adshedsyd Posted February 3, 2019 Posted February 3, 2019 Thanks Allen I will do a search around NZ . I guess there are not too many Sinus a/c flying in Australia
Yenn Posted February 3, 2019 Posted February 3, 2019 Farri must get the medal for promoting the fun of flying. 2 1 1 2
farri Posted February 3, 2019 Author Posted February 3, 2019 Hey Frank, how is it up there? Growing fins yet? Cheers Don G`Day Don! Rain, Rain, More Rain, Then! Even More Rain! and it`s not finished yet! Following a very dry year for this part of the country, the dry ended in mid December... We`ve been flooded in twice already this year and it`s only the beginning of February and the Cyclone season doesn`t end till the end of April. I`ve had to bring the Drifter up to higher ground here at the house for the second time! it was tied down here for the best part of last week...This morning there was a break in the rain and the wind so I decided to go for a fly! I had to use the strip up at the house here but nothing stops the grass growing and I havn`t been able to mow it so it was fairly high but not a problem! I landed back on the other one and put the Drifter back in the shed but I don`t know for how long it will be there as that low that`s been flooding so many areas of North Queensland is expected to last at least another week. Franco. 1
Methusala Posted February 3, 2019 Posted February 3, 2019 G'day Frank, Went for a fly yesterday in my mate's Drifter for 35m. The country around here is holding up well due to some heavy rain in t'storms. However it is still very hot and this has killed tomato plants in our garden. Hope that you and Fran aren't too badly affected by the floods, cheers Don 1
farri Posted February 11, 2019 Author Posted February 11, 2019 Yesterday afternoon I had the pleasure of taking Tony Lanzi up in the Drifter for his first Ultralight flight! Next was to be Matthew, our eldest Grand-Son and a 13-year-old boy who Matt mentors at school, but unfortunately, just as they arrived mother nature unleashed a Thunder Storm that would have been the equivalent of a category 1 cyclone! it knocked out the power to 250 homes in the Babinda area, fortunately, we have a standby generator so we didn`t have to sit in the dark for several hours! The current forecast is for fine with very little wind for all of this week which is great but "MAN! IS IT HOT AND HUMID!" Tony Lanzi is a very experienced pilot who owns and flies a 1981, RG 182 Cessna,Turbo, currently based at Innisfail aerodrome...I met Tony for the first time,yesterday. Franco.
farri Posted February 22, 2019 Author Posted February 22, 2019 This is what happened at Deeral today! Perfect Drifter flying conditions so fly we did! Recreational aviation just doesn`t get any better than this!!! This morning. This afternoon...Sarah and Tanja, both from Germany! 3
farri Posted April 10, 2019 Author Posted April 10, 2019 As I got a private message from SSCBD wondering what has happened to me because I havn`t been posting my usual photos, I can assure everyone I`m safe and well and still flying. The weather up here has been terrible for weeks on end, with strong wind and heavy rain but I`ve been getting some solo flying in, when it`s eased off a bit! We currently have reasonable weather today and tomorrow but rain and wind is supposed to start up again on Friday so I`ll probably go up again for a quickie, this afternoon. Looking South, with Fishery Falls ahead and below. Sunn going down over Mt Bellenden Ker! Yesterday I was up at the Daintree Village, helping to lay a phone line across the Daintree River, spotted this beaut little waterfall on the bank of the River, took the photos from my Tinnie! Franco. 3
Old Koreelah Posted April 10, 2019 Posted April 10, 2019 You stay away from the sides of that tinny, Franko! Them's plurry big lizards in the water! 1
farri Posted April 10, 2019 Author Posted April 10, 2019 Yeah! I`ve been in the water with them many times in my life and I`ve always wondered how many times one or more of them were eying me off, never been threatened by any though! There was a large one about 50 mt, upstream, from where we had to get out of the tinnie and onto the bank, to work on the cable! I think we were on it`s resting spot, didn`t bother us though! The Croc spotting boat pulled up to show the tourists. Crocks need to be taken seriously! It`s now two years and one month since Warren Hughs, a friend, and a guy I`d been spearfishing with several times, was bitten on the head and killed by a Croc, while he was spearfishing... I took this photo, from the road, just up the road from home here, at Deeral.
