What`s Happening???

[facthunter]

I hope that noisy thing behind me is bolted in properly. Are we there yet?. Nev

 

 

[kevb]

Hi Everyone,

 

Did a flight to Gunn Point East of Darwin this morning, apart from the smoke haze a great morning for a flight. Heaps of people out camping for the show long weekend. My wife came for a run as well and snapped a few pics as we meandered over Adelaide River (Home of the Jumping Crocs), to the mouth of the river and then over to Gunn Point. A great way to spend a morning. The wife wants to go to Dundee Beach tomorrow for lunch, don't think that she will have to twist my arm too much.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[farri]

Hi Everyone,Did a flight to Gunn Point East of Darwin this morning

Goodonya kevb! You`re helping to keep the Drifter alive!

 

Frank.

 

 

[facthunter]

Do you go to Batchelor or Coomalie? What's Batchelor like as a place? I know the strip is OK.

 

Also I'm a big Drifter fan. I've only flown SB's like yours.. A few thousand feet would cool the air a bit. Nev

 

 

[kevb]

Hi Nev,

 

Batchler's a great place, there is flight training, parachuting and I do believe that there are a few gliders as well. The town is great, locals friendly and the pub seems like a great place for a cold beer and feed. I have been out to Coomalie a few times as well and it is a great strip. There are plenty of old WW2 strips about and I have been slowly exploring them. I fly most weekends and have been finding a lot of the old bush strips around the area. Couldn't think of a better way to spend my weekends. Kev.

 

 

[farri]

 

Michael, his daughter Leone and Leone`s son, Stohm! This flight last Monday, was Leone`s third and Stohm`s second, with me! Stohm reckons that the Drifter is a " COOL PLANE " and the flight is "AWESOME!" Leone reckons it`s, "FLYING LIKE A BIRD."

 

Leone and Stohm are from Melbourne and are up here to spend some time with Michael and Maria, who have the sailing Catamaran, "Star Gate," moored here in the Mulgrave River, at Deeral! On Sunday they set, sail in the "Star Gate," for the top of Cape York.

 

Frank.

 

 

[Kiwi]

I went for a quick flight around Gatton in the Drifter this afternoon, took some photos and noticed the max ground speed on the gps.

 

(I think I must have had it in the 182 at some stage)

 

 

 

 

 

[farri]

Simon and Bianca, backpackers here from Canada, enjoying Drifter flying with me, this morning.

 

 

 

 

 

[farri]

Flying over the weekend! Me flying Bianca, from Canada! She`s obviously loving it!!!

 

 

 

[facthunter]

And you aren't? You sure get your money's worth out of that Drifter Franco, you lucky bar steward. Jealous Nev

 

 

[farri]

Sure am, Nev and yes! I enjoy it as much as they do.

[farri]

Flying the fourth generation of my family in my Drifter... This morning I had the privilege of taking my four year old, Great Granddaughter, Brooklyn, for her first flight in the Drifter...My wife Frances,our daughter Susan, Granddaughter Alison and now Great Granddaughter, Brooklyn, have all flown with me! Frances, Susan and Alison, numerous times.

 

 

 

 

Son In-law Ashley, who is Brooklyn`s Granddad, My wife Frances, our daughter Susan, who is Ashley`s wife, (holding Isla) their daughter Kristy, Sam and his wife Alison who is, Ashley and Susan`s daughter. Sam and Alison are Brooklyn and Isla`s mum and dad.

 

 

 

Franco.

 

Ps, Very hazy weather.

 

 

[biggles]

Well done Franco , you're another living legend ! Seem to recall Alison was 'expecting' last time we saw her . What a lovely 4 y.o. Brooklyn is .... Bob

 

 

[farri]

Well done Franco Bob

Thank you Bob! Our family just keeps getting bigger! Alison would have been expecting, 2 1/2 year old Isla (above photo) and she will give us a Great Grandson, in about 12 weeks... Amie, our eldest daughter, Linda`s, second daughter, gave us a Great Granddaughter, 6 weeks ago! All going well, Mathew, Our eldest grand son and his partner Keah will give us a Great Grandson, next February, making a total of 5 Great Grandchildren... I hope I get to take them all flying.

