This article needs additional citations for verification .(December 2012) |
Standard Cirrus | |
---|---|
General information | |
Type | Standard-class sailplane |
National origin | Germany |
Manufacturer | Schempp-Hirth |
Designer | |
Number built | ca. 838 |
History | |
First flight | 20 February 1969 |
The Standard Cirrus is a Standard-class glider built in Germany by Schempp-Hirth. The Standard Cirrus was produced between 1969 and 1985, when it was replaced by the Discus. Over 800 examples were built, making it one of the most successful early fibreglass glider designs.
The Standard Cirrus was designed by Dipl. Ing. Klaus Holighaus and flew for the first time in February 1969. It is a Standard Class glider with a 15-metre span, and laminar-flow airfoil section designed by Professor Franz Wortmann. The all-moving tailplane, a feature of many designs of that period due to its theoretically higher efficiency, caused less than desirable high-speed stability characteristics, and so modifications were made to the early design. The aircraft built before 1972 have a washout of -0.75 degrees. The washout was then increased to -1.5 degrees which improved low-speed performance and response at slow speed. [1]
Improvements were made with the Standard Cirrus 75. These included better air-brakes with an increased frontal area and a safer tailplane attachment system. By April 1977, when production by Schempp-Hirth ended, a total of 700 Standard Cirruses had been built, including 200 built under licence by Grob between 1972 and July 1975. A French firm, Lanaverre Industrie, had also built 38 Standard Cirruses under licence by 1979. VTC of Yugoslavia also licence-built Standard Cirruses, reaching approximately 100 by 1985.
The Baby Cirrus is similar to a Standard Cirrus 75. The only thing different about them is the fact it had its wing on top of the fuselage mounted on a fiberglass beam of some sort. Only one was made. It was primarily used to try and improve the design of the Standard Cirrus. The original registration was D-3111. It was later converted to a Standard Cirrus 75 and was given a new registration. It is still flying to the day of this edit and is owned by a club in Germany.
The Cirrus B is based on the Standard Cirrus 75 but with interchangeable wingtips giving a span of either 15m or 16m.
The two Cirrus K have a reduced span (12.6m), larger ailerons, a cross tail with larger elevator, and a strengthened fuselage which make them suitable for aerobatics. This modification was initiated by Wilhelm Düerkop in the late 1980s. [2] [3] Wolfgang Seitz took part in the 1995 World Glider Aerobatic Championships with a Cirrus K. [4]
The last Cirrus model was the G/81 built by VTC until 1985. This incorporated a longer fuselage and canopy, and a conventional tailplane and elevator with the wings of the Cirrus 75.
Data fromJane's all the World's Aircraft 1976–77 [5]
General characteristics
Performance
Related development
Aircraft of comparable role, configuration, and era
Related lists
The Schempp-Hirth Discus is a Standard Class glider designed by Schempp-Hirth. It was produced in Germany between 1984 and 1995 but has continued in production in the Czech Republic. It replaced the Standard Cirrus. It was designed by Klaus Holighaus.
The Schempp-Hirth Ventus is a sailplane produced during 1980–1994 by Schempp-Hirth, a German sailplane manufacturer. It was designed by Klaus Holighaus and replaced the Schempp-Hirth Mini-Nimbus. Schempp-Hirth manufactured 613 Ventus sailplanes.
The Rolladen-Schneider LS4 is a Standard Class single seat glider manufactured by Rolladen-Schneider Flugzeugbau GmbH between 1980 and 2003.
The Schempp-Hirth Mini Nimbus is a 15 Metre-class glider designed and built by Schempp-Hirth GmbH in the late 1970s.
The Rolladen-Schneider LS1 is a Standard Class single-seat glider manufactured in Germany by Rolladen-Schneider from 1968 to 1977.
The Schempp-Hirth Janus is a high performance two-seat glider that was built by Schempp-Hirth GmbH. It was the first high-performance two-seater.
The Schempp-Hirth Cirrus is an Open Class glider built by Schempp-Hirth between 1967 and 1971 and by VTC until 1977. It was replaced by the Nimbus 2.
The Schempp-Hirth HS-3 Nimbus was a prototype glider built by Klaus Holighaus.
The Schempp-Hirth Nimbus-2 is an Open Class glider built by Schempp-Hirth during the 1970s. The Nimbus-2 first flew in April 1971 and a total of over 240 examples of all subtypes have been built until the beginning of the 1980s. It replaced the Schempp-Hirth Cirrus.
The Schleicher ASW 15 is a single-seat sailplane designed in 1968 by Gerhard Waibel and manufactured by Alexander Schleicher GmbH & Co. The ASW 15 has shoulder-mounted wings and an all-flying tailplane, with its single tow-release placement a compromise between winching and aerotowing. The later ASW 15B had several improvements, including a tow-release placed on the plane of symmetry, an 11 cm taller rudder, a slightly larger main wheel, and the provision of a 90-litre water ballast system.
The ASW 19 is a single-seat glider built by Alexander Schleicher GmbH & Co, first flying in 1975. It was originally designed as a Standard Class glider, but now mainly competes in the Club Class. The ASW 19 is known for its pleasant handling and some clubs use it as a training glider. It was succeeded by the all-new Schleicher ASW 24.
The VSO 10 Vosa is a Standard and Club-Class glider designed and manufactured in the Czechoslovak Republic from December 1978 as a replacement for the VT-116 Orlik II.
The ICA IS-32 is an open class high-performance metal two-seat sailplane produced in Romania in the 1970s. A refinement of the IS-28B, it shared most of that aircraft's fuselage, mated to new wings and empennage. This new wing had a span of 20 metres, featuring interconnected ailerons and flaps, Schempp-Hirth-type airbrakes. It had no provision for water ballast. The monowheel undercarriage differed from the IS-28 in being fully retractable.
The SZD-59 Acro is a single-seat glass composite glider for aerobatics and cross-country flying by PZL Allstar of Bielsko-Biała, Poland.
The SZD-41 Jantar Standard was a Standard Class glider designed and produced in Poland from 1973.
The LAK-12 is a Lithuanian mid-wing, single-seat, FAI Open Class glider that was designed and produced by Lietuviškos Aviacinės Konstrukcijos (LAK) in Lithuania and later by Sportine Aviacija and Sport Aviation USSR.
The Akaflieg Braunschweig SB-7 Nimbus is a Standard class glider designed and built in Germany in the 1960s. It was one of a series of mixed glass fibre and wood designs from the students of Akaflieg Braunschweig.
The SZD-42 Jantar 2 is a single seat Open Class competition glider, designed and produced in Poland in the 1970s. It features a span of over 20 m (66 ft) and elastic, camber changing flaps. It was placed second, third and seventh at the 1976 World Gliding Championships. Over one hundred were built and more than ninety remain registered.
The Mistral-C was one of the first gliders, designed in 1974 to the then new Club Class rules. It was based on the Strauber Mistral, a Standard Class glider flown a year earlier, but with a new wing and built from newer composite materials. Both types were designed and constructed in Germany. More than 75 Mistral-Cs were produced.
The Schleicher K 10 is a Standard class competition glider, designed by Rudolf Kaiser and built in Germany in 1963. Only a few were produced.