What`s Happening???

[Yenn]

Great there Farri. It's great here also, just started raining, so I didn't fly, but am still happy.

 

 

[farri]

I didn't fly, but am still happy.

 

Just had a look at your area on GE......Lovely area! Is that reddish brown area a mine?

 

Frank.

 

 

[farri]

The rain started in the Cairns area last Sunday and it certainly came down with a vengeance, here at home at Deeral we`ve measured 500 mls so far... Today the rain eased here and just after lunch, the wind dropped enough for me to want to go up and take some photos.

 

The Drifter has had wet feet for a couple of days down at it`s shed but that`s nothing new and it doesn`t hurt it, when I can`t fly from there I come up to the house here and use strip 2.

 

 

Frank.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[biggles]

Geez Frank , we didn't get 500 mils for for the entire year (2017) . You FNQers really are a special breed..... Bob

 

 

[farri]

Geez Frank , we didn't get 500 mils for for the entire year (2017) . Bob

G`Day Bob! Frances measured it so I reckon that`s right! Different story if I`d have measured it, for what I would`ve spilled.

 

From memory, there`s been no flooding of the Mulgrave river since 2015, though and for Fran and me, this one hasn`t been too bad at all now that we`re not having to try and make a living from our land, we`ll probably loose some of our garden plants but that`ll give us the opportunity to plant new ones.

 

The Atherton Tableland was in a bit of strife before this rain, the Dam level got down to a point where irrigation water allocations to farmers had to be reduced and for a while, there was talk that it might have to be cut off altogether! With this rain, the Dam level has risen by 1.8 meters, which is a lot of water over the whole area but it`s still 9 meters below the Tinaroo Dam spillway. The official end of the Queensland Cyclone season is the end of April so anything can happen before then and one good Cyclone (bad choice of words) will fill it...The Copperload Dam that supplies Cairns is overflowing the spillway.

 

Frank,

 

Ps, Please give Sal our regards.

 

 

[Mickeymax]

I`m doing my bit to keep the Drifter alive !I`ve just got back from taking a young adult couple for their first flight in a small aircraft and they were both completely over the moon with it.

 

I gave them one of our Magazines, info about RAA , and this forum !

 

We may have a new forum member and possibly a student pilot !

 

Cheers,

 

Frank.

Thanks Pud, 19 rego,one of Wayne Fishers!Last sunday morning I took my neighbour John the Pom with me and we did a 3.1 hr flight, south along the coast,to show him the countryside. Landed at Innisfail to be joined by Wayne and Julie Bagley in their Thruster then flew on to Tully where we landed for a leg stretch.

 

Wayne and Julie decided to fly back to Innisfail, John and I flew on to Cardwell before returning home to Deeral.

 

Very enjoyable flight!

 

Frank.

Over the moon

 

I`m doing my bit to keep the Drifter alive !I`ve just got back from taking a young adult couple for their first flight in a small aircraft and they were both completely over the moon with it.

 

I gave them one of our Magazines, info about RAA , and this forum !

 

We may have a new forum member and possibly a student pilot !

 

Cheers,

 

Frank.

Over the moon Frank?

I know you fly really well but isn't that stretching the truth a little?

 

 

[facthunter]

A Cow did it once according to something I read when young. Must have been true. Nev

 

 

[Pilot Pete]

 

 

 

[Mickeymax]

Only a great time' date='can be had in the Drifter!!! [img']https://www.recreationalflying.com/xf_step/upload/uploads/emoticons/010_chuffed.gif.83acf1f061b6b5083f18a87e63ff1dd1.gif[/img]Frank.

Hey FrankI haven't heard from you.

 

Are you ok? Are you flooded out?

 

Steve

 

 

[farri]

Hey Frank I haven't heard from you.Are you ok? Are you flooded out? Steve

G`Day Steve, I havn`t had anything to say, absolutely OK though!

Fran and Me are here on our own and flooded in, probably for the next couple of days, but that`s nothing new and we `re always well prepared; we can get out in the Tinny if we have to, plenty of water around to float it in... Alison, Sam, and the kids are in Innisfail until Ross road is out of the water and they can get back...The Drifter and the X-Air are tied down, up here at the house, brought them up on Thursday afternoon...Strip 2 up here is well out of the water.

