I hope this is not too off topic, but could someone explain the difference between microlights and Permit planes?
For the comparison, tet's take a reasonably high performance microlight, not a bottom-end machine which is basically a hang glider with an engine.
I know (I think I know) that in the UK microlights are limited to 450kg.
All of the above are limited to VFR, and I believe they can't fly at night, well not in the UK where night=IFR, perhaps...
But (as an aircraft owner myself and thus knowing pretty well which bits cost money) I don't see an obvious difference between operating costs of the two (assuming, as I say above the ML is not a bottom-end type).
One curious difference is that one can fly a ML on an NPPL and take it to France, but one can't do that with a Permit or a CofA type without permission.