The United States
Ultralight Association (USUA) and Aero Sports Connection (ASC) are
very happy to announce that through joint efforts between the two
organizations, the 9th US Microlight Championships will be held in
Marshall Michigan on September 1-4, 2006. This historic event,
sanctioned by USUA, will coincide with the ASC Nationals At KIMO.
The USUA is the US sanctioned microlight representative of the
National Aeronautic Association (the US National Aero Club), and
the Fédération Aéronautique Internationale
(the world aviation contests and records federation).
Microlight (ultralight
vehicles as well as single and two seat aircraft weighing up to 992
pounds) competition in the United States has existed for many
years, but only in this millennium has it gained national
prominence outside the sport aviation arena. The most recent
championships (held in 2004 in Scottsburg Indiana) were filmed and
presented by National Geographic Television, and attracted record
numbers of spectators. Microlight Championship competitors with
perform tasks and contests that are designed according to world
class specifications, and use state of the art GPS technology.
The winners and crew of
these championships are invited to join the US World Microlight
Team. This elite group of microlight pilots will represent the USA
at the World Microlight Championships, the next to be held in 2007
in the Czech Republic. Airplane, Weightshift Trike, Powered
Parachute and Powered Paraglider classes are offered for this type
of event.
The annual ASC Nationals At KIMO (now in its 12th year), have
also been well attended by participants and spectators alike, and
have always featured Sportsman Class competition. This type of
sport aviation competition is designed to create not only an
enjoyable experience for the competitor, but also provides the
skills required for creating a more well rounded, safer pilot.
Sportsman Class events typically provide a more relaxed pace of
competition, but can be equally as challenging as World Class
events. Winners of the Sportsman Class events are also encouraged
to participate in World Class competitions in future events. As
with World Class events; Airplane, Weightshift Trike, Powered
Parachute and Powered Paraglider classes will be offered. This will
be the first year that the ASC Nationals will offer both Sportsman
and sanctioned World Class events.
This is the first time
both organizations have taken the initiative to come together in a
joint effort, and focus on a common goal: advancement of ultralight
and microlight competition in the US. USUA and ASC are the two
largest ultralight/microlight oriented organizations in the
USA.
By joining together on this event, it is hoped that air sports
pilots and enthusiasts from all backgrounds, organizational
affiliations, and competition skill levels will take advantage of
the opportunity made available through this venture.
Through the changing face of sport aviation in the USA over the
past few years, many ultralight and microlight pilots have not been
able to fully enjoy the benefits provided by this type of
aviation.