boleropilot

wing collapses are always fun - being a careful fella I flew a big Gin Bolero (and the penny drops again!), DHV1 so as safe as you can get - the guy mentioned above was in a 2-3 - I had a test flight in a 2 and it scared me! on another occasion I was flying not far from my mate at about the same altitude and we both got whacked by some rough stuff - my Bolero just shuddered a bit, he was fighting madly to stay in the air - nearly pulled the handle for those who don't know paraglider talk, DHV is the glider rating for performance - 1 is like a donkey, 3 is like a racehorse on steroids with a cracker up its clacker....being chased by a randy donkey!

an incident in the circuit witnessed by me was scary, although I doubt both pilots would have continued as they were if they didn't hear my call I was inbound in a Drifter and approaching the downwind leg - being lower and with the spectacular vision afforded by the Drifter, I immediately looked for the ultralight aircraft that had called 'downwind', seeing it about a third of the way along the downwind leg I then heard another aircraft call 'turning downwind - not visual with aircraft on downwind leg' - I then looked across to base and saw a GA aircraft turn onto downwind - and he seemed a bit closer in than normal the problem was exacerbated by the fact that the GA was higher than the ultralight, and as such the ultralight was probably not visible because it was below his windscreen - plus, his left wing was down during the turn onto downwind so that didn't help with his lookout either - the only chance he had to see the ultralight was on base, and he didn't see it - I guess he expected to see it as he went along downwind, but he may have caught up to it before he saw it... add to that the fact that the GA aircraft was faster, so I could see that it was catching the ultralight fairly quickly my radio call was 'GA aircraft callsign, the ultralight is at your 12 o'clock low' - the reaction was instantaneous - one went left, the other went right, both calling to announce they were departing the circuit could have been nasty... I suspect that in the mid-air situation above, the aircraft behind did not have visual on the other aircraft because he was below his windscreen the only other fly in the ointment was that neither pilot called when they both reacted instantly to depart the circuit - what if they both turned the same way? anybody wanting to giggle about the strobe and landing light I just fitted to my Drifter, go right ahead - but nobody is going to miss ME in (or approaching) the circuit BP

hey Bats - I've got a couple of hundred paraglider flights under my belt - and I gotta say I was VERY surprised to hear about the level of turbulence a friend encountered behind a big tandem - they were in the same thermal at around the same height and he thought it was just a bit bumpy - and then it got REAL bumpy - and it was smooth as after he buggered off from behind the tandem - and then the penny dropped - he was flying a competition glider so that would not have helped... taking off a full minute behind another Drifter and I still got a bit squirrelly just after lift-off - it's out there folks...and it's invisible sounds to me like the pilot of the bizjet should get a medal - if the aircraft was written off it's not just because the seats are wrecked - that aircraft suffered major structural damage and it's a miracle it stayed in one piece and they managed to get it on the ground...

sounds wonderful...my Drifter 0455 was used for Ant's Airplanes development of the Drifter for Flight Simulator 10 (FSX) and he used various sound recordings to get it to sound like the real thing... btw, that's me in the red helmet...great fun 'flying' my sim Drifter around and seeing myself in my cockpit... BP

I'll just try Alan, that should work...and work on my landings! BP (Dave)

Looking forward to your final comments on this HITC. quick question, I had my u/c legs powder coated - would that affect them in any way or prevent them from being tested with your Brinell? btw, is there something else I can call ya apart from hitc? heady? headclouds? foggy? doomawdriver? or something like - maybe - Bill?

I recall I paid about $600 for mine....including freight from Victoria. let's hope they are as good as advertised... BP

just got the quote from Skyshop - $900 - ouch ! BP

sorry - click on blue writing at bottom of above post - it's the link to the website bp

G'day fellow Drifter Drivers, 0455 is still in hospital but I'm hoping to be airborne again soon - can't wait to see if I can actually land/takeoff at Woolooman International Airport - I'll be practicing STOL flying a fair bit before I try....and I'll be light...and I'll be doing a lot of missed approaches and touch and go's....let's hope the video goes viral on YouTube for all the right reasons... Just wondering if anyone has any experience with the RK400 centrifugal clutch - from what I've read it makes the idle of the 582 as smooth as, but cost may be the limiting factor - It's nice to have such sweet little toys but maybe I could spend the money better elsewhere - like on disc brakes, for instance...they'd come in handy at YWOO... Wotcha reckon? BP PS RK 400 clutch, Rotax clutch, clutch for Rotax C drive, centrifugal clutch for Rotax C drives. there's a video on YouTube showing how it sounds too...

g'day Richard, don't forget there is a shorter, smaller diameter inner section that is located inside part of the outer struts - also, the bolt holes at each end are different diameter I've been told they have to be perfect in relation to strength and flexibility - too brittle and they snap, too soft and they bend... I bought a newly manufactured set a while ago (can't remember who from but they were as expensive as hell) because those on my 3,500 hour Drifter were buggered I watched the late great Wayne Fisher straighten the original ones in a hydraulic press - wow, had 'em straight in a flash - and he had the tailfeathers off the aircraft in about 10 minutes! the big fun starts when it's time to re-install them into the aircraft - those little washers just love to fall inside the aircraft - make sure you have a magnet on the end of a telescopic thingo (get one with a little mirror) let me know if you need the details of where I got my new ones from, but be prepared to sell a kidney to pay for them... BP

hey Doug, just came across your post while googleing for info on a centrifugal clutch for my 582 (Drifter) did you go ahead and install one? cheers, BP

at this point in time I have no concerns whatsoever about the structural integrity of Fisher and Drifter aircraft BP

I just want to know if there is a mechanical/structural problem there that could cost me my life - not much to ask for really... but yeah I get it, it's a goatrope, but there's gotta be a better way - just maybe we can get a better system in place...probably not.... BP PS don't know what a goatrope is? tie a goat to a tree with a 100 foot piece of rope, in a paddock full of trees = one goatrope coming up!

