UK Microlight and Paramotor records

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UK RECORDS
UK record claims pending ratification

Landplanes
WL1T (Solo Weightshift)
WL1E (Solo Weightshift, electric)
WL2T (2 seat Weightshift)
WL2E (2 seat Weightshift, electric)
AL1T (Solo 3 Axis)
AL1E (Solo 3 Axis, electric)
AL2T (2 seat, 3 Axis)
AL2E (2 seat 3 Axis, electric)

Paramotors
PF1Tm (Solo, male)
PF1Tf (Solo, female)
PF1E (Solo, electric)
PF2T (2 Seat)
PF2E (2 Seat, electric)

Paratrikes
PL1T (Wheels, Solo)
PL1E (Wheels, Solo, electric)
PL2T (Wheels, 2 seat)
PL2E (Wheels, 2 seat, electric)

Powered Hang gliders
WF1T (Solo)
WF1E (Solo, electric)
WF2T (2 Seat)
WF2E (2 Seat, electric)

Microlight Autogyros
GL1 (Solo)
GL2 (2 Seat)

Seaplanes
WS1 (Solo Weightshift)
WS2 (2 seat Weightshift)
AS1 (Solo 3 Axis)
AS2 (2 seat, 3 Axis)

Amphibians
WM1 (Solo Weightshift)
WM2 (2 seat Weightshift)
AM1 (Solo 3 Axis)
AM2 (2 seat, 3 Axis)

Other stuff
Absolute records
Record statistics
Ann Welch Diploma
Remarkable feats

Grey links indicate no
UK records set in class

Site last updated by RMH
29 Jul 2024, 14:09

Altitude (All classes)
This is the definitive list of UK records but the FAI website is the authority for World records.

WL1T Weight-shift Control / Landplane / Flown solo / Thermal engine

UK record
Performance	7684m (25206 Ft)
Date	16 Mar 1984
Pilot	Bob Calvert (GBR)
Aircraft	Puma Sprint / Robin 3 Cyl
Location	Peasington (UK)
Min. 7915m (25962 Ft) to beat this record.

Previous: 5791m in 1983

UK record
Performance	5791m (18997 Ft)
Date	19 Feb 1983
Pilot	Bob Calvert (GBR)
Aircraft	UltraSports Tripacer / Southdown Sailwings Lightning DS / Fuji Robin
Location	Unknown
This was accepted by FAI as as World record in Class C1 a/o 'under 300 Kg on takeoff' because a pure altitude record wasn't available in class R at the time.

World record
Performance	9720m (31885 Ft)
Date	18 Sep 1994
Pilot	Serge Zin (FRA)
Aircraft	Air Création Norgil
Engine	1 Rotax 582
Location	Saint-Auban (France)
Min. 10012m (32842 Ft) to beat this record.

Previous: 7000m in 1987

World record
Performance	7000m (22963 Ft)
Date	6 Sep 1987
Pilot	Roland Goddens (BEL)
Aircraft	DPM Micronef Cosmos
Engine	1 Arrow GT 500
Location	Charleroi (Belgium)

WL2T Weight-shift Control / Landplane / Flown with two persons / Thermal engine

UK record
Performance	7395m (24258 Ft)
Date	19 Jan 2008
Pilot	Mark Jackson (GBR)
Co-pilot	Eve Jackson
Aircraft	P & M Aviation GT450 'Seeing is Believing'
Engine	Rotax 914, 115 Hp.
Location	Kilimanjaro, Tanzania
More info	www.flymicro.com
Observer	RMH
Ratified as a UK record 5 May 2008 Ratified as a World Record 3 Sept 2008
Min. 7617m (24986 Ft) to beat this record.

Previous: 3296m in 2003

UK record
Performance	3296m (10812 Ft)
Date	8 Apr 2003
Pilot	Will Hughes (GBR)
Co-pilot	Ceri Hughes
Aircraft	Pegasus Quantum 15-912
Location	Henlow, Beds (UK)
Observer	Richard Proctor
Ratified as a UK record 26 April 2003

World record
Performance	8072m (26479 Ft)
Date	13 Sep 2010
Pilot	Jan Bém (CZE)
Co-pilot	Olga Zaluská
Aircraft	La Mouette Chronos 14
Engine	Rotax 914
Location	Milovice (Czech Republic)
Min. 8315m (27273 Ft) to beat this record.

