Hi, Im charlie1 I've just bought a thruster T 500

[charlie1]

I've been learning to fly in a Drifter, & just bought a T500 so that needs a bit of work, New skins on the wings. It has a grey 582 motor. Any advice or tips would be much appreciated. cheers

 

 

[Guernsey]

I've been learning to fly in a Drifter, & just bought a T500 so that needs a bit of work, New skins on the wings. It has a grey 582 motor. Any advice or tips would be much appreciated. cheers

Advice. Keep it in good condition, fly it regularly, thoroughly enjoy yourself and never sell it unless you really have to. They are a diminishing breed.

 

All the best,

 

Alan.

 

 

[skeptic36]

Keep your engine temperature as even as you can, i.e no power off descents then full power climb out ( the power off decent may be the only part you have control of sometimes). Use high quality 2 stroke oil, such as Castrol active 2t.

 

As Allan said enjoy yourself

 

 

[charlie1]

Cheers, I was advised to replace the drum brakes brakes with hyd brakes, has anyone done this? I was told that the glide rate is nowhere as good as the drifter. As I will be flying over fairly timbered or pulled timber country, does anyone know if I would be able to fit a parachute to it. I was also interested in learning what the differences are between the T300, T500 & T600

 

 

[Methusala]

G'day Charlie,

 

I fly a T300 with a blue head 582. I don't think that power off approaches are anywhere near as bad in a fluid cooled 2-stroke as with, say, an air cooled 503 for example. It is important to do full glide approaches to practice for an engine out. You will find that the landings are much more challenging than in your Drifter, an aircraft which will virtually fly itself onto the deck with little trouble. Wheel-on landings are most advisable initially till you learn to judge the flare correctly. They are a great aircraft and with power at idle they won't exceed vne almost regardless of the nose down angle. T-300's have an open cockpit and the T600 was a nose wheel a/c built to UK standards in Britain. Don

 

 

[Methusala]

I forgot to add that they are so Safe they can only just kill you.

 

 

[Patrick Normoyle]

Charlie 1, I am rebuilding a T300 myself, the Thruster is an amazing aircraft, you will love it. I built a Fisher Mk1 and fly that every chance I get, the T300 will be done by the end of the year ( I hope ). I am getting Emah to do new skins for mine, they are way past a usable state, the aircraft I have is just neglected and needs the TLC and she will be right. Getting parts and advice is a little difficult but do-able. The 5 Thrusters I have flown ( T300, T500 Ann a single seater ) non had brakes as is the same on the one I have now, you don't really need them unless you are constantly on asphalt or similar, even then you can get away without them, just manage your speed and taxi slowly. As for flying over wooded areas, just do it at a height you can make a safe landing from ( something we should always be doing). I fly from Aldinga in SA, where the field has a high proportion of vineyards around the perimeter, I fly slightly higher close circuits with the last decent a side slip, so if at anytime the noise stops I can make a landing on the field easily. I have found the Thruster does sink a little faster than the Drifter when at idle but not at an alarming rate, something you need to factor when flying.

 

 

[Yenn]

I flew one many years ago andd thoroughly enjoyed it. I could never get the nose down steep enough to exceed Vne.

 

One of the best tricks for geting long life in 2 stroke engines we found at our strip, was to start it up and run for a few minutes at about half power, then shut down and let the engine heat soak. Start up and you are just about ready to take off with a bit of taxiing.

 

I had no brakes and the only time that was a problem was when I taxiid down a very steep taxy way on a bush strip. I shut off the engine and rolled onto the strip, hit a small lump on the far side and the tail came up, then dropped back down. Big sigh of relief as I had visions of damaging my U beaut prop. You will find that with 40kt headwinds, your GPS will tell you it is getting longer to your destination, rather than shorter.

 

If anyone tells you not to 3 point it, just ignore that recommendation, they are easy to 3 point and safer.

 

 

[Oscar]

Charlie, if you need parts, P.M. me and I can give you the email for the guy who bought Tony Hayes's remaining collection of bits (and aircraft) just before Tony died. He's at Toowoomba, so not too far away; though rather tied up with other matters at the moment, he might be able to help sort out some issues.

 

 

[Patrick Normoyle]

Oscar, could I have his name and number also, I might need a few bits also.

 

 

[Oscar]

Oscar, could I have his name and number also, I might need a few bits also.

Patrick - yep, for sure - p.m. me.

 

 

[Patrick Normoyle]

As far as landing, I have a preference for wheelers when there is plenty of runway, if it's a short strip I'll do a 3 point landing, practise both plenty so they come naturally, they are an easy aircraft to fly and forgiving.