jimecho1

As a raw beginner with an hour on a trike and two or three hours in a three-axis, I've often wondered about adding a few cables and pulleys to allow a trike to controlled by means of a stick which moves and acts in the way 3-axis pilots have become accustomed to. There's a fully-enclosed trike pod on the market already and it seems to me that it wouldn't take a rocket scientist to design a system. Listening to the horror stories of 3-axis pilots pulling back on the bar to flare for landing has made me reluctant to fly both types of aircraft, so I've plumped for the 3-axis. But trikes are quite wonderful machines and I'd REALLY like to fly them some time in the future. Jim

Kind of knocks you out, doesn't it?

I just had a look at the QuickTime video (on the Skyfox site) of a Bantam taking off. http://www.skyfox.net.au/bantamsales/video.html Now THAT is my kinda aircraft. I could get into some great fishing spots with a Bantie. My little boat's slow, too, but who's in a hurry? You're right, Darrell. Bantam owners, talk to us. Bantams rule!

Chris, I have to say that this site - and especially the forum section - is one of the best-designed, best-working things I've seen on the web. To all involved, wonderful work! Jim

Hi Nelson and Sandra, I plan to do just that shortly. Still thinking about my first aircraft. A Jab is right up there, but I may plump for rag, tube, low and slow for my first. After that palls, I'll look around for a poorly guarded bank ... Cheers, Jim

Brent, I'll keep a lookout for the place. I do a bit of boating and fishing around Port Albert and have often passed through Alberton. It must have been quite a town back when the old pub was new... Mike ... if I get through within thirty hours, I'll be a happy little Vegemite. Congratulations and thanks for the reply...

Thanks Doug, What was that one about there being no old, bold pilots? The Jab looks a nice little aircraft. Cheers, Jim

Sorry Ian. I didn't read you right. Corby Starlet? One of the first ULs I ever heard about, way back when I was a young bloke. Wooden aircraft, weren't they? Did you build it yourself? Cheers, jim

Thanks Ian. I'll be okay as soon as I grow the two extra hands I need. You've done a bit of Thrusting? Cheers, Jim Leslie

Hi Nev, Yes. I actually took my first (and last) trike lesson at LV a few weeks ago. Nice bloke, but the trike's not for me. You're a learner? Surely not as new as me!

Thanks, all I think I'm working this thread thing right. (as bad as getting feet and hands to operate independently!). Thanks for the welcomes, folks. The site looks a great place to hang out during inclement weather. Nice to see other people of around my age. THEY probably read all the Biggles books, too. Incidentally, until a few months ago, I didn't realise how cheap and relatively easy ultralighting was. Whoops! That last may fall into the category of Famous Last Words! Anyway, cheers again to all who wrote. Jim

Hi folks. Just logging in for the first time. I found the site while looking around for information generally. I have two hours on a thruster T300, gained over the past week or so. Before that, did one hour on an Airborne XT trike - and found it like riding a piece of two-by-four to great heights. Decided I'd rather have a seat, however unsubstantial, and at least half a roof over me, so moved schools and took up Thrusting. So far, so good. I also like the look of later-model Drifters, also Challenger II with (getting ambitious here) amphibian floats. I'm 63 this year. Despite this, I'm fairly confident I'll at least solo before carking it. Married to a teacher, one kid. Work a newspaper indexing and schools resource business from home. Cheers, Jim