I agree with the above comments, particularly those about making some noise and trying to get something done about investigations and reporting. If it's a legal issue then there are laws that govern it and laws can be changed. I'm with planedriver and am going to start investigating exactly what the situation is and will be trying to get some official comment from as many 'authorities' as possible as a starting point. As soon as I get something to publish I'll start a thread on this forum - in the meantime, anyone who can give me concrete info on how the situation stands now, pls pm me. BP

If it was structural failure then there is even more reason why RAAus accidents need to be investigated by aviation accident professionals - the Fisher (as the Drifter) has a reputation for being a very robust airframe, but they are getting on - mine has 3,500 hours and if there is a ticking time bomb there somewhere we need to know about it. I've only heard of one structural failure in a Drifter that resulted in a fatal accident, and that was one on floats (in the US) that was in perfect condition - what the owner didn't know was that there was corrosion inside the boom at the tail of the aircraft, and it was in a place that there was no option for inspection. When it failed the tail came off. I am 66 now and, my lord, I love my Drifter - but this one has really got me thinking - might be time for me to get safer (and go back to paragliding)....or buy a ballistic parachute? Mind you, if the aircraft was inverted the ballistic 'chute may have been out of parameters for safe deployment... BP

I agree wholeheartedly, Jab 7252 - and if I am lying there being videoed by some idiot (language edited - Mod) I will use my last breath to give him an almighty kick in the nuts....

good point, but how much does the average walloper know about aircraft accidents - very little I would expect, even from those who have attended a few best to have qualified, experienced aviators attending the scene and conducting a professional examination of the factors and then have the results of that examination communicated to fellow aviators anybody who doesn't think that could save lives is dreaming BP

as a pilot I am very saddened to hear of this - RIP m8 and forever slip the surly bonds with blue skies as a Drifter driver I would REALLY like to know what happened here - and we don't need the ATSB to sort this out for us look at the comments by some of the posters on this thread and you will undoubtedly consider there are individuals who could look closely at tragedies like this I believe RAAus should spend considerable resources to develop a system whereby members with the required skills and experienced are officially allocated to RAAus accidents/incidents in their State I for one would be happy to contribute financially to this - we would all benefit by such a system BP

videoing a pilot lying on the ground, injured, waiting for the ambulance? sick bastard...

Hey come on judge, I told 'em NOT to land here - what more could I do? What's that you say? Don't drop the soap? Uh Oh......

I didn't go ahead with asking for a 365 quote because they said there would be 'some costs' in determining the exorbitant fee they would want to charge.....pisser!

Wow Kezza you one lucky girl - the Foxbat Vixxen is a hell of a beautiful aircraft! My wife won't take on the back seat of my Drifter (for some reason) but would jump at the chance of a fly in a Vixxen... And if you do manage to keep your hands on your lap in that lil' puppy you are missing out on some top class fun - I agree with the other folk here about the landing skill - might just save both your lives one day. Enjoy slipping the surly bonds and welcome to the forum Dave T aka Boleropilot aka Cropduster Dave

I'm still trying to work out how I can invite pilots to a 'Drifter Weekend' at my new 'strip at Woolooman S E Qld - it's only 200 metres and surrounded by hills - so it's for STOL aircraft only (and probably light as well, perhaps even pilot only and half fuel) so it may just be all too hard Tried to arrange public liability insurance just for a weekend and was told it was not 'financially feasible' for insurance companies - but they would 'consider' a 365 day policy... Remember the good old days when you could expect people to take responsibility for their own actions? Those days are long gone... Apparently waiver forms are not worth the paper they are written on either - thought about telling pilots there would be a huge firepit and half a cow on a spit and free beer on a certain date and that there is an airstrip but you can't land on it but if you do I will be very angry - and I will throw things at you like cans of beer and cow burgers to indicate my wrath - but that's not going to stand up in a court of law, is it? Any ideas?

so the main gear failed after it went off the end of the runway, or earlier? btw, the intelligent aviators on this forum are a great deal more professional about how they respond to aviation incidents than some, but as enthusiasts concerned about the welfare of others (and themselves) they look at things that go wrong and try to work out the how and why of the event. imho they do so with considerable empathy toward those involved in the incident. sometimes our discussions are initially a little off mark due to "uninformed and dramatic claims from newspapers and journalists" but as soon as accurate information comes to hand (thanks FP16) the conversation gets serious - we all learn from these unfortunate events. sorry, forgot to add: Welcome to the forum, FighterPilot16. BP