Wild aircraft are the hallmark of AirVenture, the world’s largest get-together for pilots, which starts today in Oshkosh, Wisconsin. The Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA) airshow last year attracted more than 677,000 visitors, who stayed at local hotels, camped or volunteered. Among the 3,365 aircraft at the show, there were 1,497 vintage aircraft, 1,067 homebuilt aircraft, 380 warbirds, 134 seaplanes, and 41 rotorcraft.
But arguably the most interesting category, at least for aviation enthusiasts who want to fly with the fewest number of restrictions, is the ultralight category. Last year, there were 194 ultralights registered at AirVenture, though a number of homebuilt aircraft could also qualify for that category.
These ultralights, which fall under Part 103 FAA regulations, and the slightly larger gyro-aircraft, are designs that you don’t see every day—capable of literally launching from someone’s lawn. Because they only seat one person, they duck several rules for larger aircraft that can, frankly, do more damage if things go awry.
Powered ultralights, which have a maximum speed of 55 knots, don’t require a pilot’s certificate or FAA registration, and they can be sold by manufacturers as build-it-yourself kits, or delivered as a complete aircraft. Even the category name is a bit of a misnomer: They can look like small fixed-wing airplanes, amphibs, helicopters, or gliders.
Ultralights are also evolving with a new category of personal electric vehicles like the Pivotal Helix or Jetson One, spurred by the urban air mobility movement. “Public acceptance for these new electric aircraft is the biggest hurdle,” says Dan Johnson, a longtime aviation journalist focused on this sector. “Aircraft like the Helix or Jetson One can operate on their own—they don’t have to haul people around like larger air taxis—so if this kind of flying interests you, you’ll be able to get into them in pretty short order.” Pivotal, for example, is taking orders for its new Helix for delivery in 2025.
Here are eight of our favorites that will be flying around AirVenture throughout the next week.
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Hawk UltraAir
Image Credit: CGS The CGS Hawk Ultra, considered one of the best ultralights around, is a proven design that’s now 42 years in production. Since there are more than 2,600 flying, they will be front and center on the flightline in the Ultralight area at Oshkosh (it has its own grass runway just for the show). With the Hawk’s high wing, mostly enclosed cockpit, and high thrust-line engine, it’s especially good for those new to flying these minimalist aircraft.
That’s what drew owner Mark Schaible to his Hawk four years ago. “It is so similar in handling to other conventional aircraft,” he says. “Some other ultralights, including very popular designs, have a very different feel. As ultralights go, the Hawk’s handling is relatively quick, crisp, and honest.”
“We’re seeing a resurgence in recent years of interest on the ultralight category,” says CGS Hawk owner Bob Santos. Most home builders can complete the Hawk kit for around $23,000.
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Pivotal Helix
Image Credit: Pivotal If the Hawk UltraAir represents old-school ultralights, Pivotal’s new all-electric Helix could be its future. The one-person eVTOL maker from Silicon Valley will have an outsized presence at AirVenture, showing off its new Helix and older pre-production Blackfly models, as well as having three flight simulators that demonstrate in high-quality virtual reality what it’s like to fly a Helix.
The Helix has eight propellers, each with its own electric motor and battery pack, and triple redundancy through the system if one fails. It takes off and lands vertically in Hover mode, while flying forward in Cruise. The fly-by-wire aircraft was designed to be operated by a single joystick, with intuitive maneuvers that have been proven through nine years of testing and 7,000 flight hours. It’s available in three versions priced from $190,000 to $260,000.
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Calidus Gyroplane
Image Credit: Autogyro USA Gyroplanes extend beyond the ultralight category in terms of weight and complexity, but have the same adventurous spirit. The aircraft class may look like a helicopter, but its “rotor” is free spinning, rotating in the air that comes up through the blades, so it generates lift without direct power. Without the torque of a helicopter, it doesn’t need a tail rotor. Gyroplanes are considered relatively safe and easy to operate.
The Cavalon and Calidus (pictured) gyroplanes from Autogyro USA are two fine examples that will be displayed at AirVenture. The Calidus, for example, seats two, and is powered by the owner’s choice of a Rotax 916is, 914ULS, or 912UL engine, which translates into a speed of 120 knots and endurance of up to 4.5 hours flight time.
A suite of small-scale Garmin navigators and radios can go into the avionics panel. With nimble handling on the flight controls, and great stability for its weight class (649 pounds) in turbulence, this is one wild aircraft that’s easy to justify.
Pricing starts at $105,000 for the kit version, or $110,000 for a factory-completed model.
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TrueLite by Aeromarine
Image Credit: Aeromarine LSA “We get bigger and bigger each year,” says Aeromarine owner Chip Erwin, referring to the company’s presence at AirVenture. Erwin has several aircraft on display, starting with the company’s TrueLite ultralight model.
“It’s a real ultralight in all aspects,” says Erwin, noting it doesn’t exceed 55 knots, per FAA Part 103 rules, and weighs under 240 pounds.
The TrueLite boasts a 28-foot wing (longer than originally designed), with big flaps and a fast wing fold for easy storage and transportation in a custom trailer. “Hangar space has been an issue for decades,” says Erwin, noting his aircraft won’t need one. He also points to the two-minute fold for the wing as another selling point. “If an airplane takes an hour to assemble, you’re not going to fly it,” he adds. The TrueLite retails for $32,000 for a factory-finished model.
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ELA REVO
Image Credit: ELA Aviation The recently introduced Eclipse REVO should be the star of the autogyro section. It not only has the sleek look and James Bond cool factor that ELA instills in its other gyroplanes, but allows for vertical takeoff without the need for a runway. The 160 hp engine delivers a top speed of 110 mph and 400-nautical mile range.
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Aeromarine MerlinLite
Image Credit: AeroMarine LSA Another Aeromarine aircraft, the MerlinLite is a step up from its TrueLite Ultralight: It can fly at 120 mph, with the potential to fly for four hours at slower speeds. “This aircraft is a means of keeping people flying who have lost their medical certificates,” says Aeromarine founder Chip Erwin, noting its classification as a motorglider requires just a glider license.
The MerlinLite comes with short or long wings, and Aeromarine will be displaying both at the show—on the same aircraft.
The company is also looking to the future of power. “We’re developing our own electric motor,” he says, to avoid high costs and longer lead times associated with off-the-shelf electric motors. “The electric engine will be very efficient, capable of flying for about an hour.”
Retail pricing for the MerlinLite starts at $35,00 or, with the long wing, $39,000. Avionics and a parachute are options. The company also builds its own floats—turning the MerlinLite into an amphib.
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Evolution Rev
Image Credit: Evolution Trikes Evolution Trikes bills its ultralight Rev as a “dirt bike” in the sky, thanks to its big tires, all-wheel suspension, and short-takeoff-and-landing aircraft brakes. The Rev can fold in about 10 minutes, making it easy to garage or trailer, and the all-terrain wheels means it can take off from a field rather than a landing strip. In kit form, the Rev starts at $25,900.
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MXL 2 Sport
Image Credit: Air-Tech Inc. Want to try tandem flight? Air-Tech’s MXL2 Sport ultralight trainer has been produced since 1988, designed for easy handling and good control response, thanks to its dual-surface wing, in-flight adjustable trim, steerable nose wheel, and many other features. Its standard engine is a Rotax 582/B gives it a cruise speed of 61 mph.
