I've owned one for about 8 years now. As others have posted, it's a very benign handling glider. Comparatively slow and heavy in roll, though booting in full rudder helps if you need to force your way into a thermal (I believe this might induce some wing drop, but doesn't risk a stall or spin in my experience if you're at around 50kt). It soars better than anything else at my club apart from the K6E, where we're about even.

1. Quite a roomy cockpit unless you're tall. I'm just under 6' 2", and I removed the hammock seat to give myself enough headroom. I'm quite happy about that because the hammock seat can move your position on the launch, which could be scary when winching. Hard cushions are better.

2. This is an old design (1967) and so the airfoil doesn't take kindly to hooliganing around the sky. 50kt best glide, 50 kt (+ 1/2 wind)landing, 60-65 kts if you're feeling aggressive (in UK conditions - maybe with 10kt thermal averages you can go faster, but in the UK a 4-5kt average day is a very good one).

3. Speed control on the approach is important as the airbrakes are weak compared to more modern designs. An extra 10 kts can double your landing distance. Of course, the tailchute can help you here, but ...

4. Tailchute is fairly reliable, but I've discovered the modes of rigging it so it won't deploy, or falls off. You need an extra 5kt to use it, so if it doesn't work see (3) above. I've practised opening it at low key (abeam landing point on downwind), and flying a curved approach works though feels scary at one point - my theory is that if it doesn't deploy in a field landing I have enough time to work out an improved arrival. Having said all that, I've never needed it in a real field landing (energy management is key)..

5. Stalling and spinning are docile, though with the wheel down the buffet is less noticeable. The only potential gotcha on spins is that (in mine at least) the rudder feels like it is on the stops when you have an inch more to go. And you need that last inch, at which point it recovers immediately. Thus FULL opposite rudder, and push through any resistance.

6. The wings are very heavy, but with two wing tip trestles it's a fairly easy two-man rig. I rig mine single-handed using two wide wing tip trestles, a wing root trestle, and a mid-wing dolly to take the weight.


7. You can go a long way in an Open Cirrus if you're patient and don't rush it. Keep the speed down, fly energy lines, and 30km without thermalling would be common. I work on 40:1 for final glide @ 50kt (claimed L/D is 44:1) and that gives me a small margin. If you can see the airfield you're in gliding range, unless you hit heavy sink or it'son a hill top.

If your style of flying is to go places, without rushing and turning as little as possible, it will suit you. If you want snappy handling and to fly fast between thermals, it won't.

On Monday, July 2, 2012 12:28:03 AM UTC+1, Duster wrote:
Any thoughts on flight characteristics of the Open Cirrus? There used
to be a website covering this glider, but it doesn't appear to be
active since last year.

Thanks,
Mike