Completely restored thruster T83 FOR SALE

[nickbunfield]

FOR SALE:

 

 

 

Thruster T83 (10-8583):

 

 

 

Aircraft Total time since complete restoration: 15 hours

 

Rotax .447 Engine

 

Ground adjustable 2 blade propellor

 

New wing, aileron and lower tail skins, all others good condition.

 

New tundra tyres

 

New Skydat digital instruments (ASI, ALT, VSI, RPM, CHT, EGT, OAT) mounted in checker plate panel

 

New Flightline FL760 Radio

 

New stainless steel control cables

 

Cessna style toe brake setup with new Hegar disc brakes

 

New castoring tailwheel assembly

 

New AN bolts and hardware all round

 

Custom Splittable pod with Camloc fasteners

 

New Seat, seatbelt and throttle/trim controls

 

New battery/battery box installed behind seat with regulator rectifier on engine.

 

 

 

Basically a single seat Brand new aircraft, cruises 55-60 knots on 12-15 LPH

 

Will not disappoint, flies beautifully!

 

Asking $8500

 

 

 

Message me for anymore information,

 

Cheers Nick

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[planedriver]

Looks real nice, good luck with the sale.

 

 

[Diddy Pilot]

Looks like a great restoration.

 

There is a lack of good quality models like this nowadays. Still some good old ones which could be updated though. I keep wondering what the market would be for a simple entry level ultralight nowadays.

 

If I had the funds available, I'd be heading down to Merimbula for a decent look.

 

 

[nickbunfield]

I agree there Diddy, I think there could be a real market for a new aircraft like this for around 10 grand. When you compare it to the trikes of today for 60-80 thousand you get a lot more for your money.

 

 

[Head in the clouds]

I agree there Diddy, I think there could be a real market for a new aircraft like this for around 10 grand. When you compare it to the trikes of today for 60-80 thousand you get a lot more for your money.

Dead right there would be, but when you take into account that the cheapest engine that would power it would be something like the MZ201 which has a belt reduction and 45hp and costs US$4800 plus freight plus GST = AU$7600 - where are you going to find someone to make themselves and their dealers sufficient profit to build you an airframe for it for the remaining $2400 (less GST of course).

 

So you have a budget of AU$2200 to build an airframe and the coverings, wheels, hardware etc, and freight it, and make a living doing it ... the materials alone come to around AU$6000 plus freight from overseas, plus GST ...

 

Your comparison with a $70K trike is apples and oranges, last time I saw a $70K trike it had a $25K powerplant and two seats rather than one.

 

A more realistic figure for retailing a new T83 type aircraft these days would be $25-30K plus tax, and given the public reaction to that kind of price for that kind of aircraft explains why no-one's making them anymore.

 

All of which supports the contention that this particular aircraft at that price is an absolute bargain and exceptionally cheap flying for the lucky new owner. But even at that knock-down price I don't see a queue of folks jostling to slap their dollars on the table.

 

Why is that? Whenever there's a thread about a cheap aircraft everyone wants one, then when something like this comes along no-one snaps it up. What is it that doesn't instantly appeal? Not macho enough? Not fast enough? I've got quite a bit of time in Thrusters and they're great fun.

 

 

[facthunter]

Frightened to be a bit different? They used to be common. It's the same air and the planes are available and how much can you lose if it's in good nick. Nev

 

 

[kasper]

Dead right there would be, but when you take into account that the cheapest engine that would power it would be something like the MZ201 which has a belt reduction and 45hp and costs US$4800 plus freight plus GST = AU$7600 - where are you going to find someone to make themselves and their dealers sufficient profit to build you an airframe for it for the remaining $2400 (less GST of course).So you have a budget of AU$2200 to build an airframe and the coverings, wheels, hardware etc, and freight it, and make a living doing it ... the materials alone come to around AU$6000 plus freight from overseas, plus GST ...

 

Your comparison with a $70K trike is apples and oranges, last time I saw a $70K trike it had a $25K powerplant and two seats rather than one.

 

A more realistic figure for retailing a new T83 type aircraft these days would be $25-30K plus tax, and given the public reaction to that kind of price for that kind of aircraft explains why no-one's making them anymore.

 

All of which supports the contention that this particular aircraft at that price is an absolute bargain and exceptionally cheap flying for the lucky new owner. But even at that knock-down price I don't see a queue of folks jostling to slap their dollars on the table.

 

Why is that? Whenever there's a thread about a cheap aircraft everyone wants one, then when something like this comes along no-one snaps it up. What is it that doesn't instantly appeal? Not macho enough? Not fast enough? I've got quite a bit of time in Thrusters and they're great fun.

And given I have made a set of skins up for a T83 I can assure you that the cost of fabric, tapes and closures is in excess of $1,800 + GST ... and that is without labour ... the cost of building a T83 or T85 airframe is targeting the mid $20k mark ... and the direct cost of additional materials to make it a 2 seater airframe is small - a couple of thousand only.

So the 'cost' difference between a single and two seater of the thruster types is difference in engine cost (around $3,000 between your 40 and 65HP) plus the airframe materials of $2,000 and there you go - a single seater should COST around $5,000 less than a two seater ... and you will never get a punter to understand that a single seater is only that much less than a two seater ... so they go for the two seater and fly around with an empty seat.

 

Shame really because the R503 T85 short wing was the MOST gorgeous thruster I have flown in terms of power, agility and smile per minute/$

 

 

[Yenn]

I think I can see why they are not selling. just compare with a corby Starlet. Single seat, bigger engine, much faster, enclosed cockpit and they can be bought for less than your Head in the clouds quoted price for a T83.

 

 

[fly_tornado]

Titan sell the Tornado 1 kit for $11,649.00 which can take a 503, 582, 912 or 2200A. They don't sell at all.

 

 

[Head in the clouds]

Titan sell the Tornado 1 kit for $11,649.00 which can take a 503, 582, 912 or 2200A. They don't sell at all.

Yup, but that's US dollars. So 11,649 x 100/73 = AU$15,957. Add an MZ 202 being the cheapest suitable engine, at US$6000 plus a US$1000 airscrew and freight the lot at say US$2000 (9,000 x 100/73 = AU$12,329) which makes a total of AU$28,286 ... plus AU$2,828 GST = AU$31,114.

 

That's over 30 grand for a very basic pod and boom aircraft. Maybe gives some idea why the "$10,000 aircraft" is no more than a pipe-dream. On the other hand you can't buy a decent sports car for anything like as little as 30 grand and even if you spent 50 grand on an aging Porsche or Ferrari, in my mind the little plane has more to offer. Needs a second seat to attract as many girls but ...

 

I'm surprised no-one from the northern States has bought the T83 yet. Everything's worth more in the north so someone could buy it, have fun flying it up and using it for a while and sell at a profit. It would sell for $15k in Darwin, the Kimberley or probably mid/north Qld too, I would think.