Promoting the Drifter! What have you done?

[farri]

I took this photo of the top of Mt Bellenden Ker, from my Drifter, yesterday afternoon! The tower to the left of the sun is a TV tower. The light on top of it is reflection from the sun.

 

 

Frank.

 

 

[farri]

He Guys! Am I the only Drifter pilot left on here, doing any flying?

 

Taking my beautiful Granddaughter, Alison Theurillat , for a fly, yesterday afternoon! Alison had her first flight, in the Drifter with me, at around 4/5 years of age,don`t remember exactly. All my grandchildren fly with me and they started young, also.

 

 

Don`t worry!....It was low tide, plenty of beach available and from this height, I could have glided back to my strip, with plenty of height to spare. The strip is just beyond and bellow, the tree line, above Alison`s left leg.

 

Frank.

 

 

[Samuel117]

Hi Frank, nice pictures. Here one of the recent addition to the Drifter's passenger club. Roshan Gyawali. Originally from Nepal. He took on my offer to fly the Drifter and so far have being the happiest passenger.

 

 

[farri]

Here one of the recent addition to the Drifter's passenger club.

Now, there`s a thought, ' Drifter passenger club. ' great idea!

 

Samuel, looks like all the Drifter jocks have abandoned this site! Only you and me to keep promoting the Drifter here. I think facebook has won them all over.

 

Frank.

 

 

[Cosmick]

Yeah but keep it coming

 

 

[farri]

Yeah but keep it coming

Ok then! I will. ...This is big Sam Theurillat, Alison`s husband. Took him up this afternoon.

 

 

Frank

 

 

[Samuel117]

Hi Frank,

 

You are doing great keeping the Drifter's legacy alive and well. For every twenty passengers we take maybe one will decide to go into flying and that it is good. I can tell you you will change the perception about aviation of every one of them you take up. It is up to us to change that perception to a positive one. I just took flying a friend that have been tinkering around pilots friends and had flying in his bucket list. He has a simulator at home and plays often. I took the time to explain basic theory of flight. We talked about flight controls and procedures like checklists and preflight inspection as well as basic maneuvers. After our flight, he decided to start ground school to get his private ticket. One passenger at the time! That is our mission to bring light sport aviation to the general public. I am very happy about this. Will post pictures soon.

 

 

[Samuel117]

[Samuel117]

Eric Salado is a well known Orthopedic surgeon in Miami and an expert at spear fishing. He will make a great pilot. He showed a Steady hand and good coordination.

 

 

[farri]

Goodonya Samuel!

 

Unfortunately, Over here, it`s getting harder for Drifter owners to keep them flying.

 

Austflight Aviation, manufactured the original certified Drifters but they havn`t existed for many years!I did a quick Google search and found this http://listings.ftb-companies-au.com/l/102247552/Drifter-Aircraft-Pty-Ltd-in-Dalby-QLD I don`t know what`s happening there, someone on this forum might know and like to tell us.

 

Again! Unfortunately! Two years ago, we lost Mr Drifter, 'Wayne Fisher', in an accident, while test flying a new aircraft ( Not a Drifter ) that someone else had built. Spectrum Aviation, no longer exist`s, so parts are getting harder, if not impossible to get and not everyone is capable of doing their own work,on their Drifter.

 

Frank.

 

 

[Samuel117]

It is sad to hear that. I am pretty sure someone will take the torch and revive the Drifter factory somehow. Here we have Lockwood that support the Drifter flyers. Even when they have a new modification they call Superdrifter, they are focused in producing and advertising the Aircam. It is a shame they don't even take the drifter to the airshows here in Florida. I questioned one of the sellers for Lockwood and they say they are a small company and are unable to take people out of the Aircam line to build Drifters. At least we can find parts. I just came back about two hours ago from flying after work. This pictures all were taken today. Still fresh from my phone.

 

 

 

 

[Samuel117]

The storm was to the west. I pointed the camera to the storm and the nose of the Drifter 180 degrees to the other side. That is the key to go back home with the airplane still in one piece. Here the approach view of runway 18.

 

 

[Samuel117]

It looks worse than it was up close. It went to the north with the wind and after it left a beautiful evening to flight. I'll try to post a small video of one of the landings at Homestead general airport, close to my base.

 

 

[farri]

The storm was to the west. I pointed the camera to the storm and the nose of the Drifter 180 degrees to the other side. That is the key to go back home with the airplane still in one piece.

