8. Is a microlight less safe than other light aircraft?

Every form of flying carries some risk, whatever aircraft you fly. Flying is an activity that must be practised with great rigour, scrupulously following the rules in force and paying extremely close attention to weather conditions.

Statistics today show that microlighting is no more dangerous than other aeronautical activities. But microlighting still suffers from a negative image inherited from the early days and the approximations that were common in the early 1980s, whereas the activity is now thoroughly mature.

About 90% of the microlight fleet is produced by professional manufacturers who have a perfect command of the state of the art. A modern aircraft, whether of "tube and fabric" or "composite" technology, if properly maintained and operated according to its manufacturer's instructions, provides a level of safety comparable to that of a light aeroplane.

The ability to land a microlight easily (see §7) makes it an additional safety factor.

Likewise, the low flying mass of the microlight (450 kg maximum) makes it possible to fit it with a rescue parachute which, in the event of a major difficulty making the aircraft uncontrollable, can bring the whole machine and crew safely back to the ground.

Analysis of the most frequent causes of accidents shows that, unfortunately, as with road traffic, it is often the pilot's behaviour that is at fault. Low flying, aerobatics, inadequate weather conditions, fatigue… are often the origin of accidents that could be avoided.