I need to make some money. During some moments, this seems like a fantastic idea, at other times just a fantasy.

A few years ago, I stopped by an EAA hangar to check out the 1911 Curtiss Pusher that they were building. Afterwards, while researching it further on the internet, I discovered that the most famous Curtiss Pusher pilot was a woman named Ruth Law. She was a household name in the 1910s and early 1920s, setting several aviation records, and then touring the country with Ruth Law's Flying Circus. She made a fortune at state and county fairs thrilling the crowds with various flying exhibitions and attractions like racing against automobiles. Here's a picture of her doing what she did best:


As airplanes got bigger and faster, requiring longer runways, the airshow evolved into a fixture of airports. However, I think you could go back to the stunts and exhibitions of the early 1900s using ultralights, and perform once again at county and state fairs, and make some really good money doing it.

The law allows it because racing is certainly a sport!


From FAR 103:

§ 103.1 Applicability.
This part prescribes rules governing the operation of ultralight vehicles in the United States. For the purposes of this part, an ultralight vehicle is a vehicle that:
(a) Is used or intended to be used for manned operation in the air by a single occupant;
(b) Is used or intended to be used for recreation or sport purposes only;
...

So, should I buy a few ultralights, hire some pilots, and get a promoter to start contacting the governing boards of all of the fairs, or should I throw some more logs in the wood stove and take a nap on the couch and dream of other improbable ventures?

The FAA issues a waiver of certain FARs whenever you do any sort of stunt flying, aerobatics, racing, etc. So you have to go convince them that what you are doing is reasonable. Even though your Part 103 ultralight is not a certified airplane, the air through which you fly it (even under 103) is regulated by the FAA.

One of the things they never issue a waiver for is flying close to a crowd. Small state fairs and festivals may not have the room you need to do the kind of low flying you are talking about. Even at the Reno air races, in the very smallest class of airplanes (Formula One), we had a "deadline" that we were not allowed to cross. I think it was 1500 feet from the crowd line but it's been 20+ years. At the pilot briefings they would warn us over and over about this, and they let it be known that "the future of air racing could be ended for all time" by any one of us cowboys who crossed the deadline for any reason.

{My favorite quote on this subject was provided by a mentor of mine, Alan Preston, who was a pilot in both F-1 and Unlimited as well as a Special Forces combat veteran and a genuinely memorable character. He's now the "color commentator" on the Red Bull TV events. Alan said to me as a brand new rookie F-1 pilot... "Crossing the deadline is like being a child molester... you're never forgiven, ever." }

"Sport" does NOT include flying for hire. So, unless you intend to operate this little exposition for no fee, the answer is "not even close".

MTV

mtv wrote:"Sport" does NOT include flying for hire. So, unless you intend to operate this little exposition for no fee, the answer is "not even close".

MTV

Sports hire people all the time. They are called professional sports. That doesn't exclude them from being sports.

And, I've looked over the FAR's pretty closely. The rules about flying for compensation or hire are in Part 61, and they aren't applicable to flying ultralights.

I bet I know a place down in Nevada you might be able to set up shop. At least for a weekend

EZFlap wrote: you "Crossing the deadline is like being a child molester... you're never forgiven, ever." }

Umm there were two guys that crossed it this year, and they both got to go back out. In the old days they were done. But when a certain gal I know got to close to the ramp checking on one of our planes she was 86d right off the property. How times have changed in air racing.

Go throw another log on the fire..........

Wow. That is an unfortunate policy change that I cannot support, because it lessens the severity of a deadline violation in the mind of the pilots. "No problem if I cross it, they'll slap my wrist but I'll get to go fly the next day." Wow. As if real air racing (pylon racing) isn't on the ropes already for lack of public interest and the existence of a much better promoted and filmed competitor (Red Bull).

MTV is correct about whether it would be considered professional flying (for hire). Part 103 certainly was not written to allow any type of for-profit flying. Due to the nature of air racing and the danger to bystanders I think it is a moot point... the FAA would never allow an unlicensed pilot to have this type of waiver regardless of whether he got paid. The FAA would most likely interpret Part 103 to exclude a racing waiver under any conditions.

There is an existing precedent for the pilot requirements for racing which they would be leaning toward strongly. At Reno (and San Diego and ALBQ), we had to have a private license (AND a second class medical, AND demonstrate certain emergency maneuvers at low altitude, including 180 degree reversals of axial rolls to and from the inverted position for that matter). The low inverted recovery may be un-needed for the type of low speed racing being discussed here, but I can't see the FAA giving up on the medical or the license.

