Promoting the Drifter! What have you done?

[farri]

A first, over the weekend..Matthew, one of my grand sons, with Keah, his fionse.. Keah has a fear of flying due to a bad experience she had on, on a commercial airliner, when she was in her early teens..On landing, I asked her for her first impression, her answer, " Absolutely Amazing"...Matthew has been flying with me, from a young age.

 

 

 

Another first, over the weekend...This is Nicolas with Rick, one of my neighbors... Nicolas is a backpacker from Belgium, here to do the Ausi thing, so I offered to take him flying, over the weekend...His first time in an Ultralight and his smile says it all.

 

 

 

Frank.

 

 

[farri]

I`ve just come across this on Keah`s facebook page, I`m quite touched by it and felt it was worth posting here, to show the positive side of our sport and one of the reasons I do what I do.

 

"So for those of you who know me well, know I have a fear of flying to the point where I cry and shake on the plane! But I hate not being able to enjoy going travelling and I haven't brought myself to go overseas yet for the simple fact of the transport there. I got in an ultralight plane on Saturday. It's completely opened and there was a seatbelt holdings me in. I was shaking from the excitement of being in the air. Proud moment ☺ Thanks to Matts grandad for taking me and for giving me faith" smile emoticon

 

Frank.

 

 

[facthunter]

That's funny Frank. Quite a few pilots feel insecure in the drifter due to the lack of enclosure. A was pleased to find I wasn't, but had heard a lot about it and presumed nothing. You as always do a great job promoting aviation" a la Drifteur". Good work. Nev

 

 

[farri]

That's funny Frank. Quite a few pilots feel insecure in the drifter due to the lack of enclosure. Nev

Nev, I would say, interesting. I`d been talking to Keah and trying to encourage her,for at least the last 12 months...Another quote from a friend, on Keah`s facebook page...Friend, That is so rad ... Did you feel like you could fly ?... Keah, Yes - it was amazing.

 

 

As for the security issue, If not all, most crashes ( I`m not talking about a controlled forced landing ) in an Ultralight aircraft (I include the LSA), result in very serious injuries or are fatal. In my opinion, that bit of cladding surrounding the pilot and passenger is mostly for creature comfort and can give a false sense of security.

 

 

 

 

You as always do a great job promoting aviation" a la Drifteur". Good work. Nev

 

 

Thank you Nev. It means a lot, coming from you.

 

 

 

Frank.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[SDQDI]

In my opinion, that bit of cladding surrounding the pilot and passenger is mostly for creature comfort and can give a false sense of security.

Spot on Frank, a little while ago when flying with my doors on I popped my seatbelt off to fiddle with something that was bugging me and didn't think twice about it but since then I had the same thing play up while flying with the doors off and wasn't game to pop the seatbelt. But truth be told if I hit a big enough bump to throw me out the open door then the catches on the door if shut would provide little to no extra support but it is just a mental illusion of security really.

 

 

[boleropilot]

this thread has gone a little quiet...I love slipping the surly bonds with any victim game enough to strap into the back seat, there's been quite a few

 

funny how 16 year old kids can't get enough of it, yet big boofy blokes run away squealing "you won't get me in that thing - it doesn't even have doors!!!"

 

I always respond "have you ever seen how thick the skin is on aircraft doors?" and then hold up two fingers about 1mm apart...

 

0455 will be played with in the hangar again this afternoon, hope to be airborne again before the end of May, still waiting for grass to grow on the Scary Woolooman Airport - will post some pix!

 

planning a Drifter Fly-in at Woolooman in 2017, an overnighter with the biggest firepit - in the world (spoken like that bloke from Top Gear)

 

cheers big ears

 

BP

 

 

[facthunter]

Drifters are special. The only thing to compare might be a "Breezy", which is probably more difficult to judge pitch as you have no reference. Nev

 

 

[kevb]

Hi Everyone,

 

Finally got down to Bundy to pick up the Yellow Hornet, I have tracked from Bundy and am currently in Katherine in the NT, its been one great trip so far and I"m making many special memories that you can only make while looking at the world from the front seat of a Drifter. Here"s a couple of pics and I will post more pics and movies of the trip once I

 

 

 

 

 

 

[boleropilot]

you lucky bugger - two fuel containers on the back seat (the Boonah boys hang a big long soft bag about a foot in diameter under the tube that runs under the wing longitudinally and fill it up with their under-wing camping gear) and off ya go - man do I ever gotta do that before I shuffle off...

 

 

[kevb]

Lol, yep, its been fantastic, didn"t need to do the camping thing this time as the missus was ground crew for me. It sounds like a great idea for future adventures though.

 

 

[boleropilot]

well the Boonah boyz flew to Avalon for the airshow...crikey!

 

 

[kevb]

Boonah to Avalon, wow what a trip that would be,there are quite a few Drifters up here and hopefully we can organise a few trips in the future. I would love to fly down to at least one airshow a year, work permitting.

 

 

[boleropilot]

hey Kev sounds good - maybe we can plan two round trips, one from BrisVegas and one from Darwin, meeting up somewhere about half way...that would be...Julia Creek?

 

any other suggestions youse guys/gals?

 

come on - let's do it !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

 

[Patrick Normoyle]

[Patrick Normoyle]

my last passenger, a retired Meteor pilot and engineer from the 2nd world war, great flight and nice to share it with my passenger.

 

 

[farri]

My last flight with a passenger!

 

This is Jamie Garces, backpacker from Colombia, currently staying with one of my neighbours, saw me flying and just had to have a go.....First time in an Ultralight....This is what he later wrote on my facebook page ( I`ve copied and pasted)..." You have never flown until you do it in an ultralight, thank you for this beautiful experience."

 

 

Jamie, took this photo...No! I`m not flying in cloud.

 

 

This is Malou Baudemont, backpacker from France, traveling and currently staying with Jamie Garces! First time in an Ultralight, for Malou, also...Both guys have said they will be back for more as they will be in this area for several months.

 

 

So there you have my last two flights, with a first timer!

 

Frank.

 

 

[boleropilot]

I recently had a SFI advise me to always ask the passenger to sign a waiver form, and if they refused to sign then the passenger should not be taken up

 

I was always of the opinion that they (waivers) weren't worth the paper they are written on, and I have to say I have never considered it

 

wotcha reckon ?

 

 

[farri]

I have never had a waiver form, nor will I ever!

 

You get your passenger to sign a waiver form but the passenger and the passenger alone has agreed to the terms of the waiver! As I understand it, anyone can sue on anyone`s behalf! Too many complex legal issues to be tested, in a court of law.

 

My principal is simple! I brief my passenger/s well so they know what we are about to do and that they fly at their own risk, if they agree, I will take them up, if not, I won`t...... With anyone under eighteen years of age, I prefer the parent/s consent.

 

If your are not confident enough to take a passenger flying, without a waiver form, then it`s probably better you don`t.

 

Frank.

 

PS, My opinion only.

 

 

[boleropilot]

thanks Frank, your comments pretty well mirror my opinion (and legal advice I have been offered in the past)

 

BP