Flying the Belite Ultalight Aircraft - Part 1

Editor's Note:

I recently returned from a heavy work schedule and from a great Alaskan vacation! 

My last post was an excellent article by Earl Downs on the Belite.  It provided a great view of the flying qualities of the Belite.

Many people want to know how to transition to flying a single place ultralight airplane, such as our Belite.  This particular post will help you gain that knowledge!  Although originally written years ago by another author, I have been graciously granted (anonymous) permission to update it to reflect our Belite ultralight aircraft.

Enjoy the reading....  Enjoy the learning... and enjoy the flying!

Published in three parts


Flying the Belite Ultralight Aircraft - Part 1

by James Wiebe, CEO
Belite Aircraft


General Flight Characteristics

The Belite 254 / Superlite / Trike (hereafter, collectively referred to simply as: 'Belite') is first and foremost, a very real airplane, requiring competent flying skills to takeoff, fly and land.  In return, it offers a genuine flight experience, with none of the compromises associated with traditional ultralight aircraft and FAR Part 103 legal designs.

Most of the takeoff and landing comments below refer to the taildragger versions -- the Trike version is even easier to land.

The Belite utilizes a standard three axis flight control system consisting of flaperons (ailerons that also act as adjustable flaps, through the use of an ingenious flap / aileron mixer).  It also has a conventional elevator and rudder.

The ailerons and elevator are operated by a conventional control stick, while the rudder are moved through the use of independent rudder peddles.  Any pilot familiar with aircraft such as a standard Kitfox, Piper Cub (or common derivatives, such as the CubCrafter), or Aeronca Champ will find the cockpit to be a familiar and friendly environment.  The flap function is provided by a four position flap lever that intermixes with the aileron control to 'droop' the flaperons.

Additionally, independent mechanical heel brakes are used to both stop and steer the Belite during ground operations.  An optional electric elevator inflight trim system provides for completely neutral flight characteristics during cruise, allowing hands off operation for brief periods of time, such as when taking photographs.  Back pressure is used on the stick in order to maintain a normal approach speed.  All flight controls are lite and very responsive at all speeds.

(For an independent extensive flight review of the Belite, see the excellent article by Scott Severen, published elsewhere on this blog.)

The tail-wheel configuration of the Belite does not present any unusual challenges during takeoff or landing.  The large rudder is very effective and little, if any, differential braking is needed to control the landing rollout.  In fact, customers preferring to fly their aircraft without brakes will be comfortable, especially when operating off of grass airstrips with light crosswinds.

Absolutely no differential braking is needed on the takeoff roll due to excellent rudder effectiveness.  Basic tail-wheel training in a Kitfox, Cub, Champ, Cessna 120/140, Citabria, or other tail-wheel light aircraft should serve to prepare you to handle the Belite.  Differential braking works well to steer the Belite during tax and forward visibility on the ground is unrestricted.  'S' turns are generally unnecessary.

As with the operation of all airplanes, the pilot should be current and qualified.  You should not attempt to fly the Belite unless you would feel absolutely comfortable soloing the airplane you have been flying for tail wheel proficiency.  The EAA can provide help with transition instruction in a taildragger and with 'first flight' issues.  You are encouraged to secure as many resources as possible to help with your transition.

Ground Handling

The Belite utilizes differential heel braking to maneuver the airplane.  The heel brakes will cause the airplane to turn in the direction in which force is applied; left braking makes the plane turn left; right braking makes the plane turn right; braking both sides causes the plane to slow down.

Do not try to turn the airplane from a dead stop by locking a wheel and then adding power.  The airplane will turn much more easily if the plane starts moving slowly first, then applying braking to the appropriate side.  Once a turn is started, the momentum of the turn will tend to keep the turn going.  Once you are taxiing, the rudder alone may be all that is needed to steer your Belite.  As with all tail wheel airplanes, it is a good idea to center the tail wheel when you come to a stop.  This practice will make it much easier to control when you start taxiing again, or when you start your takeoff roll.

There may be circumstances when taxiing in tall grass or on a soft surface that make it difficult to swing the tail when differential braking is applied.  There is an old trick from the day of tailskids that may help out.  If the tail wheel is really bogging down, add sufficient power to get the plane moving, then push the control stick forward (keeping the power up) and then apply brake and full rudder in the direction you wish to turn.  The forward stick will lighten the load on the tail wheel and the rudder will help push the tail around.  Be very careful when trying this, as you could blow a lot of dirt around or upset airplanes behind you.  Always be courteous to other airplanes and pilots.

A note of caution:  one must be very cautious when taxiing in windy conditions.  The light weight and low wing loading of the Belite makes it susceptible to being upset by ground winds.  Unless you have exception skills, fully understand the risks, and (perhaps) have wing walkers available, do not taxi your Belite in winds exceeding 12 knots (15 mph) or greater.  Rapid ground turns should be avoided under all conditions.

