The Open Cirrus Association Newsletter
http://home.adelphia.net/~jimkellett
Volume V, Issue 2
April, 2000

Just in – Cirrus No. 108, has moved from Slovenia to the United Kingdom.  Simon Smith <SSmith3508@aol.com> and partner Alan Seear took possession of the ship on March 4, 2000.

Cirrus No. 23

From Godfrey King, January 4, 2000:
Sadly I have to inform you that our beautiful Cirrus No 23 was written off in September in a landing accident. My partner undershot into a hedge which contained several trees and took both wings off it. The cockpit and fuselage were virtually undamaged, not even a scratch on the canopy and he climbed out shaken but unhurt. The insurance Company wrote it off as uneconomic to repair and put the wreckage out to tender  together with two other damaged Cirruses as a package deal. The three were bought by  Bob McLean, of McLean Avaition, The Aerodrome, Rufforth, York, UK. whose intention is to turn the three into one aeroplane. Which number it will turn out to be is anyone's guess.

Check Your Maintenance Work!!

It pays to check what's been checked.  Another $2000 recently spent in an excellent glass shop included the discovery of an improperly done old repair!  It appears that about 30 years ago No. 67 was repaired after a crash, but the repairman had laid down the glass fiber sheets incorrectly on a section near the leading edge of the root of the right wing.  We discovered it when I'd asked the shop to touch up the discoloring gelcoat that was beginning to show up over the repair.  It's things like that that make all of us "test pilots" when we fly old, often repaired Classic sailplanes.

Still, several months later when I went to fly the ship for the first time since the repairs, I discovered to my dismay that the cotter pins holding the landing gear axle had been improperly crimped down, and they'd dug long gashes on the inside of the gear doors!  The cuts were deep enough to cause the gear retraction to be obstructed, and I came close to doing serious damage to the doors had I forced the gear up when it felt "tight".  And on the first flight, the brakes were discovered to be VERY weak - - and this after just installing brand new shoes!   Another lesson learned - always inspect the ship THOROUGHLY and make a CAREFUL test flight or two after servicing it!

Cirrus No. 64 Will Rise Again!

We got a nice letter from Pat Ford!  He's alive and well, retired from soaring.  But the really good news is that Dean Aldridge is rebuilding No. 64 in the shop at Rex Mayes' Western Soaring!  Would you believe the ship passed through several (probably undocumented) owners before getting sold?  I'm embarrassed to quote the alleged sale price!  Hint: you can get a handheld GPS for about the same amount of money!  Anyhow, Rex avows that No. 64 could be flying again as soon as this July!

One of the most interesting aspects of this rebuild was the report from Rex Mayes that it will include a removable seat pan.  You may recall that several of us - Chuck Yeates, myself, Bob Wicks - advocated this as a mod that could help prevent surprises with rusted/frayed cables, worn pullies, etc. which are sealed.  Unfortunately, not all shops are willing to make the change, apparently believing that it violates the type certificate.  

No. 70 Moving Right Along

Thanks, in part, to some timely help from other Cirrus owners, the repair of Gary Nelson's ship is making progress - maybe in the air!  The parts and pictures provided by other owners make it clear that this kind of organization as tangible value to any Cirrus pilot!

Cirrus Lovers at Albuquerque 

Left to right: Fred Fredine, Pat Kellett, Jim Kellett, Jim Spelman, Burt Compton

Want a Model? 

At the SSA convention, the suggestion was made that perhaps we could get a group order for customized models of the Cirrus.  Accordingly, we talked with two vendors, who quickly agreed to a significant discount on "bulk" (not elsewhere defined) orders.  The picture at left is one of the more detailed ones, in plastic, that I bought in Switzerland about ten years ago.  It has a customized panel and cockpit with incredible detail.  Such a model today would cost on the order of $400, but could be had for considerably less depending on the size of the order and the level of detail (e.g., extended gear is extra, customized vs. generic panel is extra, etc.)  Another vendor can provide models, made of walnut (painted, of course, so you don't see any wood) and with an opaque canopy for something on the order of $150.  Both models are about 24" in wingspan.  I forgot to discuss shipping costs, so don't know how that'd work.  But the first question is to see if there's interest in a group order for either one  - - anyone want either one of these?

And, speaking of models, can anyone help Bob Abel? 

From: Abel, Bob <babel@delfield.com
Date: Thursday, March 16, 2000 4:33 AM

My name is Bob Abel and I am a member of the Mt Pleasant Model Aircraft Club. I am currently scratch building a Schempp-Hirth Cirrus sailplane. I have a set of planes for a 72" span free flight model which I am using to create a 3.5 meter all fiberglass ship. I plan on incorporating full house control surfaces however the plans I have do not go into great detail on >aileron and elevator locations and sizes. I was wondering if you have a 3-view drawing or know of someplace where I could get this information. Any help in this matter would be greatly appreciated.

 Lots of New Data!

Jo Shaw, Fred Richardson, (and others) provided lots of new data on the early contest years - see the "competition" section of the website.  And none other than our friend Bob Kent in the UK posted new lists of gliders worldwide that included MANY of our "mystery ships"!  Check out the new country listings - including one in the Chilean Air Force, a couple in Argentina, and many more! 

Sincere Flattery

It was very pleasing to hear, at the Albuquerque Soaring Society of America convention, that this site has attracted the favorable attention of the Soaring Society of America, Federal Aviation Administration, Soaring Safety Foundation, and Ludftahrt-Bundesamt.  These organizations apparently recognize that self-help organizations such as this can play a major role in the safety of our older and aging aircraft.  On our website, you may notice that there are even more glider type-sites being established by owners.  The most recent is for the ASW-19, started by a pilot with the Tidewater Soaring Society in Virginia (US).