Kiwi

And from me..

Yes the 800 x 6 are on the standard rims, if you are going to get them, make sure you order tubes as well.

The downside is you can't fit the spats on, and your brakes won't work as well.

With the 600 x 6's you can still make the spats fit ok.

600x6 on left 800x6 on the right.

Hi Greg,

This is from Merc, he is having trouble posting photos........

Pneumatic wheel uses same spring, tail sits 6 inches higher.

Small wheel trails behind pivot point, big wheel is underneath.

Notice reinforcing boot on boom.

he even knows how to crash 'em !!!!!BP

Haven't crashed a Drifter...... yet.

For soft field (or to see how short I can get off the ground) I use full back stick, then once airborne hold it in ground effect.

404 used to have 600 x 6 mains

Andrew

hey Greg, how's the red rocket going. and merc - can you let me know the reasoning behind changing the bigger pneumatic wheel to the smaller solid one?cheers

 

BP

The pneumatic tailwheel can put excessive side loading on the boom/ rudder post. Most Drifters that have them usually have reinforcement "gloves" fitted.

I find the smaller tailwheel allows you to fly the drifter more like a true taildrager, you have more angle of attack sitting on the ground so you can get off shorter and also land shorter. I should also mention that I have 800 x 6 main wheels.

Kiwi.

During climb out yesterday with my Thruster TST / Rotax 503 my RPM dropped and the engine began to run rough. I worked the throttle a bit and it was possible to run the engine at 5000RPM. I turned back to the field but shortly after I completed the turn, the power came back. So I decided to circle around the field until sunset and the engine ran without any problems during this time. The temperature was 12°C and the dew point was 11°C, so this made me believe it was carburetor icing. What do you guys think?

Yes you can get carby ice in a two stroke..... I have had it! And with that due point spread, it is more than possible that was what you had.

But if you are worried that it might have been something else, pull the exhaust manifold off and have a look at the pistons, rings and cylinders.

Kiwi

A drifter isn't exactly the space shuttle, I think with training most pilots could handle them. Just like with enough training most ultralight pilots could probably handle a chieftain. I think the elitist rubbish needs to be wiped out.

Kiwi

Sadly you are no diff than those that have a closed mind, I thought you might have been open minded, sadly not so into the ignore list for you to join yr elite club of closed minds

What I've found since owning the Drifter, is that the people who bag Drifters and other true ulterlights, are the type of pilots that don't, and will never have the flying skills handle them.

So capt wally, can you please put me on your ignore list because I don't want any of your uneducated opinions or advice regarding any of my posts.

Kiwi.

Started flying in 1995 in a Cessna 152. I Currently fly a Ausflight Drifter, Rans S6S, Cessna 162 and a Cessna 182T, sometimes all in the same day

My favorite by far is the Drifter.

Kiwi

Good to see you here.

Kiwi

(kiwiatd from the RansClan)

Or

PA-28RT-201 Arrow IV

Four-place, retractable landing gear landplane, Lycoming IO-360-C1C6 engine of 200 hp (149 kW), gross weight 2,750 lb (1,247 kg). First certified on 13 November 1978. Features a T tail

I was going to take the Drifter up this afternoon, but this was in the way. (I live in Gatton)

This is what I look like without my flying helmet..... (in another 30 years I hope)

Kiwi

Hey K1W1, Happy New Year m8!!!!!Your old friend Rocky is going to help out with getting the 582 back together...how good is that!

Woolooman International Airport is looking good, mostly grass now, nearly ready but a few more 'rock runs' to make sure it's safe - but who will be the first Drifter Driver to land here? Or the first pilot of any aircraft for that matter. Up until now, only RC aircraft have used it.

 

kiwi replies - NOT ME !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Ah fair enuff m8 it is a little scary - but not as scary as The Scary Place....

 

Hope you change your mind about visiting here for the Drifter Weekend some time later this year. Would like to see some aircraft doing practice approaches, might put a post somewhere else on the forum.

 

BP

Thanks, but no thanks Dave..... the "boys" aren't big enough for your airstrip

Happy New Year.

Kiwi.

First flight in my Drifter for 2017.

Happy New Year to you all.

Kiwi.

Happy New Year to you to.

Kiwi

My last flight for 2016.

I "had" to drop of a loaf of bread to the farm. (true story)

Kiwi

We had the family over for Xmas and managed to take some of them flying in the 182T, with the intentions of also taking them up in the Rans and Drifter but unfortunately the rain set in.

Late in the afternoon in between showers I took my 15 year old niece up in the Drifter. When I asked her which she liked best, she said the Drifter. (sorry Alan)

Bulk email recieved from a local aviator. . . 'HAS ANYONE SEEN ONE OF THESE ?'.

I was lucky enough to be able to sit in a skycatcher to get a feel of the control movement (albeit static and parked) when they first came out. My impresion then and now was, what a roundabout way it was to try and make a yoke operate like a control stick. I was not very impressed with it at all.

I have a few hours in the Skycatcher, and when I first saw the "yoke" I thought it was a bit weird, but since I have been flying one I really like it.

It feels just like any other aircraft that has a "stick" and it doesn't get in the way when you get in and out of the aircraft.

It is a real shame that Cessna didn't succeed with the Skycatcher.

Kiwi

"SIGMET.sid" you give Kiwis a bad name.

I have reported your post too. (noted..mod)

Hi all. Been lurking for a while, thinking of adding an RA-Aus pilot certificate to my resume to go with my PPL. Love my GA flying, but coming to the realisation that much of it might be done cheaper, easier and better in RA registered aircraft. The possible MTOW increase would make that even more likely (and they did a pretty good job of selling me on RA-Aus at Narromine this weekend).

:-)

Aviation Advertiser - Aircraft Classifieds - Australia

is working again.

kiwi

I just checked Aviation Advertiser - Aircraft Classifieds - Australia and it came up straight away.....

I had to go off track a fair bit to get to Gympie on Sunday morning, the whole of the Brisbane Valley was covered by fog.

Looking to the East

Toogoolawah to the West.

I went for a quick flight around Gatton in the Drifter this afternoon, took some photos and noticed the max ground speed on the gps.

(I think I must have had it in the 182 at some stage)

What prop and pitch you running Kiwi?

I have the standard Brolga Prop and sorry but I can't remember which pitch blocks are in it, but it is the standard setup. All my flying is at about 50 to 53 knots at around 5200rpm one up, or up to 5600 at max weight.

Another (more) experienced Drifter pilot suggested that with the extra battens, the wing has a "thicker" wing profile whereas the standard wing is "thinner". (Between the top battens, the top surface is lower on the standard setup. The more battens reduces the "low" points.)

Also when you look at Franks wing, the Battens act like "fences" helping the airflow.

Kiwi