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.

"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

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

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

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

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.

BTIZ wrote:

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.

So if it has an N number it's a glider and
if it doesn't it's an ultralight? If I paint an
orange yellow, is it a lemon? :P

If the federales ask at some point, it'd probably be
time to ask for a waiver. Banner, sparrowhawk, whatever.
If the insurers are willing to cover it, the
feds probably wouldn't even blink...especially since the
exact same aircraft with N number is fine...
--

------------+
Mark Boyd
Avenal, California, USA

Actually it would be more reasonable to argue the other direction.

I haven't looked it up but if I recall my definitions the FAA does not
consider an ultralight vehical to be an Aircraft. While It may meet
the definiation of a glider, if meets the definition of an ultralight
the FAA does not reconginize it as an aircraft and as a result it does
not need to be registered, Certified or require a Pilot Certificate to
fly it.

I do not recall any regulation concerning towing of ultralight
vehicals so It could be argued that as far as the regulations are
concerned there are no tow pilot requirements for towing ultralight
vehicals. As such a newly licensed recreational Pilot might be able to
Tow ultralight vehicals with no endorsements required. They would have
to be careful not to be receiving any compensation for doing so.

Just because it might be allowed by the regulations does not make it
safe or reasonable to try it. Insurance wording is an entirely
different matter.

Brian
CFIIG/ASEL



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

(Finbar) wrote in message

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.

Mine does. My glider (one of my gliders) has a Special Airworthiness
Certificate (U.S. of A.) and has the word Glider in parentheses
following the word Experimental in the Category/Designation block.
This is in accordance with the (U. S. of A) FAA Order 8130.2E, Section
6, paragraph 121.d

My other glider has a Standard - also U.S. of A. But I did see a
round-motored Sukhoi or Zlin or some such aerobatic thing last
Saturday with OK registration flying the box in central Washington.
Must have been a long ferry flight!

Jim

"Jim Phoenix" wrote in message
om...
(Finbar) wrote in message

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.

Mine does. My glider (one of my gliders) has a Special Airworthiness
Certificate (U.S. of A.) and has the word Glider in parentheses
following the word Experimental in the Category/Designation block.
This is in accordance with the (U. S. of A) FAA Order 8130.2E, Section
6, paragraph 121.d

I have been watching this thread for a while. So I thought I should take a
look at the US airworthiness certificate of my HP-14.

It is a "Special Airworthiness Certificate issued in 1987 and 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