ASW-15 vs Standard Cirrus

[Blanchard]

Good day all,

I am a low time pilot looking at my first glider.  The second hand market seems to have plenty of Cirri and -15s available, and I am wondering if anyone here has experience with both.

Pros/Cons and flight comparisons would be great.

Cheers,
Andrew
Calgary, AB, Canada

[Rob Ford]

Andrew-

I just created a folder in the "Media" section called "ASW-15 vs Standard Cirrus"

It's an old article about a comparison test of 8 sailplanes, including the ASW-15 and the Std Cirrus.

I found it on the Standard Cirrus users group site:
"www.standardcirrus.org

There is also an article on that site about the Std Cirrus with more of a handling qualitites slant to it-
I didn't put it here, because there was no ASW-15 content.

-Rob 
-

[Rob Ford]

After I wrote that last comment, I went back and read that article about the Std Cirrus again ("A Flight Test Evaluation of the Standard Cirrus B", by Richard Johnson) - there is a comment in it which speaks directly to your issue:  "For the above reasons, I would recommend that pilots with less than about 100 hours experience should not fly the Standard Cirrus."
The two-page article is scanned as two .jpg files and may be found at:
www.standardcirrus.org/StdCirrusJohnson1.jpg  and
www.standardcirrus.org/StdCirrusJohnson2.jpg

-Rob

[Rbcurry1]

Hello Andrew,

How much time do you have and in what gliders?  Have you discussed with your instructors?

Bob Curry

[Rbcurry1]

Andrew,

All the Standard Cirrus's that I have flown have a centered CG tow hook.  A wing runner is a must and it is easy to let the wing drop as the ailerons don't have much authority at low speeds.  Many ASW-15B's have a tow hook centered and two feet forward of the CG which is much easier on the launch.  The older ASW-15 has a CG hook that is offset and is difficult to control on early phase of tow.  Low speed handling is better in the 15.  Especially if you can find a model with winglets.

Bob

[Johan van Ravenzwaaij]

The older ASW-15 has a CG hook that is offset and is difficult to control on early phase of tow.

Please note there is a certified tow hook modification available at Schleichers.