Ultralight Airplane Requirements

• Ultralight airplanes are single-occupant only and used for recreation. They cannot fly as far as more expensive planes because of a maximum 5-gallon fuel tank size requirement. Homemade ultralight plans vary, but each must go no faster than 55 knots at full power in level flight. A Federal Aviation Administration representative also must certify each homemade ultralight is flight worthy before takeoff.
  
  

Construction Plans

• Ultralight plans are available for the first-time builder as well as the more seasoned. Plans and build instructions are available through services, like Affordaplane, which charges $8 for plan packages; Plans Delivery, which charges $25 for digital plans, and Evans Aircraft Company, which charges $59 for wood-based ultralight plans.
  
  

Required Registration

• After completing the build, ultralight owners will need a completed Affidavit of Ownership for Experimental Aircraft, AC Form 8050-88 and Aircraft Registration Application, AC Form 8050-1. The Federal Aviation Administration requires a $5 registration fee too.