Here we go!!

[pudestcon]

It's been a while since I've posted here and this one may be the last in the saga, seeing as how this video shows the ferry of T500 Gaygirl from Northam to Wirraway Farm at North Gabbin, her new home.

 

I haven't bothered to include a music soundtrack here as some people like to hear the sound of the engine. If you don't, just turn the sound down and play appropriate music:smile:

 

Thanks for everyone's support in this journey - it's been fantastic.

 

Pud

 

 

[Deskpilot]

Well done Pud. Ya know what, as ugly as a Thruster might be, I wouldn't mind one.

 

 

[pudestcon]

Well done Pud. Ya know what, as ugly as a Thruster might be, I wouldn't mind one.

Now don't tell anyone Deskpilot, just between you and me, they are ugly buggars eh? But I love 'em.

Pud

 

 

[Tomo]

Good work Pud!

 

Why y'all catch'em... I can never pronounce that place!!

 

 

[pudestcon]

Good work Pud!Why y'all catch'em... I can never pronounce that place!!

why-alk-atchem

 

 

[Guest Maj Millard]

Well done Pud...nice looking machine you've got there.!...........................Maj...

 

 

[pudestcon]

Well done Pud...nice looking machine you've got there.!...........................Maj...

Thanks Maj, I'm enjoying it when the weather is right - which hasn't been often lately

Pud

 

 

[sfGnome]

Loved the sounds of the blowie at around 0:50 - never would have heard that with a music backing!

 

 

[pudestcon]

Loved the sounds of the blowie at around 0:50 - never would have heard that with a music backing!

Hehehe. Yeah there were a lot of flies around that day, especially at Wirraway where the bush flies nearly carried us away.

Pud

 

 

[pudestcon]

What a great weekend! Travelled to the hangar at Wirraway early Saturday morning with my good wife Gay. By the time we unpacked it was 9.30 so I left Gay to clean out our caravan (the "Silver Bullet") so I could give Gaygirl (T500 Thruster 0331) a good going over as it has been a good couple of months since my last visit. Amongst other things I had to connect the battery, lubricate some joints, jack up the tail wheel and tighten the pivot bolt on the TW assembly to guard against the dreaded tail wheel shimmy:) I fitted a new overflow coolant bottle and then did a very thorough inspection. All was good but the heat of the day had come in after lunch so we went over to Poll's house for a cuppa with Poll and his very nice wife Judy.

 

So around 5pm I yelled "Clear propeller" and hit the starter button. The 582 fired into life after 2 or 3 revolutions more than I thought it should have - possibly needed to clear out some spiders and other insects before barking into life!! You know, I reckon this is what it's all about - a beautiful late afternoon, an aircraft running well, still smooth air, and just me and Gaygirl snoozing around:smile: Doesn't get better than that. I landed after a while and Poll hopped in, we blasted off (in a Thruster?) for another 40 minutes or so watching the sun go down from 3500' - Maate, how good was that? We landed just as the sun was disappearing below the horizon to finish a great 1 hour plus of joy.

 

Of course I was up at 'sparrows' (early, early for you people who don't know what I'm talking about) did a pre-flight and was in the air before I realised I didn't have breakfast:roflmao:I noticed a coolant leak so landed for some ongoing maintenance - these Thrusters are like that!! So Poll and I jumped in again and away we went. The conditions were nowhere near as perfect as the previous day , with wind from the NE at about 10 knots I reckon. Take offs and landings took some concentration as the wind was coming over a large stand of bush causing some dirty air just before lift off - some fancy footwork came into play a couple of time. I'm glad I attend dancing lessons every week:spot on: At altitude the air was smooth but we weren't going anywhere fast with the wind on the nose!! It didn't matter because we were there for the sheer joy of it all. Here's a couple of photos.

 

 

 

Ya gotta be happy with that!!

 

Pud.

 

PS. I reckon I have one more thing to do before this Thread will be at an end. I'll tell you about it in a few weeks, once I have achieved it. It's not a big thing, strictly speaking, but I have dreamed about it for more than 50 years!

 

 

[Guest davidh10]

Great stuff, Pud. Nice photos too.

 

Looks like you could do with some of our rain water ;-)

 

 

[pudestcon]

Well David, it is the end of summer here which is usually very dry with the vegetation looking like it needs a drink. Whilst it looks really dry in the photos, we had a localised storm a couple of weeks ago that did some minor damage and dumped a lot of water (for us, not you!!) in a short time. I commented to Poll as we were flying around, about the green tinge across the paddocks. You could see clearly the extent of the rain fall from the green pick just showing through

 

We certainly feel for you guys on the East coast that have had a fairly difficult Summer weather wise - don't envy you at all. Looks like a cyclone may form to send a bit more your way - good luck with all that.

