boleropilot

sorry guys, the post above was in reply to the vid with camera mounted on the helmet - my camera is a Drift HD 1080P - I'll try to figure out how to post some of the vids already taken... BP

g'day m8, nice video - but - the head movements give me vertigo - I had to stop watching - maybe I'm just getting old - forgive me Drifter Drivers, for I have sinned - 0455 has been languishing in a hangar at Boonah since 27 September 2014 - engine is out of hours (silver head), 500 hour blue head purchased from Trevor Bange (Clifton) - it is in perfect condition - I struggled for months to get the framed section of the engine mount off, finally ended up taking out the tube from under the centreline of the wing with the frame still attached - Richard Eacott tells me that the earlier Drifters had this 'mating' of 'tube into frame' too tight and later models had different machining clearances to avoid said problem - tube/frame/new inner+outer undercarriage legs now powder-coated and ready for re-install - then the 'new' motor goes on...I need to source all the bolts/nuts/washers for the frame and tube, plus all the little plastic top hat thingos - Drifter Factory at Kupunn??? the good news? the Drifter airfield at Woolooman (Google Earth number 620 Woolooman Road) is finally starting to grass up and I am hoping to run a Drifter weekend later in the year, camping overnight, biggest firepit in the Southern Hemisphere... BP

a few more pix.... cheers BP

speaking of engines - apparently there are a lot of trikes in Europe fitted with 582s (and other 2 stroke motors) - because new eco regulations are making things 'difficult', many changes are in the wind for example, Ferrari have just changed from V10 and V12 motors (something they said they would never do) to turbocharged V8s - why? because the big multi-piston engines are not as 'clean' as the turbo V8, and Ferrari want to keep selling cars in Europe! as such, many trike and 582 owners have been looking for 4 stroke motors - apparently one of the best options is the BMW flat twin motorcycle engines - already there is one manufacturer of kits for replacing a 582 with a boxer motor - there are plenty of motors available from wrecked bikes in Europe (and Oz) cheers BP

hey Terry, the missus and I saw the rocky horror show at the Qld performing arts centre - what a hoot! who wooda thunk that Craig MacLachlan (the guy that plays the doctor in the ozzy crime show Dr. Blake Mysteries) could pull that one off.. he had the whole audience in stitches, I had a sore face at the end from laughing so much - the best rendition of that fabulous classic, IMHO - we were singing the songs out loud for weeks you'd never know when one of us would say "it's just a jump to the left" and we'd be off again into rocky horror antics - so much fun come up to the lab - and see what's on the slab - I see you shiver - with antici..................... hey guys/gals, if you haven't been to live theatre for a while (or you're old hands) you gotta see this show - on in Sydney NOW (until the end of May) and going on to Melbourne I think? book a nice hotel close to the show and make a real night of it, you might even find a bed/dinner/show tickets deal - get some mates together, do this, and you will thank me forever - don't miss it !!!!!!!!!! spread the word!!! pation!!!

there's a gliding club in Canberra so maybe go up for a flight in something with a 15 meter wingspan and no noise. TezzaP, Today at 9:17 AM hey Tezza, sometimes Drifters go real quiet too - the only sound that can be heard is incessant swearing from the pilot's seat.... but hey Kay, take Tezza's advice and go for a fly in a glider - they're almost as much fun as a Drifter!!! BP

terry beat me because I was typing so much.....

wow, looks like I stumbled across your post before anyone else, so I'm the first to welcome you - there'll be many more ! by now you'll know that us aviators are a very amicable lot, probably because we are constantly thrilled by experiencing what mere ground-based mortals can only dream of... tell us all about your Jabiru flight, and don't leave anything out - we all love to hear from people who are just starting out in recreational flying (even if just as a passenger) be warned though - the bug can bite hard, and you can easily develop into one of those who are constantly hanging around the flying club and asking "anyone need some company on a flight?" here's the thing - no matter what, you'll always be welcome - keep in touch, and once again, welcome, and have fun! Boleropilot PS Jabs are nice, but Drifters......now that's the way to fly - Google up: Ant's Airplanes / Drifter there you will se my lil' baby 0455, and a bearded bloke in a red helmet - that's MOI !!! if you want more info on flight simulators, just ask....

never been good with numbers - the right turn I mentioned when approaching from the NW is about 20 degrees, not 135 - doh !

g'day youse mob - seems about a decade since I was here last... my WB582 Drifter is currently getting some TLC in Boonah, 'new' motor (blue head 582, 500 hours from new) new u/carriage legs, etc. etc. when she flies again I hope to have some nice smooth grass on my 'radio control aircraft' flying area, in the final stages of construction it's 200m long - approach from the south looks ok, from the north it will be approaching from the north-west and a little right turn (about 135 degrees) on late final I'm retiring on 16th October this year so I'm looking forward to doing some local flying - still gotta find some dollars for the shed, until then 0455 will stay in Boonah I've been in/out of The Scary Place (part owned by Ian Walker of flying Tigers fame) and I reckon Woolooman International Paddock will be a doddle compared to that!!! I'll get some pix moved from my 'phone to the computer and post a couple - apart from that, feel free to fly over to have a peek... cheers BP