Samual, To this day, I tell everyone, longevity in flying,( among other things), is knowing when to stay on the ground.

 

 

[bexrbetter]

Fantastic thread guys, stunning visuals.

 

 

[farri]

For every twenty passengers we take maybe one will decide to go into flying and that it is good.

Samuel, Have you considered instructing?

 

Don`t know if you know this, so here goes. I`ve been taking people flying in the Drifter for many years. Way back, I was the president and AUF, CFI for the

 

'Far North Queensland Ultralight Association', I was instructing, legally, here off our property. I instructed for two years for the FNQUA... Finally the club no longer wanted to be involved with the instructing side of it so I had my own FTF approved and continued instructing for another twelve years,here on the property.

 

Back then there was a lot of demand for the Drifter as it was one of the first Ultralights which made instructing in a twin seat Ultralight, legal, in this country and mine was one of them.

 

Passengers?... I`ve had hundreds, lost count a long time ago! How many of those went on to learn to fly? I only know of the ones I instructed. These days, I take people up, just for the joy of it and it`s mutual.

 

Unfortunately, the young ones today have too many toys to spend their money on and not enough to learn to fly unless they want to become a commercial pilot but it might be different where you are, so keep doing what you enjoy.

 

Frank.

 

 

[Samuel117]

Hi Frank,

 

You for sure have done your part for aviation. "A good instructor is priceless, for everything else you have your credit card"

 

Sad students some time do not know how to tell the good from the bad ones. Instructing has always interested me but time it is one thing I don't have these days. I work 6 days a week and only have a couple of hours one evening during the week and a couple of hours every Sunday morning to fly. Sundays mid morning my family wake up and start requesting my attention. Maybe when my kids finish going through college I could slow down and devote myself to instructing. My youngest son is only six now!

 

 

[Samuel117]

One thing I do try these days is to mentor those I know that are learning to fly and I really enjoy that.

 

 

[Samuel117]

 

 

 

[farri]

Fantastic thread guys, stunning visuals.

Bex, here`s another couple for you. Aqua culture ponds, near 'Silkwood Queensland', I took it from my Drifter, on one of my X country flights.

 

 

 

 

[fly_tornado]

super drifter sounds amazing, a future as a float plane.

 

http://www.kitplanes.com/issues/29_10/flight_reports/Lockwood_Super_Drifter_20570-1.html

 

 

[Samuel117]

The superDrifter it is a great float plane. The first Drifter I flew as a passenger was on floats with a rotax 912. It was amazing. This new model with 100 hp rotax only make sense on floats as it is otherwise overpowered. I could go to VNE in level flight with 80 hp on mine. A climbing prop takes you up higher fast and the increased size of the tail helps to improve handling at slow speed. The price of a new Superdrifter it is about 50ks. The price kills what otherwise could be a great option. I have a friend who keeps one in a hangar brand new with only about 30 hours and flew it last time a year ago. That is a crime. Hangar queens are a shame!

 

 

[farri]

The superDrifter it is a great float plane.

I flew an Austflight Aviation built, WB Drifter with a Rotax 503 engine, many years ago. The floats were made of fibrerglass and they were two thirds the length of the Drifter,huge by comparison to the aircraft, to look at them, you would think the AC would never get off the water but get off it did and flew very well and very maneuverable.

 

The owner was a big guy and his passenger was Ron Biondi ( Drifter owner ) a big guy also, but the AC still got off the water and did what it was supposed to do.

 

Frank.

 

 

[biggles]

 

I flew an Austflight Aviation built, WB Drifter with a Rotax 503 engine, many years ago. The floats were made of fibrerglass and they were two thirds the length of the Drifter,huge by comparison to the aircraft, to look at them, you would think the AC would never get off the water but get off it did and flew very well and very maneuverable.The owner was a big guy and his passenger was Ron Biondi ( Drifter owner ) a big guy also, but the AC still got off the water and did what it was supposed to do.

 

Frank.

I know Ron, he's a nice guy , like you and I Frank come to think of it . He has a real story to tell , but that will have to wait for another day I think ....... Bob.

 

 

[farri]

He has a real story to tell ....... Bob.

Bob, I think I know which story you`re talking about, if it is, I posted the photo on the forum somewhere quite a while back, don`t have a clue where to find it though. I`ve got it on my computer but havn`t been able to find there either.

 

I took this photo of Ron few months ago. He`s eighty four and half and still flying fairly regularly.

 

 

Frank.