Wirraway

Congrats, and good luck.

I use maps......about to do my Nav endorsement!

Just using your post, Yenn, to provide context (I hope) for my comments. If the issue is lack of instructors/schools using Drifters, then surely that is a result of supply and demand???? There used to be several instructors using Drifters as the ab initio aircraft, but no more....why is it so???? Personally, I would love to fly a Drifter, just for the buzz of sitting on a boom, with the wind in my hair. 🙂 But would I buy one???? NO. At 62, with a new RPC under my belt, I am only ever going to buy one aircraft. (Explains why I am still looking after 2 years scouring the for sale pages) I showed my wife a pic of a Drifter. "Hell no" she said. At one of the airfields here in WAussieland, I have been told that there are many tandem aircraft that don't fly often, "....because wives don't like being out there alone...." My wife has been up with me in a Jab 170, loved it, and wants to do it again. She likes the security of the enclosed cockpiut, and me sitting next to her. 🙂 That is a huge consideration. So with enclosed cockpit aircraft under the RAAus banner relatively affordable, (relatively.....what an all-encompassing word) I am aiming for soemthing that has a bit of speed, can carry a bit, good for longer flights, and keeps the bride happy. Now, am I alone??? People with more money than me are paying $70+ thousand for their pride and joy. Good luck to them. I will hopefully get something affordable to me, that ticks a few boxes. But for those that want to fly a Drifter or Thruster, no criticism. But if you can't find a school that uses them to teach, isn't that supply and demand at work??? And please, I mean no criticism to anyone. Just saying that 30+ years ago, "state of the art" and affordable aircraft may have been Drifter, Thruster, Quicksilver, but now, things have changed. Sorry to bore you, but one question, apart from Quicksilver, who still makes rag and tube aircraft, for those who would NOT want to fly in something they have built???

There was a Fisher Celebrity fir sale in W.A. A little while ago. RILEY who sometimes frequents these pages might be able to give you more info.

In similar vein, I don't have a death wish, but I have done a lot of scuba diving, skydiving and I ride motorbikes, (Moto Guzzi Griso 1100 and V-Strom 1000). Some people lump them all together with flying as dangerous activities. In fact when I started flying lessons, I had a few comments along the lines of, "...another death wish activity" or " why don't you take up something safe like lawn bowls"? I never considered skydiving dangerous, but it was great for honing one's mind, because you don't get to make too many mistakes. 🙂

Wouldn’t say it was that stupid. Relative work (forming up with other skydivers) is a pretty basic skill, one of the first things you learn once you get your licence. Once he linked up with the second guy, just a matter of hooking up the straps. i would not say I was a skilled skydiver, but linking up like that .....even I could achieve that. Would ai do it.....probably not. 🙂 However I did see a video of a guy who landed on a giant aircushion....that had so many ways to go wrong.

Did someone mention Jabiru???? Yes I know,.....hat, coat, door.......

$320/hour for RAAus???? Definitely OTT. The flight school I used to get my RPC charges $190/hour with instructor, $160/hour for aircraft hire. (Jab 170C) Others in W.A. charge $250-$265/hour, but for Foxbat or Tecnam Sierra. But regardless, much cheaper than GA.

Hoping tokeep my Griso 1100 AND an aircraft. What's your Guzzi????

Whether it is real or not, the "fire" they are putting out is just hessian or a similar material, which will extinguish with minimal water. While using the drones is a good idea, if it were a real high rise with furniture and fittings inside, it would take a hell of a lot of water, mush more than being put out by the drones. But I suppose, "watch this space" A few years ago, electric cars had a range of about one hundred kms, now it is several hundred.