G'day Emah, I always flew a standard paraglider, from what I've seen of the powered variety they don't fill me with a great deal of interest - certainly nice to be able to climb to height and then glide on, but they're heavy, noisy and you need a backup crew + ute/trailer if you're going x-country I'd be very careful about a second hand 'glider from eBay - the condition of the lines and the cloth are very important - if you have knowledge of a canopy owned by someone that you can verify is honest, I'd still get the canopy appraised by a registered dealer, checking for wear, damage and value - you may find that spending a little more will get you a new canopy Obviously you will be buying a DHV1 canopy for starters, make sure it is and not a 1.5 or 2 - you really need the 'gentle' characteristics of a 1 until you have got a goodly amount of hours under your belt - I always flew a 1 (Gin Bolero - hence my moniker) and I was once flying alongside a 2 when we hit rough air - my Bolero didn't even flinch, the guy in the 2 had his hands full trying to recover from three giant tucks, one after another.....yowsa! He told me later he nearly threw his 'chute, and was gobsmacked to look up to check on me, and then see the amount of height he'd lost Manilla is nice, last time I was there Mount Borah had plenty of launches, but not all that much height (compared to Beechmont or Tambo) - nice short little flights to the bottom are fine for training, and if you get radio instruction from the ground the instructor may be able to talk you into a thermal - woohoo!!! If there's one thing I can stress as vitally important it's to practice practice practice your ground-handling - I didn't, and many times I was left on the hill on fabulous flying days because I couldn't launch in gusty conditions - it's also the reason why I ended up stuffing up a take-off and breaking my leg...(doh) Any info I can help with, please ask, happy to help Regards BP

pic didn't turn out - I'll try again...

a nice pic taken by a mate of mine at Boonah bp

g'day Emah, boleropilot here, drifter Driver from Boonah - prior to joining the ranks of the chosen I flew paragliders for a couple of years Wonderful flying thingos they are, I'd go back to flying them again if the Financial Controller would let me... Cheers for now BP

there's not much more that can be said that hasn't already been mentioned - i am so devastated by the loss of this lovely bloke that i am really lost for words, but i'll try firstly, to Wayne's family - you may never know exactly what immense impact Wayne had on the ultralight community, but i guess by now you will be getting some idea an absolute legend - humble, talented, perhaps a little eccentric??? but such a nice bloke, and his talent and demeanour will be sadly missed he had the tail off my Drifter in what seemed a few minutes, made a decision instantly about what was required to resolve the problem, and fabricated a second tailboom brace (and fitted it) in no time at all then he said "one wing is lower than the other - OK, left gear strut is bent" - 5 minutes late the wheel and strut was off and in the hydraulic press, straightened and back on the aircraft in a flash "hey, some of these rivets are not stainless steel, they're aluminium - not good enough" - and the drill was out, rivets removed, and new ones in in the blink of an eye and when i got the bill (finally) i could not believe he had done such magnificent work and charged me such a paltry figure - Wow... i spoke to him only a couple of weeks ago about a radio control Drifter - we talked for quite a while and i actually felt big-headed that as a RC Drifter flyer, i could give the great man some advice about an aviation subject i will be there for the memorial on Friday, unfortunately via car due the the inclement weather i would imagine that all Drifter/Fisher afficionados (not to mention all the other Wayne Fisher fans) will get together, on a perfect flying day in the near future, the mother of all Drifter/Fisher fly-ins to pay tribute to the great man RIP Wayne, and again, heartfelt condolences to his family - a true treasure lost to the ultralight community, who will never be forgotten Boleropilot

well ya know i hate to be down on someone who stuffs up his first solo (considering what happened to mine- tis how i got the nickname Cropduster Dave) - but... man was he short - and no flaps, surely he would have had the basic downwind and base leg checks imprinted firmly in his mind, i was taught BUFFEL - brakes, undercarriage, flaps, fuel, engine, lookout now, i do understand also the drama associated with first solo - but it's a LOT worse in a Drifter first, the takeoff is SO much quicker without the instructor in the back seat - so the rudder pedal reactions have to be spot on (mine were not on my first attempt) then, at the end of the downwind leg, when you pull the throttle to idle (glide approaches are normally taught in Drifters) the aircraft feels like it just hit a brick wall and you'd better get that stick forward FAST looking at the video, it seems to me the aircraft is travelling at a reasonable descent just before impact, but then it drops like a rock i doubt he would have chopped the throttle so far from the displaced threshold, so i reckon he stalled - if the Volvo hadn't been there to "soften" his landing, i reckon he would have hit HARD - a LONG way from where he should have touched down my instructor made it very clear to me before my second attempt - if you stuff up the approach, don't p#ss about, hit the throttle and go around - and that goes for EVERY approach until you're comfortable with your situation as i said, sorry to be down on an aviator, but personally i think it's not a great loss for the the aviation fraternity to lose this bloke from our ranks or - maybe his instructor should have been a little more cautious about the skills of his student before releasing him for solo - seems to me he wasn't quite ready..... cheers BP

