Thruster Photos

[pudestcon]

Tex over in the Drifter forum has started a thread calling for photos of Drifters to be posted - seems very popular so I thought I'd do the same thing here. So come on guys, don't let those Drifter Drivers have all the fun. Let's see what you've got eh?

 

Here's a few to start.

 

 

Gaygirl on climb out after a t&g

 

 

Taxiing back after a successful flight.

 

 

My Grand daughter Maisey's 1st aviation lesson - the various controls and there purpose.

 

Cheers,

 

Pud

 

 

[winsor68]

 

This was taken in Cloncurry in the late 80's... This was the first time I saw a Thruster up close...

 

 

I spent an hour in this beast last year... Loved it!!!

 

 

 

 

 

[pudestcon]

Seeing the inspection windows just behind the seats reminded me of some photos Tony Tiffin sent me. Hope you don't mind me posting one of your shots here Tony.

 

 

Nice presentation I'm sure you will agree. What do you think of the spinner?

 

Pud

 

 

[Guest Maj Millard]

Some nice looking Thrusters there Pud................................................Maj...

 

 

[Tex]

[ATTACH=full]15739[/ATTACH]

My Grand daughter Maisey's 1st aviation lesson - the various controls and there purpose.

 

Cheers,

 

Pud

Very cute!

 

 

[Guernsey]

You don't look too bad yourself Pud.

 

 

[pudestcon]

You don't look too bad yourself Pud.

Yeah right Guernsey!! Thanks for the compliment anyway.

Pud

 

 

[corky450]

 

my thruster with my daughter waiting to go flying

 

 

 

[pudestcon]

[ATTACH=full]15768[/ATTACH][ATTACH=full]15769[/ATTACH]my thruster with my daughter waiting to go flying

Now that looks like a good team corky450 - You, your daughter and the T300 enjoying the pleasures of flight. Magic!!

Pud

 

 

[The Baron]

Seeing the inspection windows just behind the seats reminded me of some photos Tony Tiffin sent me. Hope you don't mind me posting one of your shots here Tony.[ATTACH=full]15740[/ATTACH]

 

Nice presentation I'm sure you will agree. What do you think of the spinner?

 

Pud

Hi, Pud, The photo's that Tiffo sent you are of my Gemini after him and i finished completely overhauling and covering in the rear with stits. It also has the same amount of wig battens as a t 500, If you look above the doors you will notice "experimental" stickers, Steve Bell from Raaus had me put them there until it had a reg 35 to make all the mods legal. It's now a legal trainer again and flies as good as it looks. Cheers, The Baron.

 

 

[pudestcon]

Hi, Pud, The photo's that Tiffo sent you are of my Gemini after him and i finished completely overhauling and covering in the rear with stits. It also has the same amount of wig battens as a t 500, If you look above the doors you will notice "experimental" stickers, Steve Bell from Raaus had me put them there until it had a reg 35 to make all the mods legal. It's now a legal trainer again and flies as good as it looks. Cheers, The Baron.

Well that's interesting Steve, glad to hear it flys as well as it looks. The reason Tony sent me the photos (I have a few of your aircraft) is because I'm interested in fabricating some doors for my T500, for the winter months as it gets bloody cold at North Gabbin.

 

Pud

 

 

[pudestcon]

Here's another couple of your aircraft Baron.

 

 

A 582 silver head Rotax

 

 

Nice looking doors I reckon.

 

 

The pilot uses a Recreational Flying headset. I have 2 of these sets for my Thruster - they work a treat for what I want.

 

Cheers,

 

Pud

 

 

[kermit]

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Guest ozzie]

The original Thruster at Schofields Airshow. Late 1982 i think. Have a close look and list the differences.

 

 

[F22]

God they look like fun

 

 

[pudestcon]

God they look like fun

They sure are F22,

Check out these photos in the Gallery here of a recent local flight we did.

 

http://www.recreationalflying.com/useralbums/a-cool-morning-with-gaygirl.128/view

 

Pud

 

 

[flyerme]

 

THRUSTER T83EH

 

 

 

 

 

[pudestcon]

Nice art work flyerme, and look at that; a Thruster with wheel spats - too good, too good:smoking:

 

Pud

 

 

[Guest Maj Millard]

Keep those great Thruster photos coming, really enjoying them !.........................Years ago a good mate of mine decided he wanted a T500 that was for sale near Frank Arris place close to Cairns. He didn't have a lot of flight-time, and I flew him up in my 582 CB Drifter. He got valuable flight time on the way, even though it was from the back seat.

 

We looked at the red machine and he bought it. The only odd thing that I noticed was that it had been fitted with an ex- Eipper GT 500 landing gear . The tubular spring legs gave it a wider track, and seemed well suited to the job.

 

We had a great flight back in company, with my friend gaining valuable experience in his newly aquired beast.

 

We finally arrived back at Townsvilles' Stark field around midday, in fairly windy and gusty conditions. As this field could be nasty with wind, I cautioned Brian to just watch the landing. He was ahead of me and I watched his touchdown from mid downwind. Initial touch-down seemed good from my vantage point, but resulted in a large bounce, no airspeed at 10', and the resulting crash !!..

 

He blamed his bounce on the springyness of the gear, and that may certainly have contributed.

 

He was devastated, with the gear gone, pod broken, and main fus tube bent just behind the engine !...and was ready to hang the whole thing up there and then.

 

Over the next two months we got her back in the air again, with new standard Thruster gear, pod repairs and repaint, new gear cross section, and a substantial boom splice behind the rear of the engine. I seem to recall the inner tube we inserted was about 2.5 ft long, and turned out to be very successfull in the following years that he flew it daily on his property.

 

After several years of hard usage, he sold it to a neighboring property where it basically ceased to exist. My friend then up graded to a new 582 Xair which he still flys today....Sorry about the sad ending to this Thruster, but it did have a colorfull life while it was around, and I will post some photos of it when I dig them out. Brian also got much valuable experience in it, which made him the good safe pilot he is today..........................................Maj...

 

 

[pudestcon]

There's lots of great stories around about Thrusters I'll bet eh Maj? Thanks for your story. And we want to hear lots more, along with as many photos as possible, right here!!

 

Pud

 

PS. You mentioned Frank Arris in your post above Maj, reminds me of our 4wd trip across Australia later this year when we will visit Frank in Deeral. (Look out Frank!!) 8 weeks exactly today until we leave, but whose counting.

 

 

[Guest Maj Millard]

That'll be great Pud, you should fly the Thruster as support aircraft. Franks' probabily still recovering from from his Biggles visit a couple of weeks back !...................................................Maj...

 

 

[flyerme]

Seeing the inspection windows just behind the seats reminded me of some photos Tony Tiffin sent me. Hope you don't mind me posting one of your shots here Tony.[ATTACH=full]15740[/ATTACH]

 

Nice presentation I'm sure you will agree. What do you think of the spinner?

 

Pud

another of Tony ,s builds.. a single seat

[Louis Moore]

I will have to go get some shots of a thruster to ad to this thread!

 

 

[pudestcon]

I will have to go get some shots of a thruster to ad to this thread!

We are all waiting for your contribution now Louis!!

Pud

 

 

[Louis Moore]

We are all waiting for your contribution now Louis!!Pud

Pressure is on Anyone live near Toowoomba who own a thruster?????