Weight-shift control as a means of aircraft flight control is widely used in hang gliders, powered hang gliders, and ultralight trikes. Control is usually by the pilot using their weight against a triangular control bar that is rigidly attached to the wing structure. The wing is mounted on a pivot above the trike carriage or hang glider harness allowing the weight-shift forces to produce changes in pitch and bank. [1]
Ultralight aviation is the flying of lightweight, 1- or 2-seat fixed-wing aircraft. Some countries differentiate between weight-shift control and conventional three-axis control aircraft with ailerons, elevator and rudder, calling the former "microlight" and the latter "ultralight".
An ultralight trike is a type of powered hang glider where flight control is by weight-shift. These aircraft have a fabric flex-wing from which is suspended a tricycle fuselage pod driven by a pusher propeller. The pod accommodates either a solo pilot, or a pilot and a single passenger. Trikes grant affordable, accessible, and exciting flying, and have been popular since the 1980s.
Barry Hill Palmer is an American aeronautical engineer, inventor, builder and pilot of the first hang glider based on the Rogallo wing or flexible wing. Palmer also designed, built and flew the first weight-shift ultralight trike aircraft.
The Cloudbaser Trikes Cloudbaser is a flying wing ultralight trike that was designed and produced by Cloudbaser Trikes. The aircraft was supplied as a kit and was also available as plans for amateur construction.
The LEAF Trike is an American ultralight trike that was designed and produced by Leading Edge Air Foils in the 1980s. The aircraft was supplied as a kit for amateur construction.
The J & J Ultralights Tukan is an American ultralight trike that was marketed by J & J Ultralights, Leading Edge Air Foils and Kemmeries Aviation. The aircraft was supplied as a kit, as parts and as plans for amateur construction.
The LiteWing Aircraft LiteTrike, also called The Lite Trike, is an American ultralight trike that was designed and produced by LiteWing Aircraft of Caryville, Tennessee in the late 1990s. The aircraft was supplied fully assembled.
The Lookout Mountain SkyCycle, also marketed as The Freedom Machine, is an American ultralight trike that was designed by Matt Taber, produced by Lookout Mountain Flight Park of Rising Fawn, Georgia and introduced in 1997. The aircraft was supplied as a kit for amateur construction and also as plans.
The Spartan DFS Trike is an American ultralight aircraft designed and produced by Spartan Microlights. The aircraft was the first ultralight introduced that could be flown with a hang glider-style wing as an ultralight trike or with a powered parachute wing.
The TC's Trikes Coyote is an American ultralight trike that was designed by TC Blyth and produced by TC's Trikes of Soddy-Daisy, Tennessee. Originally known as the TC Trike, with the introduction of strut-braced Mustang wing the model became known as the Coyote.
The Avio Delta Thruster is a Bulgarian ultralight trike, designed and produced by Avio Design of Vetrino. The aircraft is supplied as a complete ready-to-fly-aircraft.
The Hubertec Thermik is a German ultralight trike, designed and produced by Hubertec of Aach, Rhineland-Palatinate. The aircraft is supplied as a complete ready-to-fly-aircraft.
The Icaro Pit-Trike is an Italian electric-powered ultralight trike, designed by Manfred Ruhmer and produced by Icaro 2000 of Sangiano. The aircraft is supplied as a complete ready-to-fly-aircraft.
The PowerTrike Light is a German ultralight trike and powered parachute, designed and produced by PowerTrike of Mackenbach. The aircraft is supplied as a complete ready-to-fly-aircraft.
The SDB Karat is a Russian ultralight trike that was designed and produced by SDB of Moscow. The aircraft was supplied as a complete ready-to-fly-aircraft.
The TrikeBuggy Delta, Bullet and Transformer are a family of American ultralight trikes and powered parachutes, designed and produced by TrikeBuggy of Santa Barbara, California. The aircraft is supplied complete and ready-to-fly.
The Aeros ANT is a Ukrainian ultralight trike, designed and produced by Aeros of Kyiv. The aircraft is supplied complete and ready-to-fly.
The Icaro Twin Electric is an Italian electric ultralight trike that was designed by World Hang Glider Champion pilot Manfred Ruhmer and under development by Icaro 2000 of Sangiano.
The Sunair Magic is a German electric or gasoline motor ultralight trike designed and produced by Sunair UG of Scheidegg, Bavaria. The aircraft is supplied complete and ready-to-fly.
The Ultralight Design Atos Trike is a Czech electric and gasoline powered ultralight trike, designed and produced by Ultralight Design SRO of Cvikov. The aircraft is supplied complete and ready-to-fly.