Previous: 7395m in 2008

World record
Performance	7395m (24258 Ft)
Date	19 Jan 2008
Pilot	Mark Jackson (GBR)
Co-pilot	Eve JACKSON
Aircraft	P & M Aviation Quik GT 450
Engine	Rotax 914
Location	Kilimanjaro (Tanzania)
More info	www.flymicro.com

Previous: 6876m in 2007

World record
Performance	6876m (22556 Ft)
Date	23 Jul 2007
Pilot	Jan Bèm (CZE)
Co-pilot	Jane-Marie BÃˆM
Aircraft	TL-Ultralight TL-2
Engine	1 Rotax 914
Location	Milovice (Czech Republic)

Previous: 6245m in 1998

World record
Performance	6245m (20486 Ft)
Date	23 May 1998
Pilot	Robert Mair (GER)
Co-pilot	Werner von ZEPPELIN
Aircraft	Enduro XP
Engine	1 Rotax 582
Location	Griesau (Germany)

Previous: 5976m in 1992

World record
Performance	5976m (19604 Ft)
Date	20 Apr 1992
Pilot	François Dubosc (FRA)
Co-pilot	Michel SERANE
Aircraft	Cosmos-Bidulm Chronos 14
Engine	1 Rotax 582
Location	Besançon-Thise (France)

Previous: 5113m in 1991

World record
Performance	5113m (16773 Ft)
Date	4 Aug 1991
Pilot	Serge Zin (FRA)
Co-pilot	Catherine GAUDEL
Aircraft	Air Création Safari GT-bi Norgil
Engine	1 Rotax 582
Location	Béziers (France)

AL1T Movable Aerodynamic Control / Landplane / Flown solo / Thermal engine

UK record
No record set

World record
Performance	9144m (29996 Ft)
Date	11 Mar 1989
Pilot	Eric Scott Winton (AUS)
Aircraft	Facet Opal
Engine	1 Rotax 447
Location	Tyagarah Aerodrome, NSW (Australia)
Min. 9419m (30895 Ft) to beat this record.

Previous: 5934m in 1985

World record
Performance	5934m (19466 Ft)
Date	20 Apr 1985
Pilot	Patrick A. Derry (USA)
Aircraft	Eipper Formance Quicksilver
Engine	1 Rotax 503
Location	Hartwood airport-Bealleton, VA (USA)

AL2T Movable Aerodynamic Control / Landplane / Flown with two persons / Thermal engine

UK record
Performance	3184m (10445 Ft)
Date	13 Apr 2002
Pilot	Julian Harris (GBR)
Co-pilot	Robert Sharp
Aircraft	Jabiru UL, registration G-ENRE
Location	Margate, Kent (UK)
Ratified as a UK record 13 May 2002
Min. 3280m (10758 Ft) to beat this record.

World record
Performance	7608m (24957 Ft)
Date	21 Jan 2014
Pilot	Alexis Anastasiou (GRE)
Co-pilot	Petros Printezis
Aircraft	Pipistrel Sinus 912
Engine	1 Rotax 912
Location	Kopais, Viotia (Greece)
Min. 7837m (25706 Ft) to beat this record.

Previous: 7143m in 1993

World record
Performance	7143m (23432 Ft)
Date	16 Apr 1993
Pilot	Walter Mauri (ITA)
Co-pilot	Heike GOETTLICHER
Aircraft	Rodaro Storch
Engine	1 Rotax 582
Location	Campoformido Airport, Udine (Italy)

PF1Tm Paraglider Control / Foot-launched / Flown solo / Thermal engine / male

UK record
Performance	6629m (21746 Ft)
Date	3 Oct 2015
Pilot	Giles Fowler (GBR)
Aircraft	Bailey Matrix / Ozone Viper3 26
Engine	Bailey Hornet 160cc
Location	Chatteris, Cambridgeshire
Observer	Paul Bailey and Paul Mahoney
Min. 6828m (22398 Ft) to beat this record.

