The cheapest private plane in the world, better than a private flight charter?

The Hummelbird is probably the cheapest private plane in the world

There is at least one cheap private plane that you can buy for about 9000 €. This is the Hummelbird, produced by a company in the United States, Ohio, which is sold as a mounting kit. In short, you can mount it yourself at home, as if it were IKEA furniture. Nevertheless, it takes room, because its wingspan is 18-21 ft, and its length 13 ft 4 in. So you need a garage for two cars.

Pros and cons of this small single-seat aircraft

Let’s first look at its technical specifications:

• Reduced weight, just  310 lbs empty
• Cruise speed, 100-115 mphdepending on the type of engine
• Fuel Consumption contained, 1.6-2.0 Gal/Hr at cruising speed
• autonomy of about 260 miles, the tank having a capacity of 6 Gal
• Volkswagen Beetle’s common engine with 37 horsepower, reduced to two cylinders instead of four
• it takes off in 300 ft, but it needs 800 ft to fly over an obstacle of 45 ft, for example a tree. Watch the video below:

The advantages of this small plane:

• It is a motorized ultralight glider, category allowing its use in simplified airworthiness conditions compared to those of a light aircraft, and it requires a specific pilot license, easier to obtain .
• Like most microlights, it can take off and land on short distances from airfields, 92m to take off and 243m to land.
• It consumes less than most cars
• It sports a legendary engine known for its reliability, the Volkswagen Beetle
• The pleasure of flying a plane at a very low cost

Its limits:

• This is a single-seater, with little room for luggage, just a small suitcase behind the seat.
• Very light, it becomes unstable and dangerous in case of strong and even medium wind and bad weather.
• In the United States, there is a lot of room and tracks to take off, unlike in Europe, where it’s harder to operate such an aircraft.
• Its range is relatively limited.

Is it an alternative better than a private flight charter or even a car?

Not so much, considering its reduced speed. Calculating the time for trips to and from the airstrip on departure and arrival, the car remains a more convenient means of transportation than this aircraft, and it can not fly in extreme weather conditions.