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#1
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I have my new Sparrow Hawk
I recived my Sparrow Hawk SN #10 just two weekends ago. I was the test
pilot for the virgin bird. After 2.5 Hrs. in light 'high-pressure day' thermals in Central Oregon. All I needed to adjust was the rudder peddle lenght. Greg Cole said I main a record for the most time aloft with the least number of tows. @ tows and ~ 5.5 Hrs. I was able to walk the glider out to the runway by mayself, at 155 lbs & wheels, why not, hook-up and go. The tow, flight and landing is very easy. Controls are very responsive and light, but not the least bit twitchy. In otherwards, no over sensitive pitching as with many other gliders. I have been flying a Nimbus-II till the Sparrow hawk came around. Although one is a mere 155 Lbs, while the other is well over 1,000 lbs. I found that transitining from one to the other was a non issue. I have been flying powered aircraft and hang gliders sence 1972. It is my honest openion that any one who has been flying moderate to high performance flex wings and rigid wings will fell very much at home with the Sparrow Hawk. One would think that such a light glider would blow about like a paper bag and have potentual penitration problems. Not so, Creg Cole has designed airfoils specifically for this light weight application. What with wing-loading similar to any other standard class glider it feels very solid and secure, even in big air. Its like a solid high performance sports car. I can thermal, much like my hang glider, as tight as I desire, taking advantage of small light, scratchy thermals. Many that I would simply pass up in many other sail planes. I hope to travel about with it to many other sites. Towing: Our glider club said that as long as a Sparrow Hawk owner is a current local club and SSA member, there will be no problems getting a tow and have insurance cover the tow plane, but not the glider. We have a Piper Pawnee. I am sure that the insurance situation will be the same with many other clubs and comercial operations. I will be flying my Sparrow Hawk glider much more real soon and hope to answer any questions one may have. |
#2
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"Patrick McLaughlin" wrote in message
om... Towing: Our glider club said that as long as a Sparrow Hawk owner is a current local club and SSA member, there will be no problems getting a tow and have insurance cover the tow plane, but not the glider. We have a Piper Pawnee. I am sure that the insurance situation will be the same with many other clubs and comercial operations. First I will ask a question, Is the Sparrow Hawk registered with an N-number and does it have an Airworthiness Cert that it is a "glider" If not your club needs to re-look at it's insurance, and your tow pilots at their ratings.. They are certified to tow gliders, not any thing else, if they are towing an ultra light that is not certified by the FAA as a "glider" and has an N-number registration, they are in violation of FARs and most likely the tow plane's insurance is in violation. At that point in time it matters not if the "ultra light" has insurance or not. JMHO BT |
#3
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also, most "Club" insurance policies cover the tow plane and the clubs
gliders, but not private owners gliders... so their statement is moot.. they would be covered but you are not, unless their error causes your damage... towing an "aircraft", not certified as a "glider" and not registered with an N-number, violates FAR 91.311, do you have a waiver to tow an non registered ultra light? so would their policy be in force if an FAR is violated? BT "BTIZ" wrote in message news:iwYlc.11873$k24.11221@fed1read01... "Patrick McLaughlin" wrote in message om... Towing: Our glider club said that as long as a Sparrow Hawk owner is a current local club and SSA member, there will be no problems getting a tow and have insurance cover the tow plane, but not the glider. We have a Piper Pawnee. I am sure that the insurance situation will be the same with many other clubs and comercial operations. First I will ask a question, Is the Sparrow Hawk registered with an N-number and does it have an Airworthiness Cert that it is a "glider" If not your club needs to re-look at it's insurance, and your tow pilots at their ratings.. They are certified to tow gliders, not any thing else, if they are towing an ultra light that is not certified by the FAA as a "glider" and has an N-number registration, they are in violation of FARs and most likely the tow plane's insurance is in violation. At that point in time it matters not if the "ultra light" has insurance or not. JMHO BT |
#4
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BTIZ wrote:
also, most "Club" insurance policies cover the tow plane and the clubs gliders, but not private owners gliders... so their statement is moot.. they would be covered but you are not, unless their error causes your damage... towing an "aircraft", not certified as a "glider" and not registered with an N-number, violates FAR 91.311, do you have a waiver to tow an non registered ultra light? so would their policy be in force if an FAR is violated? I can't find where the regulations says an aircraft has to be certified to be a glider. What is the CFR number for that? I mean, clearly it's a glider, or is there a CFR that requires an aircraft to weight over 155 pounds before it's can qualify as a glider? -- Change "netto" to "net" to email me directly Eric Greenwell Washington State USA |
#5
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It is always fascinating to me how people make up or interpret regulations