Now, all THAT being said, you could probably design some type of exhibition event like what you are describing and have a few places where it would be do-able. But you are talking about light, purpose built experimental airplanes not Part 103. They may look like ultralights and fly slow to allow a closer deadline at the county fair, but you will be carrying an N number and a private license among other things. A bunch of little quasi-replica Golden age air racers, based on the Howland Honey Bee or Fisher Avenger or Loehle P-51 looks like a good starting place. Or the Graham Lee and Airdrome WW1 type airplanes doing the airplane vs. car thing in your photo.

Remember the great movie "The Great Race" starring Tony Curtis and Jack Lemmon? The early scenes with "Professor Fate" in the Curtiss pusher look like a great gimmick for county fairs.

kevbert wrote:

mtv wrote:"Sport" does NOT include flying for hire. So, unless you intend to operate this little exposition for no fee, the answer is "not even close".

MTV

Sports hire people all the time. They are called professional sports. That doesn't exclude them from being sports.

And, I've looked over the FAR's pretty closely. The rules about flying for compensation or hire are in Part 61, and they aren't applicable to flying ultralights.

Sports do indeed hire people all the time. But, if you're one of those, you lose your "amateur sportsman" status upon being paid, sorta.....

I know there are all sorts of examples of sports figures who get paid. But, this is the FAA you're talking about, not the national ice dancing organization.....

Good luck convincing the FAA that "Sport" flying includes flying for compensation or hire, in ANY part of the regulations. Let us know how it works out.

MTV

kevbert wrote:I need to make some money. During some moments, this seems like a fantastic idea, at other times just a fantasy.......

Making money at anything in aviation seems like a long shot-- this idea, more so than others. Fun...yes, money..no. Good chance for lawsuits though, if that does anything for you.

hotrod150 wrote:
Making money at anything in aviation seems like a long shot-- this idea, more so than others. Fun...yes, money..no.

As for making money... I'll give you a workable and exciting idea. Here's one of the few ideas left where you could actually make a living at small venues, county fairs, etc. by doing demonstration flying. Ready... remember you heard it here first MoFo:

Build an ultra-ultra-ultralight aerobatic airplane that can do an entire slow speed compact airshow routine in a box 500 feet on a side and from the ground up to 1000 feet. Make it electric so you can get big sponsors and a lot of news coverage. You only need 5 to 8 minutes of full power. It has to be super light, thick wing (maybe 20-25%) with a huge round leading edge radius, a wing loading of maybe 3 pounds per foot or less. This thing needs to have the new "carbon rod" and composite structure, a carbon tube tailboom, all flying rudder and stabilator, huge ailerons (for roll control at 20 and 25 mph). The whole airplane needs to weigh less than 100 pounds without pilot or batteries.

Taking advantage of the low speed, super small turning and looping radius, a good acro pilot can develop a very exciting routine that can be done from the ground up to 500 or 1000 feet, and inside this 500 or 600 foot square box. You're talking about nearly constant speed aerobatics being performed at 30 miles an hour, five turn flat spins starting from 1000 feet, etc. You can thrill the sh*t out of a crowd, because they will be a lot closer to the action and you could safely do "death defying" kind of stuff.

With this capability, now you can possibly petition the FAA for a specialty waiver for a closer crowd line and less room between your show space and the airport or event boundary. THAT would open up a market for your show that nobody else could possibly compete with... county fairs, car races, airports far too small for a traditional airshow waiver, even inside large closed stadium domes perhaps.

Well, it took over a year , but I finally got my answer. The FAA referred me to Advisory Circular AC 103-7, which they said addressed my questions.

I discovered you can't hire pilots to race ultralights, but you can pay them prize money. This is the enabling statement:

AC 103-7, pararaph 14 d (2) wrote: Receiving a Purse or Prize. Persons participating in sport or
competitive events involving the use of ultralights are not prohibited from
receiving money or some other form of compensation in recognition of their
performance.

Also, there's a statement in the same document that allows participation in airshows and events where persons are charged for viewing, but the pilot can't be the organizer or producer of the event.

Let the Ultralight Racing League begin!

Never mind. Just realized this was a self answering thread...