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Fun Fly Guide
Powered Parachute
Your Guide to the Fun Fly Zone
Everything you need to know and more
BY CHRISTINA BASKEN
The Fun Fly Zone is a designated area and runway on the EAA AirVenture Oshkosh grounds, just past the vintage area, dedicated to light-sport and ultralight aircraft. This area is home to Valdez STOL demonstrations, powered parachute operations, hot air balloon launches, and of course the Twilight Flight Fest, which includes exciting 3D RC demonstrations, as well as performances by paramotor teams.
— Timm Bogenhagen
WHAT IS AN ULTRALIGHT OR LIGHT-SPORT AIRCRAFT?
An ultralight is considered a vehicle defined by the Federal Aviation Regulation Part 103 that meets the following criteria:
• Seats: 1
• Maximum empty weight (powered aircraft): 254 pounds
• Maximum empty weight (unpowered aircraft): 155 pounds
• Maximum fuel capacity: 5 gallons
• Maximum speed at full power: 55 knots
• Maximum stall speed (power off): 24 knots
Additionally, the pilot of an ultralight vehicle is not required to hold pilot or medical certificates.
The FAA defines light-sport aircraft as anything that meets the following performance criteria:
• Unpressurized cabin, one- or two-person occupancy
• Single, reciprocating engine
• Fixed or ground-adjustable propeller
• Fixed landing gear
• Maximum gross weight of 1,320 pounds, 1,430 pounds for seaplanes
• Maximum stall speed of 45 knots
A pilot holding a sport pilot certificate, under the FAA’s guidelines, may fly solo or with one passenger, fly during daytime using VFR rules, fly up to 10,000 feet above mean sea level, and is prohibited from operating in Class A airspace. Additionally, in most cases, a sport pilot is not required to hold a medical certificate.
Light-Sport
Ultralight
Rotorcraft
Ultralight Runway
HISTORY OF THE FUN FLY ZONE
In 1976, John Moody, EAA 102032, demonstrated flying an ultralight to EAA’s founder, Paul Poberezny. John’s innovative yet simple design utilized a go-kart engine on a biplane hang glider; he called it Easy Riser.
Paul thought the design was clever and affordable, something EAA members would be interested in. Soon, other people saw John’s design and also chimed in with similar excitement. In response to the positive feedback, John came up with the idea of creating a permanent spot at AirVenture for ultralights like his. The following year, a 1,200-foot grass airstrip was established.
Timm Bogenhagen, EAA program specialist, said the name for this area had changed a few times before landing on the perfect and appropriate title that would encompass everything the area had to offer.
“We came up with the Fun Fly Zone, because the Fun Fly Zone speaks to the type of aircraft that operate there,” Timm said.
John Moody
“The type of aircraft that operate there are just operated for the fun of it. There’s no commercial activity done with them. It’s truly recreational type fun flying. It’s the Fun Fly Zone home for ultralight, lightplane, lightsport, homebuilt rotorcraft, hot air balloons, and Twilight Flight Fest.”
When the airstrip was first installed, it was a bit farther north and ran parallel to the runway. In 1991, the airstrip was moved to its current location adjacent to the Ultralight Barn.
Not only did John’s Easy Riser play a vital part in creating the Fun Fly Zone, it helped build Part 103 of the FARs and caused an explosion of interest in sport aviation. John’s Easy Riser was the only powered glider type shown at the 1977 convention, and people started purchasing kits left and right. John soon became known as the Father of Ultralights, and the Fun Fly Zone became known as the destination for the purest way to experience the joys of aviation.
Easy Riser
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WHY VISIT THE FUN FLY ZONE?
Because of the Fun Fly Zone at AirVenture, Mike Ostrander, EAA Lifetime 265473, was able to find his true calling in life. Mike credits his father for introducing him to Oshkosh when he was just 10 years old. Since 1972, Mike has only missed two AirVenture events. In fact, it was at AirVenture where Mike found his golden ticket into the world of being an aircraft owner and pilot.
“I was like, ‘Gosh, this looks like a lot of fun.’ I spent a lot of time checking out the vendors of different aircraft types, and I kind of promised myself that someday I would try to get into this,” Mike said. “Twenty years later, I thought I wanted a Challenger, but at the time we saw this Quicksilver on the flightline at Oshkosh for sale and thought, ‘Well, this must be the one.’”
One year later, Mike brought his Quicksilver MX back to Oshkosh with him, and right out of the gate it won Honorable Mention for Ultralights.
“The Fun Fly Zone I think plays a really important role for the nonpilot, the nonflyer,” Mike said. “This could be the potential gateway to get someone starting aviation, and then it’s up to them how far they carry it. I have to use myself as an example. Ultralights is all I can afford. But it still gets me in the air. So for me, the ultralights, that was my niche and I’m very happy with it.”
Years later, Mike had the chance to pay tribute to his father at the ultralight runway within the Fun Fly Zone.
“A couple of years ago, my dad had passed away and I had an opportunity that presented itself to allow me to take a small vial of his ashes and release them, doing a low pass down on the ultralight runway,” Mike said. “And that memory at the world’s largest air show, for a couple of minutes it was just me, my plane, some of Dad’s ashes, and God. … It was awesome. It was the best way I could honor my dad for introducing me to Oshkosh.”
Bret Kivell, EAA 776743, frequent Fun Fly Zone attendee and owner of Indy Aircraft Ltd., said the Fun Fly Zone is a great place for people to learn about an affordable way of flying.
“It’s a very cost-effective way to fly,” Bret said. “It’s fun to come watch and observe, even if you don’t necessarily want to get involved. In fact, I’ve had many customers who were commercial pilots, military pilots, people who generally flew a lot of different aircraft, but every one of them would come back and say, ‘If you really want to experience flying, light-sport and ultralights is really the true way of flight.’ I think there’s a lot of truth in that comment. If you really want to be able to get out there and just feel like you’re a bird, this is the way to go.”
Timm said his favorite part of the Fun Fly Zone is the RC demonstrations.
“It’s jaw-dropping,” Timm said. “The speed at which they flip-flop back and forth, and I don’t know how a person’s brain can keep up with that sort of movement, but it is truly something remarkable to see if you’ve never seen it before. It’s a must-do at Oshkosh; stay to the very end of Twilight Flight Fest, and watch those RCs fly, because you’ll be amazed.”
Timm said what really makes this area different than any other area at AirVenture is the chance attendees have to get up close and personal with the machines.
“With the runway right there, the proximity that you can watch the aircraft taking off and landing … you could smell the engines, you can see the pilots’ facial expressions while they’re landing,” Timm said. “It just gives you a connected feeling to that sort of flying … it gives a person that closeness if you will. “It’s a good place to come to get exposed to other types of flying machines,” Timm said. “You’ve got all these different types of aircraft. If you want to see different sorts of flying machines, and be entertained or educated by how they fly differently than a regular airplane, it’s the place to go.”
RC Demonstrations
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