I have one of each at Marfa, Texas. My Dad's 1968 Open Cirrus and a Standard Cirrus with the factory "twist" wing mod (after about serial #185.) The Standard is popular in the Club class. It has the all-flying tail, a bit pitchy at high speed but you learn quickly to be smooth on the stick. The all-flying tail is not ideal for ground launching, as I understand it.

The hand lever wheel brake system is poor. I modified mine with the new Tost booster unit from Wings and Wheels. Both of my Cirri have a lanyard cord extension on the hard to reach tow release lever (especially important for CG hook launches.)

The Open Cirrus is the star in "The Sun Ship Game" movie filmed at the 1969 US Nationals at Marfa, TX. Thick wing and usually the winner in the late-day "last pilot to land" competitions. Beautiful profile aloft and a sweetheart to fly. My (Dad's) Open Cirrus FC is Miss April in the 2017 SSA Calendar (on sale now at the SSA.org website.)

Both Cirri have CG towhooks unless modified. I never had a problem (no one told me as a kid about CG issues, I just followed the towplane and never got high on tow, towplane wheels on or above the horizon.) If an Open Cirrus still has the drag chute, use caution. It is pure drag that cannot the modulated like air brakes. Most have been removed. I have a tutorial to e-mail you on using the drag chute on the Open Cirrus and many of the early glass ships. The water ballast tanks were metal on the early Open Cirrus, before around serial #40. They would leak and sealant sloshing didn't help much. Not much water capacity anyway.

Check the Airworthiness Directives at the FAA website and the Technical Notes on the Schempp-Hirth website. (The excellent Open Cirrus Owners website is dormant but the Standard is active.)
I can discuss more about flying Cirri if you request a ground school session with me.

My final thoughts . . . whenever a former Standard or Open Cirrus owner sees my two Cirri under the bright lights in my big hangar at Marfa, they usually say, "I wish I still had my Cirrus." I get many offers and I might sell the Standard someday but the Open Cirrus is "family" and it was my Dad's favorite sailplane. Fritz Compton would have been 101 this year.

Find photos of my Open Cirrus (drag chute deployed) on my Facebook page under "Burton Compton."