Guest skyspud Posted October 22, 2009 Posted October 22, 2009 Hi every body, I am skyspud and i'm new here. Have enjoyed seeing the different commitments you all have for your passion, and keen to share similar interests. I live and work at Kupunn west of Dalby for The Drifter Factory/Darling Downs Aviation. I'm not an engineer but am assisting in the assembly of Drifters and learning heaps from a fella with a life time of fixing, repairing and odd jobbing planes. I also work around the company farm doing heaps of fun dirty hand sort of stuff. My boss is a great bloke and he lets me take a Drifter for a rip any time i like, which i do most days after work. My weapon of choice is a wire braced 95-10. The most fun you can have with your clothes on. My main role at work is cropdusting which is great fun too. Anyway, that's me Just Landed. skyspud
facthunter Posted October 23, 2009 Posted October 23, 2009 Welcome. The fringe benefits are great. Enjoy them while they last. There is no better view than from a drifter, and your weather should be nice and warm, most of the year. Have flown them down here when the ambient at 3000' is about 2 degrees C. Have never flown a wire braced one though. I was told that they were a bit more draggy. Is that the case?. Welcome to the forums. Nev.
Tomo Posted October 23, 2009 Posted October 23, 2009 Hey Skyspud! I may have met you around the ridges maybe! I fly Bob's little wirebraced drifter out of Dalby, and yes they are terrific fun! just had Bob's over home the last couple of days... I think I could keep it!! I've flown over to Kupunn a few times when training earlier on in the yr, nice little strip out near the factory. We'll have to get together one day and go driftering! Nev: I reckon the wirebraced 503 drifter actually performs slightly better in cruise than the strutbraced 582, I think the extra weight in the 582 and the radiator etc probably kills the extra performance, though they do climb a little better.
Guest skyspud Posted October 24, 2009 Posted October 24, 2009 Hi Nev and Tomo, thanks for the welcome. Sounds cold down your way Nev, that's not a bad sacrifice for better a/c performance. I have to agree with Tomo that the performance of the wire brace is better, i.e. nice tight turns and much lower stall speeds etc., but to keep up with the strutty you really gotta work the engine. But as you said the wire braced is draggier but to it's advantage more than 100kgs lighter. Tomo: Sounds like a great plan. You can land here anytime, I see Bob's plane flying around here a bit. Just keep an ear out for the AG planes. skyspud
farri Posted October 26, 2009 Posted October 26, 2009 Hi every body, My weapon of choice is a wire braced 95-10. The most fun you can have with your clothes on. My main role at work is cropdusting which is great fun too. skyspud G`Day skyspud and Pleased to see a cropduster pilot think the Drifter is a good aircraft. Cheers, Frank.
Guest skyspud Posted October 26, 2009 Posted October 26, 2009 G'Day Frank, pleased to make your acquaintance. If you could do cropdusting from drifters I would be complete. Cheers, skyspud Go fast and take chances
farri Posted October 26, 2009 Posted October 26, 2009 spud,agree fully. The way the Drifter can be manouvered, ( In the right hands ),makes it an excellent AC for the purpose and visibility can`t be beat, thereby adding to the safety of the operation. Cropdusting would be for me if I were a commercial pilot. Cheers, Frank.
cazza Posted October 27, 2009 Posted October 27, 2009 Welcome skyspud, I admire anyone who flies a drifter. Looks hard to me. Drifter pilots are pretty famous in this area. Just had a chat with Matt Hall yesterday, Australia's first ever entrant in the Red Bull Race. He was a top gun in the airforce, is a top aerobatic pilot and his FIRST ever solo in a powered aircraft was (you guessed it) in a DRIFTER!!! And he still flies them and he still loves them. Cool eh? Cazza
Guest skyspud Posted October 30, 2009 Posted October 30, 2009 Gidday Cazza, Matt has definitely got talent, and also got some awesome experience. I've got my own little Red Bull (more like lemonade) course down the back of my place where I like to race around a bit.. Not the same though when you can count the number of eggs in a nest when you go by. I agree Drifters at first seem not as straight forward, especially if you already have a mindset of how to fly other aircraft...but once you get the knack of a Drifter the addiction is hard to fight... skyspud Go fast and take chances
maulonir Posted October 30, 2009 Posted October 30, 2009 I 've never been in a drifter, but even if their half as addictive as Gyro's the only problem I could see myself having is that I reckon I would want one. Rob
Guest skyspud Posted November 1, 2009 Posted November 1, 2009 Hi there Rob, You're right about wanting one! The first time I went in a Drifter I wasn't too enthusiastic at all, but now I go for a rip in it any chance I can..Even if for 5 minutes before the sun goes down. You just take a piece of air and do what you want with it. skyspud Go fast and take chances
farri Posted November 1, 2009 Posted November 1, 2009 Hi there Rob,But now I go for a rip in it any chance I can..Even if for 5 minutes before the sun goes down. You just take a piece of air and do what you want with it. skyspud Go fast and take chances Do it all the time,isn`t it great. Went up an hour ago and the windsock is standing up like a bridegroom on a weding night. Frank.
Guest skyspud Posted November 2, 2009 Posted November 2, 2009 Gidday Frank' After I read your post I got all inspired and finished the day in the Drifter till dark. No specific mission, just me and the wind. Perfect way to end the day. skyspud Go fast and take chances
Tomo Posted November 2, 2009 Posted November 2, 2009 Hey I flew around your strip at Kupunn on Sunday in the Jab... I considered popping in, but it didn't look like there was anyone around.
farri Posted November 3, 2009 Posted November 3, 2009 Gidday Frank'After I read your post I got all inspired and finished the day in the Drifter till dark. No specific mission, just me and the wind. Perfect way to end the day. skyspud Go fast and take chances Spud, I reckon you and I would get on like a house on fire,couldn`t we have some fun together, with both Drifters. If you get to Cairns any time, look me up and we`ll go up in mine. Cheers and all the best. Frank.
Tomo Posted November 3, 2009 Posted November 3, 2009 Hey Farri, how bout you come down here, and I'll come an join in the fun!! The Drifter Trio:clap:
farri Posted November 3, 2009 Posted November 3, 2009 Tomo, you wouldn`t believe how much I`d love to do that,trouble is the way the wind`s been blowing lately,it`d be a hell of a lot faster for you to come up here,be a bugger going back though. Cheers, Frank.
Guest skyspud Posted November 3, 2009 Posted November 3, 2009 Gidday Tomo, I heard someone flying around sometime on Sunday, mystery solved..I live 2 miles back down the road towards Dalby on same side of road. Only takes 3mins to get up to the strip, buzz my house next time and i'll come up.. you can land there anytime. skyspud Go fast and take chances
Guest skyspud Posted November 3, 2009 Posted November 3, 2009 Gidday Frank, I agree with Tomo, we've got the weather too.. More like it won't rain. I've a brother inlaw living in Cairns however he's down here at the moment for while, but when he goes back we'll definitely be up there. Not sure if we'll come up in the Drifter though, might take a while..then again I could put the missus in the back and strap the kiddies to the wings..tempting Will take you up on your offer someday though, and same offer goes down here. skyspud Go fast and take chances
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