farri

Don't want a T500 anymore... my T300 is the best!!!

Don, I don`t know much about the Thruster except, if I`m correct, it was the Thruster Gemini that was certified, under ANO 95.25 that allowed for the start of twin seat Ultralight instruction.

Why do you think your T300 is the best? just interested!!!...........Franco.

No mask required up here and hope we never need to!!!.......Franco.

Taking my friend, Peter Fisher, for a fly for his birthday, this afternoon...Peter is deaf but he`s a brilliant lip reader so no problem briefing him! he enjoys flying and has flown with me a number of times.

Franco.

Does anyone know this guy? He was seen in the back seat of a Drifter, a couple of weeks ago!!!

Taking Brooklyn Theurillat, my 8 year-old, Great-Grand-Daughter for a sunset Drifter flight, this last week! Brooklyn started flying with me at 4 years of age.

Taking 6 year old, Isla Theurillat, my youngest Great-Grand-Daughter, for her first Drifter flight, yesterday after noon! after we landed, the first thing Isla said was, " I wasn`t frightened, I want to go again tomorrow".

Franco.

Franco, for a man of 47 years, you're a smooth-looking dude. The Hemsworth bros would have serious competition if you lived in Hollywood or they lived in Deeral! Keep it up (the Drifter, dammit)

? G`Day Riley, I might have been a smooth looking dude at 47 but that was 25 years ago! Oh! Yes! I still can and will keep it up ( the Drifter dammit)

Franco.

Noice? Don't need much clear ground to put one of those things down I'd say??

Those things??? They are an aircraft!!!......These days I only fly the Drifter but I`ve flown numerous different types of Ultralights! I held an AUF CFI rating and ran my own CAA/AUF approved flying school, off our property here at Deeral, for 12 years before retiring from instructing.

I taught and have always promoted flying within gliding distance of a suitable landing area! I`m on my 6th Rotax 2 stroke engine and I`ve had my share of engine failures (EFATO) solo and dual and always walked away with only very minor damage to the AC, on 1 occasion.

It`s not only the amount of area that`s needed for a successful, safe landing, the pilot needs to be able to land safely and there have been far too many that weren`t able to do that and paid the ultimately price! I will continue to promote, flying within gliding distance of a suitable landing and practice it myself.

Franco,

Ps, Life`s good at Deeral.

I took these photos this morning with my new GoPro 8 Black! it`s the first time I`ve used a GoPro and I forgot to set the date stamp.

Franco,

Ps, At all times within gliding distance of a suitable landing area.

Looks great Mate.........thanks. Looked up your forecast, 27-28 .C ?....... bloody beautiful !Have some Vic friends that are free camping up your way (around Mission Beach) they are on a working holiday up and down the East coast. They just got into QLD on a work permit before the shut down. Their work has finished so they are filling in time till they find casual work somewhere along the coast. They are early 30s and will do anything , if you know where they might find casual work give me a yell, cheer's Butch

G`Day Butch! I couldn`t get to where I want to go and take photos yesterday due to the heavy cloud cover! woke to perfect conditions this morning so it` back in the Drifter tomorrow morning and try again.

If your friends will do anything tell them to take a look at the Banana growers, they give work to backpackers and here`s a start for them.

The MacKay Family « MacKays Marketing these guys are at Tully and I think they are the biggest growers in Australia... Cheers! Franco.

As you all know by now, I just can`t stay on the ground for too long so this afternoon I just had to do it again! Thought I`d show you all what I look like.

Franco.

Bet ya don't see this 'farri'??

Bet I can! ??...Nothing wrong with my eyes!!!

Farri, send me down some of your beautiful weather and enthusiasm we need it down in freezing locked up Vic. I'm usually up your part of the world on holiday away from the cold around this time ......what I wouldn't give to be up there now !Gods own Country.

Best I can do for you Butch!

Don`t know where they`re coming from but the free camping ground at Babinda creek and the free one at the Mulgrave river at Gordonvale are full.

Franco.

This high pressure us giving us some lovely conditions to aviate, costing me a fortune!?

Buy a Drifter!!! .........

Talking about hammers`! when I was in my teens, I landed a job with a company, building living quarters, for the Army, at Cowley beach.

I could hand saw a straight line and hammer a nail in without missing or bending it! the carpenters were so impressed, they called me their apprentice and let me do most of the sawing and hammering, until the foreman told them to stop it, before he had a strike on his hands.

Franco.

G`Day Wayne, nice country you`ve got there! I notice you`re not strangling the control stick!...Cheers.

Me being Me!!! I`ve got a lot of lawn to mow here at home and this afternoon, half way through mowing, I`d just about had enough of it so off the mower, fire up the Drifter and go for a fly!!!!

Franco,

Ps, finished the mowing when I got back! life`s good!!!

Franco, does that 582 of yours ever get cold?? How many hours a day are you flying?

G`Day O.T! I don`t let it get cold for too long! ... I went through 4, 582 grey head, when I was instructing! when I retired from it, I went to the 503 DCDI and it`s now getting close to 600 hrs on it, has never missed a beat but I`ve had it apart 3 times for maintenance, the last time was 2 weeks ago! I do the work on it and fortunately, I can still get parts for it from 'Burt Flood Imports'.

As for the hours I do, well! I can just drop what I`m doing and go flying so I do, but I don`t fly every day! I do a lot of short flights so the engine doesn`t sit idle for too long! some times it might be just half an hour other times,1.5 hrs.

Often wondered what Pvt drivers out there are doing hours wise? Most I know do around 50-100 hrs a years, anyone? Stunning scenery there?

I`ve been averaging around 70 hrs a year for the last few years and yes! it is stunning scenery and I never tire of looking down on it.

The area inside the red line is part of our property, where my wife and I live and where I fly from.

Franco.

Some solo Drifter flying, this afternoon!

Franco.

I`ve lived in north Queensland all of my life and had never heard of people south of the border being referred to (jokingly) as Mexicans, until I read it in one of the posts, here on this Forum, several years ago.

Rub it in . Nev

:whisper:Well! Litespeed told me to! .

Gee you guys are brave!?

Who, me?...Nah! I`m a wimp! , I only fly within gliding distance of a suitable landing area. .

X marks the position I was when I took this photo!

Franco.

Knowing SSCBD as I do, ( smile! you cunning old bugger) I think I can understand his motivation for starting this thread! I`ve got a laugh from some of the posts here, so I`ll continue reading them.... .............Franco.

From the Drifter this afternoon and one from yesterday!!!

Franco.

So this is how to leave the Socialist Republic of Victoria - it will cost any of you Mexican refugees without wings plenty of $$$$$$ - Upon cash being delivered I will put a X on the map and send it to you with a time to pick up. Who said people smugglers in Australia cant beat the system. Another example of how to make money with RAA aircraft.

Please!!!! Don`t bring them to Queensland!..... ...

From the Drifter this afternoon!

Franco.

Terrible tragedy! but had it come down on a house or a car full of people??? My deepest sympathy to all those involved.

Franco.