29 August 2017
Sywell-based Flylight Airports is putting its latest aircraft, the single-seat PeaBee, into production at an incredible price of £8,300 plus VAT. The first three aircraft will be offered at £7,055 plus VAT.
The PeaBee is named after a very small member of the Bee family, noted for its stamina and robustness. It fits into a new sub-70kg class of aircraft called ‘nanolight’ which being operated as licence-free and deregulated category on a 12-month trial basis under a special exemption agreed by the CAA. For full details see ORS4 No.1224 available on the CAA website.
However, insurance to cover third party risks is required and that effectively means would be nanolight pilots will need some form of training, such as that for hang-gliding and paragliding. The CAA thinks of the class as ‘self-propelled hang-glider with wheels’ but nanolight has a much better ring.
The PeaBee weighs just 61kg dry which would allow 12 litres of fuel to be carried to stay under the 70kg weight limit (75kg with a ballistic recovery parachute). That would give it three to four hours duration. Other criteria are a stall speed under 20kt and single-seat only. The engine is an aircooled, single-cylinder, 172.5cc two-stroke.
“The PeaBee will be ready for production mid to late September,” Flylight’s Ben Ashman told FLYER. “The trike unit has been tested, the all-new lightweight wing will be with us first week in September. It has been flown and tested.”
11 comments
I am interested
Interested in the new sub 70 nanolight. Can you please forward full details of engine, frame, wing etc. Presently flying grazhopper trike with Fresh breeze simonini engine and Rev2 reflex wing. Is it possible to purchase to frame and wing only and use my own fresh breeze engine.?? kind regards John Wallace.
Hi John,
You should check out http://www.airplayaircraft.co.uk as I know they’d sell the Snake trike for fitment of your own engine.
Is it possible to purchase a frame and wing only. I have a fresh breeze simonini engine which would be suitable as a power plant.?? regards John Wallace.
You need to contact the Peabee’s makers, FlyLight, for this info: http://www.flylight.co.uk/
Interested in this what sort of training conversion would u need? and costs for training, currently still fly hangliders and sailplanes . Rodger
Hi Rodger. You’ll need to talk to FlyLight about training, costs etc. If you’re used to hang-gliders, you’ll probably pick it up very quickly. Contact FlyLight: http://www.flylight.co.uk/
Hello,
Your pea bee looks like what I could be looking for? Can you please send me details of the training required and the cost of purchase. I have lots of questions but I will wait and see what information you send first.
Regards; David
I would like to learn to fly pea bee
I don’t know where to get the information
Please I need your help
Thanks
Hi Martin. You need to contact Flylight Airsports: http://www.flylight.co.uk/
Hi
At present flying LSA and PARAMOTOR
I just want know the price of wing and Controll column