A first flight is a one-of-a-kind aerial experience. As a passenger in the aircraft, you are a spectator in the sky, the pilot guiding the plane or the ULM. Choosing between an airplane and a microlight can be complicated:what makes them different?
In both cases, you will fly over historic and natural sites at altitude, but your overall experience will be very different depending on the method of baptism:type of aircraft, region overflown, number of minutes in flight, etc. So which one to take? Here is a short guide "advantages and disadvantages of each to help you choose.
The ULM, Ultra Light Motorized , is a light aircraft with an engine with a lower maximum power than airplanes or helicopters for example. Two-seater, these machines offer simplified navigation. The discipline also has a large community of ULM enthusiasts who are aficionados of these machines.
In the range of microlights, there are different types from class 1 to 6 , where the sensations felt will be a little different:
Finally, we have the impression of getting into completely different aircraft! In terms of the price for a first flight in a microlight, count €70 for about twenty minutes of flight, the prices varying according to the model of the aircraft and the overflown sites.
Note :the baptism in a microlight helicopter costs almost as much as a classic helicopter flight, because the structure is very similar to that of a helicopter (about 140€ for 20 minutes for example).
Two-seater, the ULM allows you to enjoy a flight in complete privacy with the pilot. In the air, you stroll according to the wind (and the engine!) to discover the landscapes from a new angle.
You see the monuments and landscapes closer but still at altitude, and sometimes you will even feel the wind on your face when the cockpit is open , such as the pendulum and some gyrocopters.
Light and optimized with a single passenger, the ULM flies to a lesser extent silently, enough to appreciate all the more the panorama observed all around. 180° or even 360° view , it's up to you!
The advantage of a microlight is that it does not need an airport or airfield to take off and land. There are ULM bases with mandatory authorizations all the same but in the idea, it is already a little more free than the plane!
In a greener ground than some aerodromes or airports, so you benefit from a place closer to nature, it's perfect for starting a first flight.
The places chosen are linked to the weight and size of the machines, which also allow take-off and landing in a shorter time. The pilot takes less time to land or take off, so it's more "useful" minutes in flight for you!
If the multi-axis ULM can be considered as a small plane, it does not enter here into our categorization of planes in the classic sense. On board an aircraft, you feel more "surrounded", with more bodywork in the aircraft notably. It's heavier!
As a result, many prefer this older means of transport, whose robustness has been tested and approved by generations of pilots. On board an aircraft, you make longer flights , at higher speeds than in ULM.
If you choose a baptism by plane in the Paris region for example, you can see castles, the famous amusement park and even the residence of the Sun King in Versailles and the capital Paris, it all depends on your place of take-off in the Island -of-France .
If the duration and the speed matter, you can also take into account the altitude, which is more important in the plane. This is an opportunity, for example, to make mountain flights , unique and grandiose!
And since the plane is older than the ULM, there are models dating back several decades or even centuries or planes whose specialty makes the reputation, which delight lovers of vintage aircraft :
For a first flight in one of these legendary planes, you not only enjoy the panorama, but you go back in time and attend a high-flying performance!
To make a first flight, you may want to fly away as a couple, or as a family to offer yourself a memorable experience. On a private flight or with other passengers , it is the perfect aircraft for a group outing in the air.
The capacity of planes, often greater than that of microlights, is an advantage when the first flight is planned with someone. The sharing of this experience with the sole purpose of contemplating the magic of heaven and earth:what more could you dream of?
There are couple flights at sunset , with champagne or for 4 or 5 people. Family or sentimental, you choose your option for a first flight by plane!
To see it a little clearer, here is a little summary of the different arguments you can use to choose between ULM or plane :
ULM Airplane Advantages Affordable priceBy plane or microlight, you will enjoy the altitude and the sensations of flight. Whether it is called a machine or a device, its function is identical:to take you to the sky. In both cases, you will be supported by passionate pilots to transport you and comment on some remarkable sites in the region overflown.
The plane has the advantage of being older than the ULM, therefore of having a larger community, with prestigious aircraft models, some of which have been in the war. Mountain flight, alone or with others, in the open air or not...
It is your criteria that will ultimately determine the type of aircraft, unless you want to fly in a very specific model! Flight, antics, romantic getaway:which baptism will make your heart beat faster?
