Fisher MK1 info

[Rumby]

G'day Guys,

 

Just wondering if anyone has much experience with owning / building the Fisher Mk1 with rotax 503 or 582? I have almost completed my pilot certificate (trained in both Ausflight Drifter and Sportstar) and thoroughly enjoyed the open cockpit flying of the drifter. Is Spectrum Aviation still in the business of selling them as a kit? I've had a look at their website but its looks a bit old, wondering if the pricing info is up to date? Any info you could offer regarding these great aircraft would be much appreciated.

 

Cheers Rumby

 

 

[skyfox1]

Hi Rumby if your looking for a drifter l know where one is for $10.000 its only done about 70 hrs since full rebuild.

 

owner has lost intrest.

 

cheers Geoff

 

 

[XP503]

Spectrum Aviation is still going and Wayne is very knowledgeable on the type, however website prices are out of date. I was going to buy one but went for a Maxair XP503 instead.

 

 

[Vorticity]

I owned a fisher mk1 sport for a while. They are an amazing machine with many small improvements from the austflight. Mine had a 503 and performed very well one up and ok two up. I am told that with the 582 the are a rocket! I have flown the 503 and 582 austflight, great fun but the fisher is even better.

 

 

[Patrick Normoyle]

Rumby, I built a 49/51% kit from Wayne, and it is just AWESOME, as good as the Aust Flite ones, but with the ability to make your own modifications these are fantastic. I have the 582 Blue top driving a 4 blade brolga prop, if you have the money you can even go the 912 ( i would if i could do it all over again ). These are great and very versatile aircraft with lots of forgivness. Two things you should know before getting one, if you are always in a hurry then maybe think of something else to buy, if you live in a typically poor weather climate area, have a good think. Otherwise, this is what you can brag about, short takeoff and landing on most surfaces ( soft sand as well ), rough strips are ok, incredible views, great stability, and very economical ( i get about 17L/hour from my 582 ). To build the kit all you need is some space ( a single car garage will do ) a work bench, basic home handyman tools, a compressor and pneumatic riviter will come in very handy, a swaging tool ( for crimping cables ) and that is about it. The paperwork Wayne gives you is more than enough, but more over his extent of knowledge is unsurpassed by anyone, he knows how to fix it, make it or install it on any Drifter type. Remember he is basically a one man show and surprisingly he has a life so sometimes he might be hard to get or busy as all, so be patient, his after sales support is fantastic. Some optional extras i would highly recomend, 912ULS ( if you have the money, otherwise the 582 ), get dual controls and two seats, the long range main tank ( 65L ) no need for a belly tank, the longer pod and ceconite tail coverings. I have a Skydat GX1 main display, GPS and a few other guages, get a good DEKA Gel resin fibre battery ( Australian made ), i got after market hydraulic disc brakes ( the ones usually supplied are ok, but on concrete or asphalt you may struggle to hold still ), if you are not far from Lismore, make the time ( with a call in advance ) and get in to see him, Wayne is not full of bells and whistles, but there isn't anything he does not know about Drifters. You can choose wing and tail colours and paterns, he makes them there on the site. I will never get rid of mine, your first build is much like your first love ( you'll never forget her ). I built mine in Western Australia, the far north remote areas, then i moved to Melbourne and then to North QLD, one thing i found is that the cold really gets you, Melbourne did it for me. Unfortunatly, i am in Adelaide with a similar problem, cold cold cold, i have purchased a Robinson R44 canopy and am fitting it to my aircraft, as i am a bigger than normal size, i am hinging it and putting in gas struts to lift it and hold it in place. I have some contact details if you want to try and do this also, it's a bit of work, but will be well worth the effort, and then you are out of the breeze !

 

Good luck and hopefully welcome to the Drifter / Fisher club.

 

 

[Rumby]

Thanks for the info everyone. I recently emailed Wayne, he said that the price for the MK1 with the 582 would be about $34 000. Not sure if this was for the kit or factory built though. Seems a little high for kit, given what else is on the market. Patrick, are you able to advise the price you paid for your kit?

 

Cheers

 

 

[XP503]

It's worth it, Wayne's workmanship and expertise is incomparable

 

 

[Patrick Normoyle]

Sorry Rumby, just getting back on the forums, I hope your a fellow Mk 1 owner, I paid about 28K in 2000, add another 4K for radios and gauges and gizmos, 1-2k for 2pak ( not the singer) paint and your done. I did the dual control two seat thing, 582 donk and spats, Wayne is the Drifter GOD, his knowledge and experience is just awesome, if he helped Noah build the Ark, that damn thing would still be flying under the 19 reg of course. I have done 458 hours on mine, flown all over the country, i am lucky, I have a wife and a winged mistress as well, I'll never diverse her ( the aircraft that is )..