Sport

There are many sports that include the usage of airplanes. Air sport has become very popular to both pilots as well as common thrill seekers. Sports and hobbies such as powered parachuting, light-weight airplanes, microlights, parachuting, ski-diving, radio controlled airplanes and helicopters, rotorcrafts and pilot sport involve aircrafts.

Powered Parachuting

Powered parachuting or paramotoring is a form of ultra light aviation where the pilot wears a small motor on his back and runs into the air with a lift from the paraglider’s wings. In many countries, including the United States, it is minimally regulated and requires no license. This sport’s greatest merits are the low and slow flying capability, open feel, portability, low equipment and maintenance costs and the safety aspects for this type of flying.

Microlights (light weight aircrafts)

Flights of five hours or even longer are common with microlights. Many people often wonder how is it possible to stay aloft without an engine, but there is a very good answer to this question. These flights are possible because glider pilots seek out rising air masses that has been created by one or more of several naturally occurring weather phenomena. The most commonly used source of lift is created by the sun’s energy heating the ground which in turn heats the air above it. This warm air rises in columns known as thermals. Soaring pilots quickly become aware of visual indications of thermals such as cumulus clouds, dust devils and haze domes. When a pilot located a thermal he will circle within the area of rising air to gain height.

Helicopter (rotorcraft)

A helicopter or rotorcraft is an aircraft that is lifted and propelled by one or more horizontal rotors (propellers). They are classified as rotary-wing aircraft to distinguish them from conventional fixed-wing aircrafts. The word helicopter is a derivative from the Greek words helix (spiral) and pteron (wing). The engine-driven helicopter was designed by the Slovak inventor Jan Bahyl. The first stable, fully-controllable helicopter placed in manufacture was invented by Igor Sikorsky.

Hot Air Balloons

Balloons that can be propelled through the air rather than just being carried along by the air are called hot air balloons. Balloons that are just carried by the wind are called airships. Some attractive aspects of ballooning include the exceptional quietness, the lack of any perceptible feeling of movement and the birds-eye view. Because the balloon moves with the wind the passengers feel no wind, except when they climb or descend into air currents of different direction or speed. Hot air balloons come in all beautiful different shapes and sizes, such as rocket ships, hot dogs and the shapes of commercial products.

Radio Controlled Airplanes

Radio controlled airplanes are smaller, scale versions of full-scale airplanes, as well as non-scale models that use radio control with a hand-held transmitter radio, and a receiver within the craft, to move the craft’s control surfaces using the joysticks on the radio. The transmitter broadcasts a radio signal that is familiar by the receiver on the airplane according to the location of a joystick or switch. One of numerous frequency bands are used. The receiver then controls the corresponding servomechanisms that move the control surfaces which maneuver the plane. Radio controlled airplanes as a hobby has been globally growing due to the accessibility of smaller, moderately inexpensive parts and advancing technologies. A assortment of models and styles are available to suit any liking or budget. Radio controlled helicopters, while often grouped with radio controlled airplanes, are actually in a class of their own because of the immense differences in construction, aerodynamics and flight training. Hobbyists will often venture from planes, to jets and to helicopters as they enjoy the challenges, thrill and satisfaction of flying.

No matter what your preference or budget is for air sport there is a sport that will suit your most exhilarating dreams and desires.