Like any airplane, appropriate taxiing technique is important.  The flight controls can be quite effective in helping the Belite ultralight aircraft safely taxi.  When taxiing into a headwind, hold the control stick full back to help keep the tail on the ground.  A tailwind requires to the stick full forward; this will help keep the tail on the ground.  With the quartering headwind, move the control stick into the wind, as if trying to turn into the wind.  With a quartering tailwind, move and hold the control stick away from the wind, as if trying to turn away from the wind.  If the wind is straight over the nose or tail, keep the ailerons centered.  These positions will help keep the wing from being lifted by the wind.

You should be completely comfortable with taxiing, braking, and turning before proceeding to takeoff.  I say again:  have total comfort with ground handling and taxi operations before proceeding to takeoff.

Take Off

Your first takeoff should be made from a runway that is both wide enough and long enough to accommodate errors.  It should also be made from a runway without pressure from other aircraft operations.  Do not make your first takeoff with space restrictions that require maximum performance.  Perform a thorough preflight; make sure that the engine is warmed up and is showing correct temperatures, RPMs, mag checks, etc.

Align your Belite on the centerline of the runway and make sure the tail wheel is centered.  With the brakes locked and control stick held fully back, smoothly increase the power to approximately 75% of full power.  Release the brakes and continue to smoothly increase power to full throttle.  You will immediately see that the rudder is fully effective; you can control direction by use of the rudder pedals.  You won't need to use the brakes.  Keep the ailerons (flaperons) centered.  Directional control on the ground is controlled by your feet, not your hands.

Shortly after applying full power, you can push forward on the stick, and the tail will raise off the ground into a traditional level attitude.  Keep the nose straight (using the rudder pedals), and as the speed passes 40 to 45mph, you'll be able to pull the stick back a little, and the airplane will fly.  Depending on engine power, the total time from brake release to liftoff is about 5 or 6 seconds, depending on field elevation, winds, temperature, aircraft weight, and engine selection.  In a strong breeze, a takeoff roll of well less than 100 feet is an easy matter.

Immediately at and after liftoff, the flaperons become very important.  You'll use the control stick to level the wings.  Concentrate on level wings and a slight climb attitude.  I enjoy climbing to the top of ground effect (about 30 feet off the ground), then briefly leveling off and continuing climbout at a stabilized Vy speed, which is about 50mph.

As you gain more experience with the thoroughly enjoyable takeoff characteristics of the Belite, you will find that it also takes off very well in a three point attitude.  The basic procedure is the same, but instead of pushing the control stick forward, you simply place the stick in a centered, neutral position.  The Belite will fly off the ground when it is ready, in a tail low attitude.  Make appropriate minor pitch adjustments as required to establish a climb.

Don't climb out too rapidly -- never climb out below Vx (about 40mph); if your density altitude is high, or your weight is heavy, your climbout speed should be at Vy or higher.  Remember, you are flying the airplane.

Continue to Part 2 by clicking here

What's an ATP Like Me Doing In a Belite?? By Earl Downs

Editor's Note:  I've gotten to know Earl Downs, who used to help Skystar show and sell their Kitfox aircraft.  (Earl's brother Ed was President of Skystar, maker of the original Kitfox Lite.)  Recently, Earl had an opportunity fly both our ultralight aircraft Superlite Dragon, and our ultralight aircraft tricycle gear Belite, AKA the Trike. 

Earl has authored over 80 articles for various publications, including Sport Pilot, Sport Aviation, and other magazines.  Earl has written the following article for Belite, and I'm pleased to publish it here. 

"What's an ATP Like Me Doing In a Belite??"

A Guest Blogpost for Belite Aircraft By Earl Downs

Earl Downs, in Baby Ace

That’s right, I’ve been flying for 54 years and earned my airline transport pilot certificate 41 years ago. I’m still actively flying and flight instructing in all kinds of airplanes. So, it’s logical to ask, “Why is a licensed pilot like me flying an ultralight that does not even require the pilot to be certificated?” The simple answer is; I like the Belite because it’s fun and exciting to fly.

As it happens, I didn’t always have a passion for the ultralight style airplanes. When the ultralights first appeared in the late 1970s, I was one of those guys that said, “You must be crazy.” At that time, I was the manager of Boeing 707 and 727 pilot ground training for a large airline. However, when FAR 103 (the ultralight rules) was published in the early 1980s I was a little curious because the FAA was now involved.

In 1981 a couple of airline pilot friends of mine bought an MX II Quicksilver kit (that’s an ultralight style 2-place airplane) and built the plane under experimental-amateur built certification. I took them up on an offer to fly it and found a new way to “hang in the sky.” The early MX II did not fly much like a “real airplane,” but I got the hang of it and enjoyed it until the owners went their own ways and the MX II moved to another location. I wasn’t with the MX II for very long, but it changed my attitude about ultralight flying.

I was away from ultralights for about 15 years until I saw the KitFox Lite. It was an ultralight, but it had all the characteristics of a “real airplane.” I bought a kit in June of 2000 and it was flying in the spring of 2001. I loved my Lite! I found the controls harmonized perfectly; it flew with a light touch but was not “twitchy.” I cut a deal to lease my Lite to KitFox for use at airshows, and I would join their team to do the demo flying. I even found room for a 400 foot airstrip (Horse Apple Airfield) on my 10 acre homestead for backyard flying.