 

 

Frank.

 

 

 

 

[Mickeymax]

Hi Frank

 

Glad to hear you and Fran are fine.

 

Thanks for the photos. As I've been to your place I can relate to the them. I'm glad you're not flooded out.

 

I've been trying to fly but the weather has clipped my wings. Went to the airstrip today and wind was in excess of 30 kts.

 

Will give it a go Monday morning. Still chipping away at my hours for pax endorsement but weather has me stuffed as it has with a lot of people.

 

Happy landings Frank.

 

 

[farri]

Hi FrankGlad to hear you and Fran are fine.Thanks for the photos. As I've been to your place I can relate to the them. I'm glad you're not flooded out.

 

I've been trying to fly but the weather has clipped my wings. Went to the airstrip today and wind was in excess of 30 kts.

 

Will give it a go Monday morning. Still chipping away at my hours for pax endorsement but weather has me stuffed as it has with a lot of people.

 

Happy landings Frank.

[farri]

The water`s not all gone off our property but it`s all gone off Ross Rd, out to the Bruce highway...The flood water was the highest we`ve had in several years but it never made it to highest ground, here at home...Life goes on!

 

 

 

Frank.

 

 

[farri]

I`ve spent the last 2 days driving the excavator in the mud, doing what I should have done before the flood!

 

Flood water all gone! no rain and some sunshine today, so it dried out enough to take the Drifter and the X-Air back to their shed, but not before a fly around in the Drifter to see the result of the flood...Gees that fly felt good!

 

Frank.

 

 

[farri]

Flying the Drifter this afternoon, with the sun going down over Mount Bellenden Ker!

 

 

 

[Blue Drifter]

 

 

 

 

[Methusala]

Flew the Thruster in 10/10 conditions yesterday with "my darling wife". Some days are meant for flying. Nice post Blue Drifter. Don

 

 

[Blue Drifter]

 

 

 

[farri]

This is Marty Hind, one of our locals here at Deeral...Marty`s birthday today so I took him Drifter flying...First time Ultralight flight.

 

 

 

This is Russell Heads at low tide...Russell river on the left, Mulgrave river on the right...The area below the red dot is our property and where I fly from.

 

 

Frank.

 

 

[nomadpete]

Good onya Frank.

 

Keep up the good work.

 

 

[facthunter]

You do a lot of first timers in a plane that's not like any "normal" Cessna type. where they are wrapped in tin. It's a real experience in a drifter, and what a place to be on a really nice clear day.. Good work Franco.. Nev

 

 

[farri]

Good onya Frank.Keep up the good work.

Thanks Pete! I intend to keep flying for as long as I`m able....If you`re ever up my way come in and say G`Day, who knows, we might even be able to go for a fly.....Cheers.

 

You do a lot of first timers in a plane that's not like any "normal" Cessna type. where they are wrapped in tin. It's a real experience in a drifter, and what a place to be on a really nice clear day.. Good work Franco.. Nev

Yeah Nev! When we got back on the ground, Marty was very impressed (most people are) he said and I quote, " Brilliant! it puts a completely different perspective on life, I want to do it again", My answer, " Now you know why I continue to fly the Drifter".Frank.

 

 

[Methusala]

Monday I went flying over Lake George. Blue sky, no wind... perfect. At about 200ft an eagle flew by about 70ft below. About 500m out from the shoreline I saw someone walking. I landed and taxied up to him. "What are you doing?" I asked. He told me that he was working for a film crew and came from Aukland. They had been filming on the lake bed the previous day and that he was picking up litter. "Do you want to go for a fly?" After the briefing telling him that he could die he jumped in and, with his phone camera recording we did a circuit. The lake bed is very pretty at the moment with large circles of green, yellow, deep red and brown. I dropped him off and flew away thinking that I had probably put a shine on his day. Don

 

 

[Yenn]

I reckon he would positively glisten. Great work!

 

 

[nomadpete]

Thanks for the offer Frank.

 

I just wanted you to know that you are doing a lot for recreational flying. As well as the forum regulars, there are probably quite a few lurkers - and they should be impressed with driftering. It is the kind of flying that should be bringing more converts over to learn what fun real flying can be.