Previous: 5580m in 2014

UK record
Performance	5580m (18305 Ft)
Date	27 Sep 2014
Pilot	Giles Fowler (GBR)
Aircraft	Bailey Matrix / Advance Epsilon 7
Engine	Bailey Hornet
Location	Chatteris, Cambridgeshire
Observer	Paul Bailey, Gordon Blackley, Tom Garner

Previous: 2918m in 2014

UK record
Performance	2918m (9572 Ft)
Date	22 Sep 2014
Pilot	Gordon Blackley (GBR)
Aircraft	Bailey Matrix / Advance Epsilon 7
Engine	Bailey Hornet
Location	Over, Cambridgeshire
Observer	Paul Bailey, Giles Fowler, Suzanne Hobbs

World record
Performance	7589m (24895 Ft)
Date	19 Sep 2009
Pilot	Ramón Morillas Salmeron (ESP)
Aircraft	Advance Sigma 7
Location	Hushe's Valey (Pakistan)
Min. 7817m (25642 Ft) to beat this record.

Previous: 6721m in 2008

World record
Performance	6721m (22047 Ft)
Date	2 Sep 2008
Pilot	Ramón Morillas Salmeron (ESP)
Aircraft	Advance Omega 7
Engine	PAP VR 200
Location	Granada (Spain)

Previous: 6102m in 2006

World record
Performance	6102m (20017 Ft)
Date	6 Oct 2006
Pilot	Ramón Morillas Salmeron (ESP)
Aircraft	Advance Omega 7
Engine	PAP 1400 ROS
Location	Granada (Spain)

Previous: 5414m in 2005

World record
Performance	5414m (17760 Ft)
Date	29 Apr 2005
Pilot	Ramón Morillas Salmeron (ESP)
Aircraft	Advance Omega Proto & PAP 1.400 Blackdevil
Location	Los Realejos, Tenerife (Spain)

Previous: 5243m in 2002

World record
Performance	5243m (17199 Ft)
Date	5 Oct 2002
Pilot	Frédéric Jacques (MON)
Aircraft	Back-Bone + Airwave Explorer
Location	Sisteron - Thèze (France)

Previous: 5051m in 1996

World record
Performance	5051m (16569 Ft)
Date	20 Jul 1996
Pilot	Pierre Allet (FRA)
Aircraft	Technic'air Koyott
Engine	1 Hirth F 33
Location	Bergerac (France)

PF2T Paraglider Control / Foot-launched / Flown with two persons / Thermal engine

UK record
Performance	5066m (16618 Ft)
Date	22 Apr 2015
Pilot	Anthony Green (GBR)
Co-pilot	Eliot Nochez
Aircraft	BGD Dual Lite
Engine	Vittorazi Moster 185
Location	Col du Midi, massif du Mont Blanc (France)
Information from FAI
Min. 5218m (17117 Ft) to beat this record.

Previous: 3450m in 2014

UK record
Performance	3450m (11318 Ft)
Date	29 Sep 2014
Pilot	Mick Roche (GBR)
Co-pilot	Susanne Hobbs
Aircraft	Bailey Matrix / Advance Bi-Beta 5
Engine	Bailey Hornet
Location	Over, Canbridgeshire
Observer	Paul Bailey, Giles Fowler, Gordon Blackley

Previous: 1334m in 2000

UK record
Performance	1334m (4376 Ft)
Date	18 Mar 2000
Pilot	Kevin Bates (GBR)
Co-pilot	Jane Brooks
Aircraft	DK Whisper Plus / Advance Bi-Beta
Engine	Solo 210
Location	Four Stone, Kinnerton, Nr New Radnor, Powys (UK)
Ratified by FAI as as World record on 1 Nov 2000

World record
Performance	5066m (16618 Ft)
Date	22 Apr 2015
Pilot	Anthony Green (GBR)
Co-pilot	Eliot Nochez
Aircraft	BGD Dual Lite
Engine	Vittorazi Moster 185
Location	Col du Midi, massif du Mont Blanc (France)
Min. 5218m (17117 Ft) to beat this record.