farri Posted May 6, 2019 Author Posted May 6, 2019 Finally!!! After several weeks of solo flying, between heavy rain squalls and strong wind, this afternoon I got to take Alison, our eldest Grand-Daughter and Brooklyn, our Great-Grand-Daughter. (Alison`s Daughter) Alison has flown with me many times over the years, she started flying with me at 4 years of age...Brooklyn also started with me at 4 years of age and this was her 5th flight. Franco. 5 1 1
farri Posted May 27, 2019 Author Posted May 27, 2019 Thanks for the nomination guys, but I think I`ll pass........ The Drifter lives on!... Over the weekend we celebrated the thirtieth birthday of our beautiful, eldest Grand-Daughter, Alison, the lady standing beside the Drifter in the photo above. Alison has many friends and they came from near and far, so it was a fairly big affair! the party was supposed to be held here on our property, but! due to bad weather, we had to hold it in one of the local halls... Through the night several of Alison`s friend came up to me to say hello as I`d taken them flying in the Drifter, over the years. Alison with her Dad, Ashley. This is Bryce Ward... Bryce and his wife Rebecca flew up from Ipswich, to attend. I`d taken Rebecca flying a couple of times over the years and fortunately for Bryce, on Saturday the weather improved enough for me to take him for his first flight in an Ultralight... Bryce passionately wants to become a recreational pilot so I`ve given him sufficient information for him to go for it... We might see him on this forum, shortly! Franco. 4
facthunter Posted May 27, 2019 Posted May 27, 2019 We need more drifters, and people like Franco. The front seat has the best view from any plane (except perhaps a Breezy.) Some like more around them but it's a disconnect in varying degrees, from the real experience of basic flying. Nev 2 1 1
Methusala Posted May 27, 2019 Posted May 27, 2019 Hey! I know that this thread is supposed to be DRIFTER HEAVEN but you have to admit that the Thruster takes some beating in the visibility stakes. Especially since you can stand them on their nose with idle power and they won't bust Vne. 2 1
Blueadventures Posted May 27, 2019 Posted May 27, 2019 Hey! I know that this thread is supposed to be DRIFTER HEAVEN but you have to admit that the Thruster takes some beating in the visibility stakes. Especially since you can stand them on their nose with idle power and they won't bust Vne. Maybe; but as all drifter drivers know prop blades spoil the uninterrupted view. ☺? 1
facthunter Posted May 30, 2019 Posted May 30, 2019 You can do that nearly as effectively in a drifter as well. As I've said before really nothing beats a drifter for the complete view. Go fly one if you haven't for a while. The thing to watch though is have nothing loose to fly back into the prop. Nev 1 1
Methusala Posted May 30, 2019 Posted May 30, 2019 I've flown Drifters with Frank and my Canberra mate. Prefer Thrusters in Canberra (where it's mainly cold) but Drifters really do it in style - I like the ailerons, very light and well harmonised. My VP-2 had the heaviest ailerons, sometimes needed two hands! But a very effective rudder compensated somewhat. 2
SSCBD Posted May 30, 2019 Posted May 30, 2019 Maybe; but as all drifter drivers know prop blades spoil the uninterrupted view. ☺? "Thruster takes some beating in the visibility stakes. Especially since you can stand them on their nose with idle power and they won't bust Vne." However Methusala You can if you try harder in the Thurster the pod will get a large dimple in it!!!! AND RE visibility with the prop in front - Only while the engine works - they sound a bit rattly with the engine off. Then you get the full eye opening effect of the earth in front of your nose.
Methusala Posted May 31, 2019 Posted May 31, 2019 A gent located down the Murray said, when explaining how to loop a thruster,"Gain speed till the windscreen distorts inwards." Then you know that the correct speed has been reached to complete the loop. Of course, this is all hearsay, and could well be an urban myth. ( I've never tried it meself!0 2
Methusala Posted May 31, 2019 Posted May 31, 2019 Then you get the full eye opening effect of the earth in front of your nose. This, of course, is the correct stance for a perfect Thruster landing. 2 1
SSCBD Posted June 1, 2019 Posted June 1, 2019 Just to set the record straight from any myth. Methusaia - I can report to any judge, that even the old thruster Gemini can do four consecutive loops - and that CASA has locked away, a video of it, so it wont be seen in daylight. They thought with all the rules and regs back then - wing loading with huge drag etc that the aeronautical engineers said no way. Guess CASA was wrong again. Who would have thought. 1
Thruster88 Posted June 1, 2019 Posted June 1, 2019 I believe the Thruster can also do a nice 4 turn spin one up with the loss of only 500 feet and that recovery occurs in only 1/4 rotation when the controls are returned to neutral 1
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