Buying a 1-35 pros and cons?

On 3/23/2013 5:44 PM, Dave Springford wrote:
I completely agree with the comment about a flap-only glider and would
advise against a 1-35 as a first glider unless you have lots of flap-only
power time.
No problem with that advice (even though I do not agree with it, reasons - or
at least examples - why I disagree noted in another post in this same thread)...


The problem is that flaps are digital, they are either on or off, unlike
the analogue nature of spoilers where you can vary their position as
required. With flaps, once they are on you are pretty much committed to
that glide path until touch down.
Um - no offense intended, Dave - but this is utter nonsense. In my -
hydraulically-actuated, more or less "single-shot" flapped HP-14, I flew every
approach (but two) always adding flaps...but that was only because the flap
actuation system didn't lend itself to modulation, and, it had so much drag
there was no NEED to ever modulate/decrease added drag...it had roughly a
somewhere between 2:1 to 4:1 glide angle with full flaps, near as I bothered
to quantify. In my - relatively weenily flapped w. consequently considerably
shallower approach cone (7:1 it's doing good) - Zuni with a "1-35C-like flap
actuation system," approaches (particularly in vertically gnarly conditions)
were regularly flown with flap modulation, sometimes from full on to full off.
It's no big deal, though doing so does require matching (not particularly
difficult...dare I say intuitive?) pitch inputs to maintain a consistent
speed. And of course, all our approaches are flown at a consistent speed, eh?

Now, roundout time I'd agree is no time to be messing with flaps...just as
it's no time to be messing with spoilers, except maybe for the relatively more
experienced in type pilot, possibly practicing something or other...



The other issue with the 1-35, (based on my one flight in one) is that I
found it about the most unstable glider I had ever flown. With most
gliders you can take your hand of the stick and it keeps going straight.
The 1-35 I flew instantly departed stable flight when I let go of the
stick. After landing, I described as a glider balanced on the head of a
pin.

I've never flown one, but 1st-generation Standard Cirri have been similarly
'head of a pin' described to me by several active-in-them pilots when we've
compared notes, as has (e.g.) the 1-36 'Sprite'. I think my
1st-high-performance-ship, 1-35C-owning brother would generally concur with
your 'head of a pin' assessment (I seem to recall he used that very expression
in a letter to me, in fact), though he personally ultimately found it to be an
asset, particularly on weak, rattily thermalled days, since the ship 'talked
to him' so much.


Get an LS4 or Discus, or even a Standard Cirrus, or if you are small
enough, a Libelle as your first ship.

Ruh roh. There's that pesky St'd Cirrus again! See above comment...
- - - - - -

To the OP, the above exchange beautifully illustrates the unavoidable
perplexities to be found in free advice!


Bob - believes some free advice is better than others - W.