Alltrikes

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Do I need a License to fly a trike?

       Yes & no but yes!   In the US, if a trike has two-seats, you will need a license to fly it.

                 Some single seat trikes however are small, & light, enough to qualify under FAR Part 103.

                 Part 103 trikes do not require a license to fly, however, to put it bluntly, only an idiot

                 would try and fly without training (there are several deaths every year by people who think

                maybe they are different than all the other talented people who've died trying).  So, a license is

                 not required to operate Part 103, but not training is not smart or healthy.

What type of License do I need?

        In the US, you can obtain either a Private Pilot license, Sport Pilot, or Recreational pilot's license ....

         Private Pilot license:   No altitude restriction (though IFR required >18,000 ft)

                                          Can fly "over the top" of clouds w/o visual reference to ground (ie fogged in valley)

                                          Can fly at night (or may seek a night restriction on license)

                                          May fly in Class G clear of clouds (sport pilot always at least 1 mile vis required)

                                          Can request SVFR clearance (special VFR clearance into a towered airport when conditions less than typical minimums)

                                          May fly where business is only incidental to the flight

                                          May demonstrate an aircraft for sale

                                               The above two are not to be confused with a commercial license, which currently there is no such rating for trikes (though rumor has it Disney may have got one through / opened the door)

                                       Airspace Endorsements (ie Towered / controlled airspace is automatically part of the training and license--  with sport pilot, it can be obtained as an additional endorsement)

         Sport Pilot:     Prohibited from Class A airspace.

                              May not fly over 10,000 ft or 2,000 AGL whichever is greater

                                  Prohibited from flying in Class B, C, or D airspace until you receive training and a logbook endorsement from an instructor.

                              May not fly at night.

                              May not fly "Over the Top" without visual reference to the ground

                                  No flights outside the U.S. without prior permission from the foreign aviation authority.

                                 May not tow any object.

                                 No flights while carrying a passenger or property for compensation, hire, or Prohibited from flying in furtherance of a business.  (This does not mean that a Private Pilot can fly for a business, but can fly incidental to a business).

         Recreational pilot license:

         Part 103:  No license required.  No paperwork.  No flying in any controlled airspace (so you still need to

                        study up on that, and stay current about any changes on the airspace maps- sectionals).

                        Know how to avoid TFR's (temporary flight restrictions-  Fire, Presidential, Stadium,

                         Military, etc)-- these TFR "Pop-Up" you may know that by the Fighter Jets that pop up on

                         either side of you-- given that you may not have a radio for them to tell you to turn around

                         they may decide to "Wake you"-- jet blast / wing vortex and flip you upside down.

                        No taking your friends.  No medical required.  NO BFR (Biennial flight review), but ongoing

                        training is good practice, especially if you've taken some time off.

       In Australia, it is similar, however .....

Where can I fly a Trike:

         That depends on whether it is a Part 103 or N-Numbered trike ...

         Some additional info HERE

How long does training take / how many hours?

         In the US, the minimum is  20 hrs  but expect to take between 30 & 50 hrs over 4-12 months.

         In the OZ, the minimum is  xxhrs  but expect to take between yy & zz hrs over 4-12 months.

         In the UK, the minimum is  xxhrs  but expect to take between yy & zz hrs over 4-13 months.

 See US Trike instructor, Doug Boyle's comments below

How much does a typical trike cost?

          You might find a very cheap well used Part 103 trike for $7K US or a super expensive 2 seat trike for over $100K.  On the low end of the scale, you get what you pay for and your LIFE is dependant on that.  Saving a couple bucks on a rust-bucket will be of no consolation to you when it snaps mid air.  A well equipped used two-seater is likely to cost $25 to $55K with a lot of factors depending.

          Do NOT buy a trike off of eBay or out of some garage (something that's been sitting for years)-- there's a reason it was retired that way and no serious triker is currently flying it-- believe me if it was really the deal you think it is (rather than the death trap it actually is) the triking community would have snapped it up.  Usually it has an outdated and dangerous wing, or other components.  An aircraft engine has to be basically flawless-- this is not a lawn mower, if it does not run 99.999% of the time, you'll be in trouble.

         DO have your instructor help you with your decision.  Fly your instructor's trike for a while, then fly another intructor's trike-  think about the differences and how they fit you and the style of flying you think you'll do--  that style will likely be different than you thought it was by the time you finish training.

        There is no ONE best trike.  Is there one best motorcycle?  Is a Goldwing "better" than a KLR-650?  Is it "better" if it costs more than others?  No, but there is a site where you can get that vibe---  this is not that site  ; )    AllTrikes.com is for ALL trikes!!

How much does training cost?

How much time / money does maintaining a trike cost?

How much does a trike really cost to operate?

       Exactly $62 / hr.   Well not exactly, it's probably actually more see HERE

               If you are not quite prepared for this cost, it may force you to skimp on maintenance which is a safety risk to you and others.  Consider sharing a trike.

How Fast does a Trike go?

          (Yellow ones go slightly slower)

How High can a Trike go?

        (not as high in Australia because since they are upside down, there is not as much room below them)

        A trike can go higher than a Sport Pilot license will allow you (SP allows 10,000 ft MSL, or 2000 above highest terraing over flying).  Some trikes are capable of taking you up to the US Private Pilot limit of 18,000 feet.  In other countries, there are no limits.  HERE is a video about a legendry man who flew a trike and hang glider over the top of Mt Everest.

How far can a Trike fly?

       Upwind or Downwind?

How long can a Trike stay up?

            Until it runs out of fuel !!! --  30 minutes to 4+ hours.  However, there are trikes that can SOAR, using no fuel at all.  There are even Electric trikes being introduced.  These later two categories are often part 103 light trikes.   In most cases trikes can stay up longer than your bladder can endure.

What are the basic categories of Trike Types?

         You mentioned there are different types of trikes like "Goldwing motorcycles and KLR 650's." 

         Trikes are categorized basically on the basis of three main components:  Carriage, Wing & Motor

Carriage:

           Stick

           Cruiser

           Single Seat

           Two-Seat

           5- Seat- with sleeping quarters:  Only in your dreams

           Part 103

Motor:

           Electric / Soaring

            2-Stroke

            4-Stroke

            Nuclear---  still in testing.  Reported sightings in California/Nevada near Area 51 / Edwards AFB

Wing:

       Single Surface:

       Double Surface:

       King-posted:

       Strutted / "Topless":

Which is best trike?  None-- they ALL have strengths and areas where they operate better than other types.  How well does a Goldwing motorcycle do on even a tiny bit of sand, or in tight slow turns (equivalent to nearly hovering flight)?

Where can I learn to trike?  Where do I find an instructor?