to fit their preconceived notions. 14 CFR 1 Definitions: "Glider means a heavier-than-air aircraft, that is supported in flight by the dynamic reaction of the air against its lifting surfaces and whose free flight does not depend principally on an engine." It seems to me that any vehicle capable of carrying a person, regardless of weight, that uses gravity as its principle means of staying aloft, meets the definition of a glider. I see no regulation that requires certification or that an ultralight can not also be a glider. The original intent of the FARs was to be permissive rather than restrictive. Thus, if it is not specifically prohibited, it can be presumed, within reason, to be permitted. So, Eric is right and Btiz is wrong. Allan "Eric Greenwell" wrote in message BITZ so would their policy be in force if an FAR is violated? I can't find where the regulations says an aircraft has to be certified to be a glider. What is the CFR number for that? I mean, clearly it's a glider, or is there a CFR that requires an aircraft to weight over 155 pounds before it's can qualify as a glider? -- Change "netto" to "net" to email me directly Eric Greenwell Washington State USA |
#6
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then go tell my insurance company that I am wrong... if it doesn't have an
FAA document (certification) in the "aircraft" that says it's a "glider".. I'm not towing it. It's an ultralight, and FAR91.311 says I can only tow according to 91.309, and 91.309 says "glider", I can't tow ultralights. BT "ADP" wrote in message ... It is always fascinating to me how people make up or interpret regulations to fit their preconceived notions. 14 CFR 1 Definitions: "Glider means a heavier-than-air aircraft, that is supported in flight by the dynamic reaction of the air against its lifting surfaces and whose free flight does not depend principally on an engine." It seems to me that any vehicle capable of carrying a person, regardless of weight, that uses gravity as its principle means of staying aloft, meets the definition of a glider. I see no regulation that requires certification or that an ultralight can not also be a glider. The original intent of the FARs was to be permissive rather than restrictive. Thus, if it is not specifically prohibited, it can be presumed, within reason, to be permitted. So, Eric is right and Btiz is wrong. Allan "Eric Greenwell" wrote in message BITZ so would their policy be in force if an FAR is violated? I can't find where the regulations says an aircraft has to be certified to be a glider. What is the CFR number for that? I mean, clearly it's a glider, or is there a CFR that requires an aircraft to weight over 155 pounds before it's can qualify as a glider? -- Change "netto" to "net" to email me directly Eric Greenwell Washington State USA |
#7
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First I will ask a question, Is the Sparrow Hawk registered with an N-number
and does it have an Airworthiness Cert that it is a "glider" 14 CFR § 1.1 General definitions. .. .. .. Aircraft means a device that is used or intended to be used for flight in the air. .. .. .. Glider means a heavier-than-air aircraft, that is supported in flight by the dynamic reaction of the air against its lifting surfaces and whose free flight does not depend principally on an engine. ------ The Federal Aviation Regulations do not limit the definition of a Glider to an aircraft operated solely under Part 91, 121 and/or 135: it may be operated under Part 103 and still be a Glider. Aircraft operated under Part 103 do not require Airworthiness Certificates. While an insurance policy may have requirements that the towed vehicle have an Airworthiness Certificate, the FAA does not require one in order to consider the vehicle a "Glider." Also, the Airworthiness Certificate issued for the vehicle I regularly fly does not anywhere describe it as a Glider, or as anything else. There isn't even a box on the certificate where one would enter that kind of information. |
#8
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#10
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Block A reads: "CATEGORY/PURPOSE Experimental" "PURPOSE Operating Amateur-Built Aircraft (Glider) A typewriter was used to enter the data on the certificate. Maybe the entries are not as standardized as we would assume. Wayne http://www.soaridaho.com/Schreder Yeah, maybe not very standardized - but the word glider is there. The Order also says if it's a balloon, it should have the word Balloon in parentheses - apparently this annotation of type on the Special Airworthiness Certificate is to help the FAA to know that no medical is needed (!!??) - at least that's what it says in the Order. There will certainly be differences between Special Airworthiness Certificates typed up before 1993 and after 1993 - quite a change in the guidance that year. On another note, I saw a notice in the Federal Register last Friday - actually a Final Rule - that says if one does not print or type one's name on the temporary registration certificate as required by the rule, instructions, order, guidance, etc. - then the registration certificate will not be processed and then one would be in a heap o' trouble. It appears one must sign the form with your signature AND print or type your name on the form. Hard to believe they had to go to the Federal Register on this one!! If you get bored with RAS, you can always read the FR for fun, or maybe load up Dr. Jacks and pray for a change in the forecast. If you really want to have some fun, go find the FAR Preambles on the web and read the true meaning of towing an ultralight, it's kinda fun - but very difficult to find. Back to sanding wing tips now... Jim |
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