The Italian Trident amphibious ultralight trike was designed to comply with the Fédération Aéronautique Internationale microlight category, including the category’s maximum gross weight of 450 kg (992 lb). The Trident features a strut-braced hang glider-style high-wing, weight-shift controls, a two-seats-in-tandem open cockpit with a rigid boat hull, retractable tricycle landing gear and a single engine in pusher configuration.

Introduced in 1998, the Ramphos Trident is designed and produced by Ramphos of Fontanafredda. The aircraft was supplied as a kit for amateur construction or as a complete ready-to-fly-aircraft, in production in 2013.

Ramphos is an amphibious boat shaped flying hull with wings made of anti-UV mylar of 15 sq.m mounted as standard. Wings up to 21sq.m or a new strong foldable wing (tested +6/-3G) can be mounted. The 15sq.m wing is manufactured in Treviso, Italy.

The hull is a triple “V”, stepped to enhance its rough and glassy water performance. It has a retractable tricycle undercarriage, which enables it to be taxied from the beach to the water and is also suitable for ordinary airstrips.

The aircraft is made from bolted-together aluminum tubing, with its double surface wing covered in Dacron sailcloth and its boat hull made from either fibreglass or carbon fibre and Kevlar.

Its 10.5 m (34.4 ft) span Hazard wing has struts and uses an “A” frame weight-shift control bar. The powerplant is a twin cylinder, liquid-cooled, two-stroke, dual-ignition 64 hp (48 kW) Rotax 582 engine or a four-cylinder, air and liquid-cooled, four-stroke, dual-ignition 80 hp (60 kW) Rotax 912UL engine or a 78 hp (58 kW) converted Smart Car four stroke turbocharged engine. All engines are fitted with a clutch that stops the propeller from turning when the engine is at idle to permit water handling. The three ¬blade Warp Drive propeller has nickel inlaid edges for operation from water sur¬faces. The propeller can be two or three bladed, made of wood or composite material. The propeller ring functions as a protective as well as an anti-noise device. Engines can range from 50 to 80 Hp (Rotax, Hirth, etc.). The boat hull features a water rudder.

Starting in 2005 the frame and wing portion of the aircraft was taken from the Skyrider Sonic ultralight trike, built by Skyrider Flugschule.

Variants:

Hydro
Initial flying boat model that lacks wheeled landing gear. Introduced in 1998 and in production in 2013.

Trident
Amphibious model with fibreglass boat hull, in production in 2013.

C
Amphibious model with carbon fibre/Kevlar boat hull and lexan windows in the bottom of the hull to allow visibility downwards. In production in 2013.

Trident
Engine: 1 × Rotax 912UL, 60 kW (80 hp)
Propellers: 2-bladed composite
Wingspan: 10.5 m / 34 ft 5 in
Wing area: 15 m2 / 160 sq ft
Stall: 26 kt / 30 mph / 48 kmh
Cruise: 59 kt / 68 mph / 110 kmh
VNE: 78 kt / 90 mph / 145 kmh
Empty Weight: 210 kg / 463 lbs
MTOW Weight: 450 kg / 992 lbs
Take-off distance (50ft obstacle): 330 ft / 100 m
Seats: 2