G'day Tomo,
Thruster vs Drifter eh?
I did all my ab initio training in a Drifter and absolutely loved it. They are a great aircraft with some unique features, including the 'broomstick' feel from the front seat. It can be quite disconcerting flying along without being able to see the wing. Great view too.
The Thruster, for me, suits my purposes better, but does not have quite the performance of the Drifter. In addition, the Thruster has a few 'quirks' that can bite you if you are inattentive, especially on landing and roll out.
The Drifter has a better glide ratio, is easier to land, cruises about 5 knts faster and will cost a bit more than a comparable Thruster, from what I can see.
The Thruster glides like a brick, can be uncomfortable after an hour in the air, is fun to fly (and land), and is a fairly tough "agricultural" type of aircraft.
I reckon the Thruster is great for a fun machine but not so good for long distance flying.
Good luck with the research Tomo.
Pud