Updated March 8, 2006

Cirrus No. 37, N5557

Currently Owned by: Scott Fletcher 

STATUS: In Service

LOCATION:  Spartanburg, SC

Cirrus #37 (N5557) was on it's way to America in December, 1968 aboard the "Hanau" of the Hamburg Amerika Line. She was destined for San Jose, California, and had been purchased by Calven Slover for $ 8,257.50(fob German port). It is interesting that Calven received a letter from a Schempp-Hirth representative in Palo Alto that cautioned Calven about "some discrepancy in numbers on parts of your ship, #37, for example your elevator & rudder are no. 38 & 40. This is OK-they have been coming in this way." Apparently some of the components were pre-numbered, but not necessarily segregated before assembly.

It looks like there was either some delay in Calvin taking possession, or else he was in no hurry to get her in the air, because an Airworthiness Certificate was not issued until November, 1969. #37's first flight was in March, 1970, and Mr. Slover last flew her in August of 1989, spanning some 25 years and accumulating about 600 hours of flying. The majority of time was spent flying out of Minden, NV.

On January 30, 1971, a form 337 documents the addition of a radio and an oxygen system by Merle Perry of Fremont, CA. It was there in Minden in June, 1979 that #37 suffered her worst damage while competing in the Open Nationals. On June 24th, while on tow at approx. 60 feet, the tow plane lost power, causing #37 to land off the end of Runway 34. She ran through a fence, causing damage to the leading edge of both wings, right spoiler, left aileron, canopy, and gear doors. JJ Glider Repair performed a documented repair on January 20, 1980 that mentions repairs to the leading edge of both wings, spoiler and box on right wing, left aileron, and landing gear doors. Apparently during this repair work they opted to replace the canopy with one which was non-standard, which also required some reprofiling of the nose. The result was on Open Cirrus with a slightly longer, more pointed nose section.

From August, 1989, #37 spent almost four years in her trailer before she flew again. Mr. Slover had passed away, and in April, 1993 she was purchased by Ben Reese and was next flown in May, 1993 in Minden. Ben flew her some in Minden that summer, than moved her back east to South Carolina where he flew her through May of 1994. Ben later moved to Jupiter, Florida where #37 than flew from November, 1994 through May of 95. Ben again moved her back to South Carolina (Spartanburg) in October of 1995, and she has been based there ever since.

Steve Cameron bought her from Ben in April, 1996, and has been flying her for almost 2-1/2 years now. In 1997, the canopy was cracked and, in the process of replacing it, using a canopy with the original shape, the original nose contour was re-established (see TOCA Newsletter for details).

John Duncan purchased NO. 37 in 2003, and Scott Fletcher joined him as a partner in 2005. Both fly as members of Airscapes in Spartanburg, SC. In late 2005, Scott bought John's share when John moved to Texas.