Previous: 4605m in 2012

World record
Performance	4605m (15106 Ft)
Date	7 Dec 2012
Pilot	Ryan D. Shaw (USA)
Co-pilot	Deanna Lucky
Aircraft	APCO Play 42 MK
Engine	Simonini Mini 2 EVO 230
Location	Peoria, AZ (USA)

Previous: 3036m in 2002

World record
Performance	3036m (9959 Ft)
Date	18 Aug 2002
Pilot	Frédéric Jacques (MON)
Aircraft	Back-Bone + Airwave Scenic
Location	Savines le Lac (France)

Previous: 1334m in 2000

World record
Performance	1334m (4376 Ft)
Date	18 Mar 2000
Pilot	Kevin Bates (GBR)
Co-pilot	Jane BROOKS
Aircraft	Solo 210
Location	4 Stone, Kinnerton, Nr New Radnor, Powys (United Kingdom)

PL1T Paraglider Control / Landplane / Flown solo / Thermal engine

UK record
No record set

World record
Performance	7334m (24058 Ft)
Date	17 Sep 2021
Pilot	Ramón Morillas Salmerón (ESP)
Aircraft	Niviuk Quibik 25
Engine	Vittorazi Cosmos 300
Location	Cenes de la Vega, Granada (Spain)
Min. 7555m (24780 Ft) to beat this record.

Previous: 6377m in 2019

World record
Performance	6377m (20919 Ft)
Date	3 Aug 2019
Pilot	Aleksander Hirsztritt (POL)
Aircraft	Dudek Hadron Cabrio 34
Engine	Nirvana Instinct High-Line 230
Location	Makosieje (Poland)

Previous: 5703m in 2017

World record
Performance	5703m (18708 Ft)
Date	19 Jun 2017
Pilot	Julien Barbier (FRA)
Aircraft	Fly Products Eco 4
Location	Pont Saint Vincent - Bainville sur Madon (France)

Previous: 5386m in 2000

World record
Performance	5386m (17668 Ft)
Date	9 Sep 2000
Pilot	Howard M. Gish Jr (USA)
Aircraft	Six Chuter SR-2
Location	Birchwood, AK (USA)

Previous: 5198m in 2000

World record
Performance	5198m (17051 Ft)
Date	27 Apr 2000
Pilot	Howard M. Gish Jr (USA)
Aircraft	Six Chuter SR-2
Engine	1 Rotax 503
Location	Chugiak, AK (USA)

PL2T Paraglider Control / Landplane / Flown with two persons / Thermal engine

UK record
No record set

World record
Performance	4575m (15008 Ft)
Date	26 Dec 2003
Pilot	Helmut Stern (AUT)
Co-pilot	Anja ZOTTER
Aircraft	Sunflightcraft "Air Chopper" & Sycon Chiron 340
Location	Sarvar (Hungary)
Min. 4713m (15458 Ft) to beat this record.

Previous: 3409m in 2003

World record
Performance	3409m (11183 Ft)
Date	30 Mar 2003
Pilot	Alenka Prah (SLO)
Co-pilot	Vojko PRAH
Aircraft	V. Prah & team BWP 2002, Air System Big Berta
Location	Murska Sobota (Slovenia)

WF1T Weight-shift Control / Foot-launched / Flown solo / Thermal engine

UK record
No record set

World record
Performance	5230m (17156 Ft)
Date	18 Jul 1992
Pilot	Yves Rousseau (FRA)
Aircraft	Medium Ropuleim
Engine	1 Rotax 447
Location	Bégrolles en Mauges (France)
Min. 5387m (17671 Ft) to beat this record.

