Is the Drifter Group still active?

[Mike b]

Is the Drifter group still active? Seems most posts are years old, like me, or I’m probably doing something wrong.........I’ve got a Fisher Drifter and I like reading the old posts.....

 

 

[turboplanner]

Is the Drifter group still active? Seems most posts are years old, like me, or I’m probably doing something wrong.........I’ve got a Fisher Drifter and I like reading the old posts.....

It probably wouldn't take too much to fire it up again.

 

 

[farri]

Is the Drifter group still active? Seems most posts are years old, like me, or I’m probably doing something wrong.........I’ve got a Fisher Drifter and I like reading the old posts.....

AS active as you choose to make it!!!!......Franco. 

 

 

[coinz]

Interest must have waned,i can't understand how such a simple plane isn't offered as a put together kit,or is it?

 

colin

 

 

[Downunder]

I'm  a bit surprised as well....As there still continues to be interest in the design and active flyers worldwide.

 

From memory, a few very old threads covering the topic of re manufacture mentioned alot of fabricated parts required and the labour out weighing potential sales costs.

 

The only way I can see it made new is in a lower labour cost country under "special" low taxation rules devoid of import/export tariffs. I have a few ideas on that.

 

Ideally with a 4 stroke engine, which I think is possible in this day and age, matching cost, power and weight requirements.(even electric?)

 

I believe the manufacturing rights are held by an Australian company and they are pretty much just sitting on it?

 

 

[Cosmick]

Beefed up version

 

http://www.worldaircraftco.com/surveyor/

 

 

[facthunter]

 Don't like it. Basic structure is just not nice.. No basic bracing is triangulated. 100 HP 1320 lbs.. Nev

 

 

[Downunder]

Beefed up version

http://www.worldaircraftco.com/surveyor/

No updates or info for a long time. 

 

I think only a ptototype or couple made. Designed by Max Tedesco so cant be too bad. I like the idea of an aluminium drifter. 

 

 

[M61A1]

Too busy flying to be posting much.......

 

 

[Thruster88]

Interest must have waned,i can't understand how such a simple plane isn't offered as a put together kit,or is it?

colin

One can buy a very very good Drifter or Thruster for only 10-15k now, so thats where the market is. A kit would have 9k in just the 582 and prop.  A 582 with rotax's e-tec would be as reliable and economical as any engine on the market, only available in snowmobiles atm.

 

 

[farri]

Give me an electric setup for my Drifter, that can give me the same performance as my current Rotax 503 DCDI, at a cost roughly equivalent to the 503 and keep me in the air for a minimum of 1 hour and I will fit it at the next engine change... At the moment, it looks like my next engine may have to be a Hirth,  

 

3202 2 cycle 55hp  

 

or the, 3203 2 cycle 65hp both engines are free to air or fan cooled!

 

Franco.

 

 

[farri]

Beefed up version

http://www.worldaircraftco.com/surveyor/

Saw a price on it somewhere, not so long ago and I think it wasn`t too far under $100 K!  Way far too expensive!!! I wouldn`t clean swap my Drifter for it... Franco. 

 

 

[Cosmick]

Give me an electric setup for my Drifter, that can give me the same performance as my current Rotax 503 DCDI, at a cost roughly equivalent to the 503 and keep me in the air for a minimum of 1 hour and I will fit it at the next engine change... At the moment, it looks like my next engine may have to be a Hirth,  

3202 2 cycle 55hp  

 

or the, 3203 2 cycle 65hp both engines are free to air or fan cooled!

 

Franco.

Aerochute have been working on an Electric model for a while, 30 min flight time. 

 

https://www.aerochute.com.au/aerochute-electric/

 

 

[farri]

Aerochute have been working on an Electric model for a while, 30 min flight time. 

https://www.aerochute.com.au/aerochute-electric/

Thank You Mike, I wasn`t aware of it!... Hopefully, there will be electric capable of powering the Drifter before I get to old to use it!!!   ... Seriously though, I would go electric!.......Franco.

 

 

[davebmooney]

Hi all ,looking for some specs on the drifter mainly is there a max front seat limit, thought I'd read it somewhere once but can't find any reference to it anywhere now.

 

Cheers 

 

 

[facthunter]

 There's a minimum weight of the front seat occupant or you carry weight in the seat cushion.  There's probably a Max as well but it just makes it hard to stall.  Nev

 

 

[M61A1]

Hi all ,looking for some specs on the drifter mainly is there a max front seat limit, thought I'd read it somewhere once but can't find any reference to it anywhere now.

Cheers 

The A503 manual says

 

Minimum front seat weight - 69Kg

 

Maximum front seat weight - 92Kg

 

The A582SB manual says:

 

Minimum front seat weight- 65Kg

 

Maximum front seat weight -95Kg

 

 

[davebmooney]

That's what I was afraid of 

 

Cheers 

 

 

[fly_tornado]

time to get on the smokes and laxettes

 

 

[facthunter]

Use it as motivation..  I'm not sure about the smokes and laxettes You will get cramps and lung cancer. Give up sugar and anything processed and the weight will fall off.    Nev

 

 

[-Rod-]

Hi Gents,

 

A NZ Drifter Pilot, Kelly Martin is after some spare parts, original engine mounts for the Rotax upright 582.

 

A contact for a supplier appreciated that I will forward on.

 

Cheers

 

Rod Birrell

 

AirSports Flying School (Victoria)

 

[email protected]

 

 

[boleropilot]

my poor old 582 (3,500 + hours, a lot of them spent chasing sheep and checking bores) has been sold as a basket case due to needing a lot of work, including new skins

 

sold to a consortium of Drifter Drivers, one of them a genius by the name of Manfred.  she's been rebuilt in Boonah and looks like she came out of the factory yesterday

 

as for a Drifter for me?  at this stage the only one I will be in command of is the 6 foot wingspan radio control model I will build - soon !  with electric power no less.....

 

I happen to have a nice little 200 metre landing strip in my back yard, so.....