did i mis-spell that?? hey alla youse Drifter Drivers - 18th November this year is the 5th anniversary of Cropduster Dave (also known as Boleropilot or Tonxy) going solo in a Drifter at Clifton as such i have arranged with the grey haired (what hair he has left) Trevor Bange for me and my lil Drifter to drop in for a celebration btw, Trevor did have a lot of lovely dark hair before i did my training - not sure what happened there... anyway, the Lone Eagle Flying Club has agreed to put on a BBQ for any and all Drifter/Fisher flyers to drop in on the day to help celibate this momentous occasion (prices TBA) please let me know asap if you would like to attend, non-Drifter aircraft will (as usual) be given temporary Drifter status on the day - how good is that???? hoping to see lots of aircraft at Clifton on the day, cheers for now boleropilot

g'day guys hey Tex, sorry to miss out on the red rocket, maybe i should concentrate on giving my lil WB the reconditioning she deserves... Yoda in a WB582 hey? another hangie converting to Drifters??? re. the 18th November, it is definately ON at Bange's Airfield, Clifton the Lone Eagle Flying Club is putting on a BBQ on the day and i am hoping for a big turnout of Drifters and Fishers (and anyone else who'd like to drop in) i will need to let Trev know about numbers attending, so please let me know if you're planning on coming along hey Dave, you should see the two new RC acft i'm building - a huge Zlin (low wing) and a 1.9m wingspan Piper Cub - noice!!! and m8, does the 582 use the same gearbox as a 503? if so give me a yell, i've got a complete blue top 582 (out of hours) with gearbox in a box here cheers for now, hoping to see ya's all at Clifton on 18th November CD

hey Tex (and others) not sure what i am going to do with my lil WB, needs a lot of work inc. new motor, skins and wires - airframe is now 3,500 hours so i am seriously thinking about selling and even more seriously thinking about Tex's beautiful SB trouble is, i would need to sell my WB beforehand, otherwise i would be paying double hangarage (i'm rich, but i aint that rich) on another note, i have given up trying to organise a Drifter Fly-in at Boonah - weather rotten 3 years in a row !!!!!! so to fool Huey, i thought i would quietly mention that i am hoping to fly to an airfield on the Darling Downs on the 5th anniversary of my solo - 18th November 2012 twood be absolutely wonderful if any other Drifter pilots out there would consider meeting me there - we should be able to arrange a bbq lunch, but no plans yet, just ideas any takers? BP

ah stuff it - here's the way to go http://www.jet-rpm.com/en/indexEn.htm fuel consumption - a miserly 2.2 litres per minute @ 75,000 rpm but with an EGT of 650 degrees centigrade, i might need Wayne Fisher to design a V-tail ??? sounds like fun tho, doncha think ??? BP

yeh Nev get your point - found this, useful info concerning this thread http://www.greenskyadventures.com/EnginePricing/HKS/costCompare.htm btw, i think the Drifter would not have the same cooling problems with the bm motor that the Huntwing had, the motor position in the Drifter has much better airflow and i did see a video of a trike with a bm motor doing a flyby - sounded wonderful !!! BP

about 80 i think, but there are options for limiting this i believe via carb restrictors etc although if a supa Drifter can take a 912 OK, the 80 from the BMW should be OK ? btw i did ask Wayne Fisher what he thought about the BM motor and he said that in his opinion the 912 was a better option have a look at http://www.huntwing.co.uk/bmw%20photos/The%20BMW%20story.htm cheers for now BP

apparently BMW flat twin motors are gaining popularity in Europe, mainly for trikes and due to ongoing legislation problems for two strokes i've done a little surfing and have seen some magic installs, one of these lil babies would go well in a Drifter i reckon BP

yeah the dawn patrols are just brilliant missed on the one the guys did this weekend but went along for the ride last time three of us, one above one below, then two below, then two to the left, then one behind and the other one... where the hell is he, oh good there he is, man what a hoot 45 minutes of tooling around in s m o o t h (but cold) air, it is the most fun you can have with your pants on definately gonna take my camera next time becoz the lil babies just about fly themselves in that molasses air cheers for now bp

hey nearly forgot = i heard that the bloke who started this thread now his very own Drifter, and i hear it is a beauty looking forward to seeing you there DM which of course stands for David Mason AND Don't MissOut bp