Volume II, Issue 2
October, 1997

This issue brings the definitive "Cirruses of North America", the first draft of documentation that covers all the Schempp-Hirth Cirruses to be imported to North America! We have attempted to collect, in one place, a brief history of the ownership, accomplishments, damage history, photographs, and interesting anecdotes about each of these wonderful ships that were imported at one time or another into the United States and/or Canada.

These data were collected from the FAA registry of aircraft, Peter F. Selinger’s book "Segelflugzeuge vom Wolf zum Mini-Nimbus" (in German) - but the primary source of information has been the generous contributions of dozens of current and past Cirrus owners, or other "friends of the Cirrus"!

As in any first effort by editorial amateurs, the collection assuredly contains errors and, of course, many omissions. It’s hoped that readers will submit additions and corrections to the entries in this collection and, when we receive them, we will distribute updated sheets for the applicable ship. Hopefully the distribution of this collection will stimulate others to conduct some grass roots research which can then be shared with the rest of the community.

According to my aircraft log book, UJ was flown by Joe Conn in the 1969 National Championships to 9th place overall in Marfa, Texas. After this fine performance UJ was banished to the northeast for the next 600 hours of flight. Unfortunately UJ was broken like humpty dumpty in a mishap in 1983. All the king’s horses and all the king’s men transported UJ across the county, and after several misguided attempts to put UJ back together again he was abandoned in Scottsdale, Arizona. Eight years in the desert laying in an aircraft junkyard left UJ in sad shape. If it had not been for the requirement to clean up the junkyard UJ would still be grounded. But alas a young soaring nut was reading the trade-a-plane and spotted the advertisement offering UJ to the highest bidder. Bidding was fast and furious. One bid and the auctioneer took it before I could back out. However, I knew as I loaded my pile of broken glass onto the trailer that UJ would fly again and three years later with a new tail, new wing, new canopies, and new finish I was honored as Wally Scott lifted off in UJ on may 22 1994 for a test flight. Wally later signed the log book "enjoyed flying this fine ship"!! I have flown UJ over one hundred hours and this past Easter UJ and I returned to Marfa for the wave camp. UJ must have been reliving his earlier years as on the first day we climbed to 27,500 feet just 700 feet short of the state Record. We invite all you Cirrus nuts to come to Texas next spring and enjoy The "Texas wave".

In our last newsletter, we solicited opinions about how to relate this informal organization (really just a mailing list!!) to the Vintage Sailplane Association (VSA). We got lots of well considered comment, and the conclusion appears to be that any "formal" linking would not be appropriate.

Be that as it may, the author just happens to be the Chair of the Classic Division of the VSA and has been searching for over a year now for ways to promote Classic ships (sailplanes more than 25 years old). In that capacity, we’ve sent this copy of the Newsletter to the VSA’s archivist, Raul Blacksten, for his retention. It’s our intention to write a short article or note to the VSA’s journal, "The Bungee Cord", suggesting that similar documentation of other Classic types (e.g., the Standard Cirrus, the Phoebus, and many others) be encouraged by owners of those machines.

I did get my 5 hour duration and silver altitude gain on the same flight in early July. I had declared a 300km flight that day, but high cirrus moved in and shut things down. In fact the altitude gain was the result of a save about 40sm out from home. I spent about 15-20 min scratching around at 800' agl until the ground warmed up enough to kick off a thermal. I rode that one all the way up to 5,400'.

The author earned his Diamond goal on March 23, 1997 in ridge and thermal from New Market, VA to near Ft. Ritchie, MD and return. See SOARING for August, 1997.

So far this newsletter has been supported by the generous contributions - nearly $75! - by several recipients. (You know who your are, and THANKS!!) With the publication of this issue, with its obviously more expensive color reproduction, slightly expanded mailing list, and increased postage due to its size, the "kitty" has been completely depleted! It’s not likely that we’ll ever attempt so large a mailing of so large or so complex a document again, but if we’re to continue to provide updated sheets and an occasional newsletter, contributions would be gratefully appreciated.

We’re working on ways to cut costs of printing, but a typical newsletter now costs about $0.75 to prepare and mail (that’s about $25 an issue); it jumps a lot when the postage exceeds $0.32 (domestic) or when a special printing (like this one) comes along.

We have in hand for a future newsletter a fabulous set of pictures contributed by Bob Wicks (No.4, N49ME) illustrating his major restoration! The Directory made this issue to big we thought it best to hold Bob’s pictures (and, hopefully a detailed narration - Bob: hint, hint!!) for a later issue to give it justice.

As time passes, maintenance and restoration of these lovely old birds will be more and more important. We’ve already had very useful information distributed on Tost release cables, rudder cables, and gap sealing from Newsletter readers, and Bob’s project will show clearly that many Cirruses probably need a good look "under the pan" . We also suspect that there will be increasing interest in the next few years to economical ways to reprofile the wings, since some ships now are showing some waviness.

Please keep your ideas, suggestions, and experiences coming!