Earl Downs in his Kitfox Lite at Horse Apple Airfield -- 400 foot strip!

A few years ago I sold my Lite to move on to another project, and I was saddened when KitFox removed the Lite from their product line. Then, I heard that a guy in Wichita, Kansas had picked up the tooling and was going to produce the Lite again, under a new name, and with new improvements. As it turned out, James Wiebe not only had the tooling, he also had a background in a technology that could take this already proven ultralight in a new direction.

If the KitFox Lite had one challenge, it was to keep it light enough to meet the ultralight requirements of FAR 103. James’ unique expertise is in the area of lightweight composite materials, and he knew that carbon fiber was a key to opening up ways to bring more choices to the ultralight pilot. James formed the Belite Aircraft Company and used carbon fiber to expand the capabilities of an ultralight now named the Belite.  New engine choices and construction features allow the Belite to be tailored to what the customer wants.

James invited to me fly a couple of his Belite airplanes, and I jumped at the chance to see what his company had done to my favorite airplane. A 2-hour 45-minute drive from my home in Cushing, Oklahoma led me to the production location on the northeast side of Wichita. The 2,600 foot long turf runway in the Kansas countryside is the perfect location for fun flying.

The first airplane I flew is the hotrod they call, “The Superlite Dragon.”   (The paint scheme was inspired by dragons from the movie AVATAR -- Editors Note)

Belite Superlite Dragon

Equipped with a 50 HP Hirth twin cylinder, dual ignition engine, it still meets the FAR 103 requirements because of its use of weight-saving carbon fiber. Flying it was like flying my beloved KitFox Lite on steroids!  Just like I remembered, the light controls were in perfect balance, but the short takeoff and rapid climb far exceeded that of my Lite. An experienced pilot will feel right at home in this ultralight hotrod, and a new pilot will find that a first flight in this little single-place plane is exciting but not intimidating. Even though it’s a taildragger, anyone with a few hours in a Cub or Champ will find it docile on the ground and in the takeoff and landing phases of flight.

The next plane I flew was the tricycle landing gear version of the beLite with the smaller 28 HP Hirth engine. To be honest, I expected the performance to be a bit “wimpy,” but I was pleasantly surprised. It demonstrated what I call, “good ultralight performance” combined with the excellent controllability of a “real airplane.”

Belite Trike Climbing Out

Of course, the forward visibility on the ground is excellent and the takeoffs and landings are a typical tricycle gear non event.  For pilots intimidated by taildraggers, it provides a better option with perfect ground and landing manners.  It is also available with a larger engine.

The KitFox Light broke the code when it came to an ultralight that had the handling qualities of traditional airplanes. Through the use of modern technologies, the Belite Aircraft Company has expanded the versatility and capability of this captivating little airplane. All of this adds up to more flying for fun.


-- Earl Downs

Another Saturday Breakfast Run

I enjoyed flying to Benton (Stearman Field) with Paul Fiebich for breakfast last Saturday.  Great time!  Here's some pics which Paul took of my yellow Belite Trike.  I'll post some pics of Paul's airplane soon too.

Belite Trike over nice house

Belite on short final

And here's a pic that Paul took while I flew overhead.  What was I doing?  How was he holding the camera?

Belite Fun Flying

After Paul left, I did a quick two way run with my GPS in order to verify cruise speed.  With a 28HP engine, this airplane trued at 56 mph.  I thoroughly enjoy this plane.  It's a very nice FAR Part 103 ultralight aircraft.

Stearman Field & the $100 Hamburger (make that a $1.50 hamburger)

Today's post is short and sweet -- just a little lunch time flying over to Stearman Field.

I can fly from my home base (Wichita Gliderport, home of Belite Aircraft) over to Stearman Field in about 5 minutes.  As a result, it makes a great lunch destination, and I consume about a $1.50 of gas on the round trip in my ultralight aircraft.  Awesome.

Stearman Field used to be Benton Airport.  I paid it my first visit about 30 years ago, shortly after I got my private ticket and needed a plane to rent.  It had a small dingy office, fuel for sale, and a mechanic somewhere in the shed in the back.  The runway was lined with some homes.

That was then... today, Stearman Field is a busy place, with a new office/restaurant; an outdoor eating area, many new hangars, new homes, new runway extensions, instrument approach... the new owners have made a world of difference.

The restaurant is great -- providing a feel of flying nostalgia along with awesome greasy breakfasts and wonderful burgers for lunch.  I've slipped in there several times in the last month.  I managed to get over there before Oshkosh, and I had flown over in the yellow trike. 

Here's a photo of the lunch counter, along with all the airplane nostalgia:

Nice, right?

Folks couldn't help but stop and look at the Cub Yellow Trike, and I took their pic from my dining table:

The Belite Trike is a great vehicle for taking in the local airstrips.  It looks and flies like a real airplane, and it sure makes everyone stop and look at it.

You can read more about Stearman Field by clicking on this link.

You can read more about our Trike by clicking on this link.

Thank you, and enjoy your meal!