Ultralights can be categorized into 3 axis control aircrafts and weight shift control aircrafts. The 3 axis control aircrafts have stick, ailerons and rudders to control the direction of flight. Weight shift control planes are controlled by the pilot moving his weight relative to the wing of the airplane.

Weight shift control planes include powered hang gliders(trikes) and powered parachutes(Aerochutes). In this type of ultralight aircraft the crew pod and engine are suspended under the wing. The control of this aircraft is largely physical and consequently they are slow.

3-axis ultralight airplanes are ‘traditional style’ ultralights or ‘de-facto GA’ types. The former have high drag and low inertia and the latter are larger, heavier and very expensive. These aircraft are further classified irrespective of their price or size as nosewheel and tailwheel ultralight airplanes. Nosewheel aircrafts are supported on ground levelly by a largish nosewheel and two mainwheels in the aft. The latter sits on the ground in a tail down attitude as it has two main wheels in the forward and a light tailwheel at the back.

It should be remembered that learning to fly a heavier machine can become a handicap later if you want to buy a hang glider (trike) or even a traditional style machine. If you plan to go in for a heavier machine later, you could still train on a traditional style machine and migrate to the heavier machine with ease. It is a mater of personal choice and each student must choose for himself.

If you visualize yourself flying a Jabiru 3-axis ultralight airplane then, obviously you will be dissatisfied with flying a trike! You cannot also decide to fly a trike because you have a flying school nearby which teaches you to fly it or vice versa. It is interesting to note that a large number of flying schools prefer to teach 3-axis ultralight planes. There are very few schools which teach trike flying or parachute flying.

If your flying school offers you a variety of choices, you could try flying in each of them before making up your mind on which type of ultralight aircraft you want to fly. However, not all of us have the luxury of this. It will have to be a considered decision for most of us. We will have to rely on the experience of others and also focus upon our own fears and phobias before making up our mind whether we want to fly in an exposed aircraft or a closed aircraft; one that is light on the hands or one that is heavy!