 

Pud

 

 

[farri]

At altitude the air was smooth but we weren't going anywhere fast with the wind on the nose!! It didn't matter because we were there for the sheer joy of it all. Ya gotta be happy with that!! Pud. quote]Absolutely Pud, that`s what it`s all about and like sex, keep doing it while you can.

 

Frank.

[eightyknots]

I reckon I have one more thing to do before this Thread will be at an end. I'll tell you about it in a few weeks, once I have achieved it. It's not a big thing, strictly speaking, but I have dreamed about it for more than 50 years!

You have us all intrigued Pud. When will the secret be unlocked??

 

 

[pudestcon]

You have us all intrigued Pud. When will the secret be unlocked??

All in good time eightyknots, all in good time. You can be sure it won't be flying the Thruster inverted at zot feet above the runway!!!~

Pud

 

 

[Guernsey]

I reckon it might be joining the 'Mile High Club' for the first time in a Thruster.

 

Alan.

 

 

[pudestcon]

I reckon it might be joining the 'Mile High Club' for the first time in a Thruster. Alan.

Hmmm, didn't think of that, probably because trying such a thing in a Thruster would be as likely as me commanding a moon shot!!

Pud

 

 

[Guest davidh10]

How about taking Gay for a fly in Gaygirl?

 

P.S. The water is starting to recede in most areas around here, although not all towns are out of the woods yet and there's still a lot of closed roads, but some have re-opened.

 

 

[pudestcon]

All my powers of persuasion, such as they are, comes up short in convincing Gay to come for a fly in Gaygirl David. She thinks I'm going to die everytime I fly, so sitting her in the seat is like mission impossible. Nup, that's not it.

 

Looks like the floods in NSW are a disaster of mammoth proportions; the cost to fix just the roads is estimated at half a billion dollars!! The government says the disaster contingency fund will be well and truly exhausted. And it's not over yet.

 

Pud

 

 

[pudestcon]

I've just posted a video on Youtube of my flight in Gaygirl, subject of my previous post above number 360.

 

I used some insulation tape to strap the video camera to one of the wing struts and angled the camera back towards the front of the aircraft. In itself it is not a very interesting video – it’s over 1 hour long, but I was able to use just under 10 minutes of footage with what I consider to be interesting shadows of the aircraft and some trees in the late afternoon sunshine. It was an absolutely magnificent afternoon for flying ultralights, with very smooth air and no wind. Absolute magic!!

 

See what you think.

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q_JO5Eth7zw=

 

Pud

 

 

[Guest Maj Millard]

Pud, Nice looking airfield you've got there, pity about the position of that powerline, but you've still got plenty of strip and the luxury of a cross-strip also. Keep enjoying that Thruster, they are character building even though you don't need that do you ?..................................................Maj...

 

 

[sfGnome]

Pud, I loved the shot from about 6:10 to 6:30. You couldn't have lined it up better if you'd tried.

 

 

[pudestcon]

Pud, I loved the shot from about 6:10 to 6:30. You couldn't have lined it up better if you'd tried.

Yeah, I like that as well sfGnome.

I used strip 06 for that landing, most of the other landings were on 10 so gave a different perspective. I liked the tree shadows as well towards the end.

 

Pud

 

 

[Guest davidh10]

As something out of the ordinary, I enjoyed the clip, Pud.

 

I notice you have been afflicted with the dreaded dynamic undulating landscape. I found that was caused by airframe vibration transmitted into the camera. I have eliminated it by camera mount design, but it took a bit of trial and error.

 

Caught some shadows myself today.... Of my aircraft in a circular rainbow on the top surface of fog as it was breaking up. Haven't had a chance to look at it all yet, but I'm hopeful that I've got some footage worth editing :-)

 

 

[Guernsey]

Well Pud I must admit that was a very impressive video however, I was more impressed by the performance of the 'shadow'. On several occasions you tried to pass it without success , so I did some research on Shadow Aircraft. Now we all know of the Streak Shadow but this one needed a Google search, and would you believe the aircraft is designed in Sweden and is available in kit form from Ikea for $2,000 and it comes in a 'Flat Pack'. .

 

Alan.