Article · Wikipedia archive · Last revised Jul 30, 2026

Flylight Dragonfly

The Flylight Dragonfly is a British ultralight trike, designed by Ben Ashman and produced by Flylight Airsports of Northamptonshire. The aircraft is supplied as a complete ready-to-fly-aircraft.

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Jul 30, 2026
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Dragonfly
General information
TypeUltralight trike
National originUnited Kingdom
ManufacturerFlylight Airsports
Designer
Ben Ashman
StatusIn production (2013)
History
Manufactured2008-present
Introduction date2008
First flight2007
VariantsFlylight Motorfloater
Flylight E-Dragon

The Flylight Dragonfly is a British ultralight trike, designed by Ben Ashman and produced by Flylight Airsports of Northamptonshire. The aircraft is supplied as a complete ready-to-fly-aircraft.1

Development of the Dragonfly started in 2007 with the aircraft entering series production in 2008.2

Design and development

The Dragonfly was designed to comply with the Fédération Aéronautique Internationale microlight category, the UK Single-Seat De-Regulation (SSDR) guidelines, as well as the US FAR 103 Ultralight Vehicles rules. It features a strut-braced Aeros Discus hang glider-style high-wing, weight-shift controls, a single-seat open cockpit, retractable tricycle landing gear and a single engine in pusher configuration.1

The aircraft is made from bolted-together aluminum tubing, with its double surface wing covered in Dacron sailcloth. Its 10.3 m (33.8 ft) span wing is supported by a single tube-type kingpost and uses an "A" frame weight-shift control bar. The powerplant is a single cylinder, air-cooled four-stroke, 22 hp (16 kW) Bailey V4 200 engine, with the single cylinder, air-cooled, two-stroke 33 hp (25 kW) Simonini Mini-3 or 33 hp (25 kW) Simonini Mini-2 engines optional.1

With the Bailey engine and the Aeros Discus 15T wing the Dragonfly has an empty weight of 80 kg (176 lb) and a full fuel capacity of 20 litres (4.4 imp gal; 5.3 US gal). With its manual, or optionally electrically retractable landing gear the aircraft can be folded up and ground transported in the trunk of a car.1

A number of different wings can be fitted to the basic carriage, including Aeros Discus 15T, 14 and 12 as well as the Aeros Combat 12T.1

Variants

Flylight E-Dragon
Electric aircraft version.1
Flylight Motorfloater
Simplified model with single surface wing and fixed landing gear.1
Flylight Libelle
High performance variant equipped with a single cylinder, air-cooled, two-stroke 33 hp (25 kW) Simonini Mini-3 engine and the "topless" strut-braced Aeros Combat 12T wing.1

Specifications (Dragonfly)

Data from Bayerl1

General characteristics

  • Crew: one
  • Wingspan: 10.3 m (33 ft 10 in)
  • Wing area: 14.7 m2 (158 sq ft)
  • Empty weight: 80 kg (176 lb)
  • Fuel capacity: 20 litres (4.4 imp gal; 5.3 US gal)
  • Powerplant: 1 × Bailey V4 200 single cylinder, air-cooled four-stroke, aircraft engine, 16 kW (22 hp)
  • Propellers: 3-bladed Powerfin

Performance

  • Maximum speed: 100 km/h (62 mph, 54 kn)
  • Cruise speed: 57 km/h (35 mph, 31 kn)
  • Stall speed: 38 km/h (24 mph, 21 kn)
  • Rate of climb: 2.5 m/s (490 ft/min)
References

References

  1. Bayerl, Robby; Martin Berkemeier; et al: World Directory of Leisure Aviation 2011-12, page 212. WDLA UK, Lancaster UK, 2011. ISSN 1368-485X
  2. "Flylight Airsports Ltd. – Flexwing Microlights". Flylight.co.uk. Archived from the original on 16 February 2014. Retrieved 13 July 2013.
External links