I can't speak for all of W.A., but in my little corner, the flying school at the airfield I use, and whose aircraft I use, has 49 hours booked according to this weekend's roster (subject to rain), and is in the 40 hours a weekend regularly. Up a lot on previous years. This is all under the auspices of RAAus. Just taken delivery of their 4th Jab 170, with a 230 on cross-hire also. I know a gyro instructor at another location who is very busy most weekends with TIFs and lessons. It appears many people, who aren't/can't travel might be realising a long held dream to learn. Additionally, many teenagers, hoping to make a career of it, start by attaining their RPC, with a couple of endorsements, at less than half the rate at a GA flying school at Jandakot. Converting RPC to RPL then PPL, is relatively simple. So the evidence here is that things, for an RAAus school, are pretty busy. As for the aircraft....Walrus and his tale of improvements on the water is a good analogy. I first became aware of this type of flying back about 1990, the days off the AUF. Back when a Steak Shadow, Quicksilver, not to mention Drifter, was enough to give me a rise in my Levis!!!!! But now, for around $30,000 I can get a side-by-side, (I'm told many wives don't like being "alone" in a tandem set-up. Mine won't even look at a Drifter) Zenair 601. Relatively fast, capable. The smaller Jabirus abound in this price range. So as much as I like flying, and the notion of a Tyro, Sapphire and similar is appealing, getting a so-called plastic fantastic is attractive as it provides options. Getting aloft relatively cheaply, taking a passenger, travelling about the place at a degree of pace, and a payload that is attactive. In my early 60s, retirement beckons. So I can/will only buy one aircraft, just waiting for the one that fits the bill. I came very close to buying a 601 this week. Except for the fact that with a side hinged canopy, I could hardly fold myself into it. Getting out provided no end of amusement for the bystanders!!!! Just my two bobs worth.

Apologies, but I haven't read all 7 pages of this thread. My bad, I know. However, just thought I would share something that may not have been brought up here. On the FB page Recreational Aviation Australia Discussion (RAAus/RAA) a poster talks of putting the Airmaster CS prop on his Brumby 610. Weight of 11.8 kg, but he is yet to do a W & B calc. 914hp Rotax, and will instal floats. CSU allows for Beta, apparently handy with floats. FYI

Yours is quite a confronting story, and I do not doubt the veracity of what you say. This may sound trite, and I hate to put this down, I don't wish to engage in conversation by way of cliche, but I cannot think of a better way of saying it. One man's terrorist is another man's freedom fighter. And, sadly, as we are finding out, some Australian troops are alleged to have behaved in an appalling manner in Afghanistan. Time and time again, history shows that poor behaviour by combatants is counter-productive in the extreme. My comment referencing submarines, was an attempt to illustrate that this is not the first time new technology has been labelled "cowardly". Which is different to the appropriate use of technology against combatants. Submarines Vs destroyers, frigates and aircraft carriers, fair game. Submarines Vs passenger liners or hospital ships, beyoned the pale. Drones Vs armoured fighting vehicles, gun emplacements or military buildings, I would say fair game. Difference between drone versus piloted aircraft strike??? Less risk to your own side. Drone Vs civil population. Not appropriate, but no difference to area bombing of WWI, WWII Vietnam. Nest question, should there be military activity/conflict happening? Another story entirely. Crimes against non-combantants, are just that, crimes. John Robert, we probably agree on most things. Pace

I recall reading that many Admirals back in the day described submarines as cowardly too. Cannot quickly find the references, but here's an illustration of what I am alluding to. Cowardly attack

Can you give any info, please, on how old the engine was when it was installed, reliabiloity, TBO etc, etc. There was an a/c for sale 12 or so months ago with a BMW engine, don't think it was a Thruster though. Thanks

In my training in a Jab 170C, just after take off the instructor closed the throttle. I wasn't expecting it so close to the ground to be honest, but I lowered the nose, went into a tight turn, instructor says tighter still, then rudder only to straighten, and we were over the threshhold safely. When I asked how high we were, "about 250 feet" was the response. However, he did warn against practising that on my own. I have heard of Jabs being turned around much lower. But from much more experienced pilots, "....it depends on the aircraft, would never attempt anything like that in a Cessna 172..." I am a new pilot, make no claim to being a good pilot, but from all I have read, managing speed and using rudder are vital in avoiding stalls and spins. Read an article from the U.S. recently, (there may well have been a link to it from this forum), that the first thing to do is push the nose down, then start working out what has happened, maintaing speed is of the essence.

