refers to whether the aircraft is pointing up, down, etc.). The flight control surfaces are operated by the pilot through connecting linkage to the rudder pedals and a control yoke.

Control sticks are used on most 3 axis microlights. They used to be called joysticks and can be seen in the photo below. If the aircraft has two seating positions with dual controls, the sticks are linked together as shown below. You can push and pull them in addition to pushing them side to side. The push/pull dimension controls the third direction (up and down). A few 3 axis microlights use a control yoke which is more like a car steering wheel but functions in a similar Fashion to the control stick

If you think micro lights aren't capable of keeping up with the big guys, think again. Read on, and maybe you'll change your mind.

The longest distance ever to be covered on a microlight is 1,627.78km. This was done by the Austrian Wilhelm Lischak. The flight took him from Volsau, Austria all the way to Brest, in France. The flight was done on 8 June 1988.

The longest distance to be covered in a closed circuit by a microlight was 2701.16km. This too was done by Wilhelm Lischak on the 18 June 1988.

The highest altitude ever reached in a microlight was 31,890ft. This record altitude was done by Serge Zin of France on the 18 September 1994.

Highest speed to be reached in a microlight over a closed circuit is 293.04 km/h. This record speed was done by C.T. Andrews of the USA .

Eve Jackson flew from Biggin Hill, Kent, UK, to Sydney, Australia from 26 April 1986 to 1 August 1987. The flight took 279 hours and 55 minutes, and covered 21,950 km.

From 1 December 1987 to 29 January 1988, Brian Milton of Great Britain covered a distance of 21,968 km from London, UK, to Sydney, Australia. His flying time was 241 hours, 20 minutes.

Historically, ultralights and ultralight trainers with wings mounted above a tricycle undercarriage have been called trikes and powered hang gliders. In sport pilot/light-sport aircraft the FAA officially named this two-place lightsport aircraft category a “weight shift aircraft.”

Back to the 3 Axis Micro light pilot licence Course Back to the Ultra light Trike pilot licence Course