WF2T Weight-shift Control / Foot-launched / Flown with two persons / Thermal engine

UK record
No record set

World record
No record set

WS1 Weight-shift Control / Seaplane / Flown solo

UK record
No record set

World record
No record set

WS2 Weight-shift Control / Seaplane / Flown with two persons

UK record
No record set

World record
No record set

AS1 Movable Aerodynamic Control / Seaplane / Flown solo

UK record
No record set

World record
No record set

AS2 Movable Aerodynamic Control / Seaplane / Flown with two persons

UK record
No record set

World record
No record set

WM1 Weight-shift Control / Amphibian / Flown solo

UK record
No record set

World record
No record set

WM2 Weight-shift Control / Amphibian / Flown with two persons

UK record
No record set

World record
No record set

AM1 Movable Aerodynamic Control / Amphibian / Flown solo

UK record
No record set

World record
No record set

AM2 Movable Aerodynamic Control / Amphibian / Flown with two persons

UK record
No record set

World record
No record set

WL1E Weight-shift Control / Landplane / Flown solo / Electric engine

UK record
No record set

World record
Performance	1521m (4990 Ft)
Date	21 Jun 2014
Pilot	Gary C. Davis (USA)
Aircraft	North Wing Stratus XP
Location	Greenville, SC (USA)
Min. 1567m (5140 Ft) to beat this record.

WL2E Weight-shift Control / Landplane / Flown with two persons / Electric engine

UK record
No record set

World record
No record set

AL1E Movable Aerodynamic Control / Landplane / Flown solo / Electric engine

UK record
No record set

World record
Performance	2366m (7762 Ft)
Date	27 Feb 2012
Pilot	Jean Luc Soullier (BEL)
Aircraft	Colomban MC 30 Luciole
Engine	Electravia GMPE 102
Location	Sisteron (France)
Min. 2437m (7995 Ft) to beat this record.

AL2E Movable Aerodynamic Control / Landplane / Flown with two persons / Electric engine

UK record
No record set

World record
No record set

PF1Tf Paraglider Control / Foot-launched / Flown solo / Thermal engine / female

UK record
No record set

World record
Performance	6250m (20502 Ft)
Date	8 Oct 2013
Pilot	Karen Skinner (ESP)
Aircraft	Niviuk Artik 3
Engine	Polini Thor 200
Location	Castejon de Sos (Spain)
Min. 6438m (21117 Ft) to beat this record.

Previous: 4996m in 2011

World record
Performance	4996m (16389 Ft)
Date	16 Apr 2011
Pilot	Karen Skinner (ESP)
Aircraft	PAP
Engine	Vittorazi Moster 185
Location	Albuquerque (Spain)

Previous: 4073m in 2009

World record
Performance	4073m (13361 Ft)
Date	1 May 2009
Pilot	Karen Skinner (ESP)
Aircraft	Advance Epsilon 5
Engine	PAP YR 200
Location	Puerto de la Cruz, Tenerife (Spain)

PF1E Paraglider Control / Foot-launched / Flown solo / Electric engine

UK record
No record set

World record
No record set

PF2E Paraglider Control / Foot-launched / Flown with two persons / Electric engine

UK record
No record set

World record
No record set

WF1E Weightshift Control / Foot-launched / Flown solo / Electric engine

UK record
No record set

World record
No record set

WF2E Weightshift Control / Foot-launched / Flown with two persons / Electric engine

UK record
No record set

World record
No record set

PL1E Paraglider Control / Landplane / Flown solo / Electric engine

UK record
No record set

World record
No record set

PL2E Paraglider Control / Landplane / Flown with two persons / Electric engine

UK record
No record set

World record
No record set

GL1 Autogyro / Landplane / Flown solo

UK record
No record set

World record
Performance	8399m (27552 Ft)
Date	8 Nov 2015
Pilot	Donatella Ricci (ITA)
Aircraft	Magni M 16
Engine	Rotax 914
Location	Ponte di Piave, TV (Italy)
Min. 8651m (28378 Ft) to beat this record.

GL2 Autogyro / Landplane / Flown with two persons

UK record
No record set

World record
No record set

World records courtesy FAI. See the FAI website for the definitive list of World records, this listing last checked 27 Mar 2023. World record claims pending ratification are NOT included here.