Whatever happened to...

I was just reflecting on the Bright Hopes for the future of soaring
which have appeared here in the past. What became of ...

* the American Spirit / Eagle?

* the Genesis?

* the PW-5 / PW-6?

I know a fair few PW-5's were made, but did it ever come close to the
thousands predicted? Are they still in production?

Ian
--

PW-5 and PW-6 production by PZL Swidnik has been transferred in June
2005 to ZS Jezow (also known as "The glider factory"). This is the
old Grünau factory where Edmund Schneider produced the SG-38 and
Grünau Baby before and during WWII. The former German town Grünau is
now Polish and is called Jezow Sudecki. ZS Jezow is a former part of
the PZL conglomerate, and specialised until now in the maintenance and
repair of PZL gliders.

http://www.szdjezow.com.pl/index1_eng.html

I think the American Spirits are waiting for their owners to save money
for gas for the chain saw. I know someone that started one but I never
heard he flew it. Did any ever fly?

Andy

Only got my license two years ago and the PWs I've seen up close and
read all about but the American Spirit? Is that a new brand of Bourbon
I missed??

Andy wrote:
I think the American Spirits are waiting for their owners to save money
for gas for the chain saw. I know someone that started one but I never
heard he flew it. Did any ever fly?

I saw an American Spirit at the Franconia NH, USA airport a bunch of
years ago. I chatted briefly with the owner/builder. It flew.

Tony V

One flies a few times each year in Boulder - seems to be an OK glider.

dave r. (who would never fly something I built!)

"Tony Verhulst" wrote in message
. ..
Andy wrote:
I think the American Spirits are waiting for their owners to save money
for gas for the chain saw. I know someone that started one but I never
heard he flew it. Did any ever fly?

I saw an American Spirit at the Franconia NH, USA airport a bunch of years
ago. I chatted briefly with the owner/builder. It flew.

Tony V

A few American Spirits and Falcons were completed and flying. None
have failed in flight, though one or two failed under static load. A
couple of solutions to this have been cooked. Two kits have been
donated to the Collegiate Soaring Association to date. One found its
way to Penn State for the glider design program. A second went to
Mississippi State Raspet Flight Research Laboratory for similar study
and design experience. IIRC, a PW-5 and a PW-6 were gifted to MSUGC by
alumnus Dick Johnson.

A Genesis 2 was donated to the SW Soaring Museum by Jerry Mercer.
Another hangs in the National Soaring Museum. I presume the remainder
continue to fly and with the fillet change, fly very well. There's one
for sale in Canada at the moment. It's listed under 'old projects' on
the LAK web site.

Frank Whiteley

Ask Prokes! He'll tell you the whole sad story.

At 04:42 20 November 2005, Frank Whiteley wrote:
A few American Spirits and Falcons were completed and
flying. None
have failed in flight, though one or two failed under
static load. A
couple of solutions to this have been cooked. Two
kits have been
donated to the Collegiate Soaring Association to date.
One found its
way to Penn State for the glider design program. A
second went to
Mississippi State Raspet Flight Research Laboratory
for similar study
and design experience. IIRC, a PW-5 and a PW-6 were
gifted to
MSUGC by
alumnus Dick Johnson.


A Genesis 2 was donated to the SW Soaring Museum by
Jerry Mercer.
Another hangs in the National Soaring Museum. I presume
the
remainder
continue to fly and with the fillet change, fly very
well. There's one
for sale in Canada at the moment. It's listed under
'old projects' on
the LAK web site.

Frank Whiteley


No sense in beating a dead horse. Once again I have
the dubious
distinction of being one of the first to own a American
Sprit kit. I lived
less than 10 miles from the factory and knew the owner
of the factory
well enough to never want to fly the one that I bought.
I did fly the
factory built Sprit, it flew well except for the loud
cracking noise when I
pulled up in a thermal. Maybe it was me but I could
never get the
factory owner to admit that there was a problem. I
have been over to
the factory since and they are building hatch covers
for submarines. I
sold the kit for a dollar and hope the gentleman that
bought it found the
chain saw to cut it up before it fell on some one.
Chuck

Chuck's comments on the American Spirit glider bring to mind the phrase
I use when someone asks me about such gliders; Fly one? I wouldn't walk
under one!

Robert Mudd