Marc Ramsey wrote:
Jack wrote:

I read Mr. Greenwell's comments with the same respect I usually have
for his comments. I have to disagree with him on this one. Instructors
and some seasoned pilots told me what a man-killer a 1-35 was.


Have you actually owned (like Eric), or at least flown, a Standard
Cirrus? The logic underlying your disagreement here escapes me (unless,
of course, you actually have a few hundred hours in a Standard Cirrus).
The reality is that there are people who make pronouncements based on
what they hear, and others who make them based on their own experiences.
Ignoring the latter, because of the former, is just plain stupid...

Marc


Hi Marc

As a DG Driver may we assume you do not have "hundreds of hours in ASW20s and
Std Cirrus"? If so I assume you are one of those making pronouncements based on
hearsay?

Both the preceding posts contain wisdom. My first flight in a single seater of
any sort was in my Std Cirrus. Though the CFI and other instructors allowed me
to take the flight the responsibility for taking it was mine. Same with any
person making a first flight on type in a single seater. The famous inscription
at the Temple of Apollo at the entrance to the oracle of Delphi says - "Know
thyself" As Bob said, you are responsible for your own safety. Objective self
assessment is your only rational option.

A responsible pilot researches the aircraft he plans to fly, and prepares. But
if the vast number of vociferous critics out there are right there is not a
single glider out there that is not fatally flawed in some respect. Hell even
the LS4 gets criticism for its collapsing undercarriage. So you have to try to
be objective and filter the hyperbole and plain bull.

The statistics confirm that it is very seldom the glider at fault when things go
horribly wrong. Again from bitter personal experience, that white stripe down
the runway from a PIO on landing with the Cirrus cost about $100/metre. I got it
wrong, and the Cirrus got away from me - the wheel snatched when I braked, I
overcorrected - tip, bounce and bang. My fault - not the glider, blaming the
tool is the sign of a poor workman... It would be easier on the old ego to tell
tales of wild efforts to control an unforgiving etc. etc. airplane - Conversely
if you accept responsibility and learn from the experience you are better for it.

Best would be to avoid getting it wrong in the first place. Again, you have to
know what your capabilities are, and how they match the characteristics of the
glider.

I find it interesting to see the number of Std Cirruses flying decades after
production ceased - it has to have something going for it. Same with other
types. Any number of detractors, but the types popularity indicates otherwise.
--
Bruce Greeff
Std Cirrus #57
I'm no-T at the address above.