 

Franco,

 

Ps, Please say Hello to Sal for Fran and me.

 

 

[farri]

Flying with my daughter,Susan.

 

 

 

[farri]

The late, Ross Millard`s partner, Deb, has been staying with Fran and I, for a few days R&R! Except for some light smoke, this morning the weather was perfect so I asked Deb if she would like to go for a fly, she said, YES! so, up we went! She even got to see a Crock, about 4 meters long, on a sandbar in the Mulgrave river.

 

 

 

 

Franco (Frank)

 

 

[farri]

Arthur,his wife, Viv and his Brother Ed, who are cousins of my wife Frances, rode their motorbikes from Townsville up to Cairns over the weekend to attend the Speedway racing at the Edmonton track! They called in to see Fran and me on their way back home to Townsville.

 

In their younger years, Arthur and Ed were a champion Speedway Sidecar team, winning many events! Arthur is now in his seventies and Ed is in his sixties! Today`s flight was their first time in an Ultralight.

 

 

 

 

 

Franco.

 

 

[Old Koreelah]

Great pix Frank. You're sure doing a good job of sharing the passion. I'm kicking myself for not calling in a week or so back. (I was pretty crook and didn't want to spread it). Do you take those pix over your shoulder or twist around? If you dropped the camera would it fall clear or go thru the prop?

 

 

[farri]

Great pix Frank. You're sure doing a good job of sharing the passion. I'm kicking myself for not calling in a week or so back. (I was pretty crook and didn't want to spread it). Do you take those pix over your shoulder or twist around? If you dropped the camera would it fall clear or go thru the prop?

:wave:O-K ..... Hopefully, we`ll catch up one day!... For the photos, I`m using my Olympus TG-850! When in the air, I position the Drifter so I can get some of the background I want! The camera is attached to my arm, I hold it out the side and shoot, I can`t see anything in the view finder but I`ve learnt just where to hold the camera to get the shot I want.

 

Unfortunately,there`s been a smoke haze around for a while so the recent photos havn`t been as clear as I would like them...Just remembered! Ed got to see two Crocks in the Mulgrave river.

 

 

[Old Koreelah]

I won't be swimming in it any more.

 

 

[tailspin]

Hi Frank like you i have a passion for flying also have a J3 Kitten in a hanger up at Atherton, I would like to meet and go for a flight with you in your Drifter if that is possible i live in cairns and Deeral is close by would it be ok to contact you ron

 

 

[farri]

Hi Frank like you i have a passion for flying also have a J3 Kitten in a hanger up at Atherton, I would like to meet and go for a flight with you in your Drifter if that is possible i live in cairns and Deeral is close by would it be ok to contact you ron

Tailspin,That`s great, wasn`t aware you existed and it certainly is OK to contact me!

 

This coming Saturday is World Wide Ultralight Fly-in (WUFI) day, I will be be flying and if you can get here, I should be able to take you up and you will get your photo posted on the WUFI facebook site.

 

The area inside the blue line is our property, the black lines are my strips

 

 

 

 

[farri]

Hi Frank, I would like to meet and go for a flight with you in your Drifter if that is possible

 

 

 

[farri]

This afternoons flight! Local sugar cane farmer burning off trash, after harvesting.

 

 

 

 

[farri]

 

Alan and his wife Cheryl are long time friends of my wife Frances and myself! They are from Gatton Queensland and have been staying with us for a week of R&R! Alan is a keen fisherman,so, I`ve been taking him fishing and this morning he got to fly with me! Alan is no stranger to the Drifter and has flown with me a couple of times in the past, his son Luke has also.

 

 

Had a surprise visit this morning from Pat and Ron Watson, who flew in below us when I was up there with Alan! This is Ron`s new aircraft, the Pipistrel. Ron runs his own flying school, "Watson Fly," from Mundoo aerodrome, south of Innisfail!

 

Watson Fly • I.LEARNTOFLY

 

 

Franco.(Frank)