Your comment about Michael Linke’s new position, was that based on fact, or (insert) speculation/humour/wishful thinking........ Cheers.

I have re-checked and apparently it was not a Jab, but an FK aircraft. Ooops, my bad.

I recall seeing a Jab here in W.A. with a Smart car engine. Don't have rego or other details.

I think in a previous post, someone mentioned making sure you can physically fit into the aircraft. I've been looking for nearly two years, sadly, and complicated by very few aircraft for sale in W.A. I have struggled to get into a CA25, barely sqeezed into an Aeropup, (could not cope with that on a daily basis) I'm not that flexible, and it's getting worse each year. First time in a CH200, my head was resting against the canopy. Placed a much thinner cushion on the seat, and solved that problem, until I put headphones on, and again, head against canopy. I'm 6'2", about 187 cm, both our sons are taller again, so that aircraft was not a solution. There's a Storm on the market, I spoke with the seller, (or his rep) and he commented that pilot height could be an issue. So unless you are under six feet tall, make sure you fit the aircraft, or vice versa!! Like you, I have struggled to determine aircraft type. It's likely most of my flying will be solo, but all family and friends I have taken up, want to do it again, so I will not be short of a passenger. The cost of hangarage for a single seat will be about the same as a 2 seater, so I am almost 100% certainly going for a 2 seater, Jab 200 or similar, until I change my mind again!!!!

My wife was born in Edinburgh, moved to England at about 7 years old, been in Oz for about 30 years now. When we first met, sometimes I would struggle to understand what she was saying, not because of an accent, but her sentence structure. "Have you not got any bread?" Big pause while I would try to understand.....I was more used to someone saying, "haven't you got any bread?" There were many similar phrases. Then one day her mother asked if I was hungry, and did I "....want a piece for lunch?" "err, yes please, but a piece of what?" A piece is Scottish for a sandwich!!!

Paul, I have no knowledge of the cars you mention, their RPM at 110km/h nor their longevity, so I will not comment, but it is an interesting point. Is gearing the answer???? My Suzuki V-Strom 1100 has 6 gears (5 + OD), and I don't bother with 6th(OD) unless I'm doing at least 85 km/h. It certainly drops the revs.

One factor touched on a few times, but never (I do not believe) answered, is the fact that auto engines, (including motorbike engines) are not designed to run at high revs continuously. Now I'm the first to admit, I'm no engineer or mechanic, and I am firmly in the camp of, "turn the key, make a noise, let's go". I had a Yamaha XJ900 Diversion. 900 cc air/oil cooled 4 cylinder inline. Sold it with about 230,000kms done.......I say about because the odometer didn't work for the last 2 years I owned it. Not a bad run. From memory it was redlined at 9000rom. But I never got there. The closest, was attempting to travel from Coolgardie to Southern Cross in one hour....about 185kms. After 20 minutes 60 kms., after 40 minutes 135 kms travelled, but soon after came up behind a police car and obviously had to slow down..... My point is, that engine showed fantastic reliabilioty, but was not really run anywhere close to redline. One of my current bikes is a Moto Guzzi Griso 1100. Yes I've done 200+ km/h several times, getting close to redline, but again, not for long periods. It has more than 100,000kms on the clock. Auto/bike engines can be very reliable, but when they are run close to redline for long periods????? A few years back, I read an article about the differences between the Ducati and Honda V2 engines run in World SuperBikes. Apparently the Ducati's needed a rebuild after 700kms, the Hondas could manage 2000 kms. Given that testing and race kms meant that 700kms was about 3 races........yes the bikes were run at max power, no thought to longevity. But that's my point. Auto engines....are they really designed to be run at max or close to max revs for long periods????? As I said, I am no mechanic nor engineer, but I am not sure how long my engines would last in a race type useage, day in, day out!!

I Is it Sunday today?????? ;)

I can possibly relay a message to him......can you PM me a number and reason for the contact???? he operates put of the SLACWA strip at Bindoon.