opinions about SZD Cobra 36A...
Laviniu Tirca
I'm planing to buy a SZD Cobra 15 as my first ship.
I'm still a student, I'm planing to get my licence
this month but I have plenty of hours in pretty rough
conditions. I'm curious to hear opinions about the
ship from the people to flew it and know it. How does
it handle, does it have any tricky handling characteristics,
what should I pay attention to...etc ?
Thanks,
Laviniu
--=JJay=--
Użytkownik "Laviniu Tirca" <REMOVE_TO_R...@blarg.net> napisał w
wiadomości news:al7s2m$1mta0s$1...@ID-49798.news.dfncis.de...
| Hello,
|
| I'm planing to buy a SZD Cobra 15 as my first ship.
Hi
I wish I could buy Cobra 15 :) because this is great wooden glider, very
comfortable and with great handling.
I flew Cobra for almost 100 hours and i can't tell nothing bad about it,
except its very low fixed wings which makes it little tricky during takeoff
expecially with cross wind.
When this construction was new it was winning competition even with gliders
from open class !!
Cheers
--
--=JJay=--
PS
sorry for my english :)
Janusz Kesik
This glider is a great performer, just look for 38:1 ship among wooden
standard class designs, and the Cobra offers You L/D 38:1 at 97kph. In air
glider flies like the fighter, with all controls proportionally effective,
and sharp as razors. The 45-45 degree roll is achieved much below three
seconds. When You want fly to the next thermal, it gets speed so quickly,
and well pulls-up when entering the another one. It goes great "by the
hand" - the controls response is immediate.
The Cobra will enter spin if You want, but rather reluctantly, and then spin
is rather steep, and the recovery takes about 0.75 to 1 turn since the full
rudder is applied. The speed is quickly rising then, and the nose should be
risen without any delay.
The cockpit isn't so roomy, but for me (1.75m, 85kgs) is very comfortable,
especially the reclined position in cockpit, but one has to get used to it
in first hours of flying. After few hours You will find it comfortable. The
canopy is opened by pulling a handle and sliding it in front direction
[whole upper part of fuselage from the wingrood to the nose moves forward]
which is also a big plus in case You have to leave the ship in emergency
situation. You just pull the red handle, and whole upper-front part of the
glider goes away, which along with a small instrument panel significantly
increases Your chances to survive. The Cobra is the glider I would like to
jump of the most if I had to.
The main gear is stored horizontally after retrieve, and that is why does
Cobra offers You a huge luggage compartment, which can be also equipped with
qxygen installation I have seen at my friend's.
The control pushrods aren't of these automatically connecting ones (well it
wasn't so popular in late '60 when Cobra was designed), but the connections
are made in a way that excludes possibility of leaving them disconnected,
cross connected, or connected in a way that allow self-disconnecting. Just a
fast look, and You can say safely connected or disconnected. Nothing else is
possible.
There are also drawbacks, as nothing is perfect.
First, the wing are rather heavyish especially the wingroot sections, same
as the tail - carrying it for a 200m of walk is not a pleasure.
Second, Cobra's tail has rather high located center of gravity, which makes
it more vunerable for tail breaking in case of groundloop. That is a thing
You should look for when buying it, but not that it was or not broken -
rather if was, then if was properly repaired.
The tricky habits of Cobra during the takeoff is IMO a myth, the pilot just
has to focus on takeoff and the precise use of controls. Nothing special.
Well to this day I have logged some 200hrs in Cobra, and for me it's a
perfect glider which will polish Your coordination and precise controls use
for future flying in a really demanding ship. It's really worth to fly it.
And this shape... This line... :)))
Go for it.
If You need any furthe info, just drop an email.
Regards,
--
Janusz Kesik
Aeroclub Czestochowa, Poland
jant...@interia.pl
http://www.soaring.enter.net.pl
Użytkownik Laviniu Tirca <REMOVE_TO_R...@blarg.net> w wiadomości do
grup dyskusyjnych napisał:al7s2m$1mta0s$1...@ID-49798.news.dfncis.de...
iPilot
If You can fit into it comfortably (I'm 1,84m long and weigh some 95 kg and I won't).
If You have the hangar to store it in every evening (remember, it's wooden and therefore does not
like water).
If You are sure that the glider You buy is in perfect condition.
If You have the friends available to rig it.
Buy it.
It's possibly the best thing You can have for that money if You think cross-country. Plus, You get
nice aerobatics capability as an extra.
Our club has one and everyone who fit's into it tryes to fly it as much as possible. Contrary to
Janusz, I have to say, that it is possible to rig it wrong. Controls hookup is almost impossible to
put wrng way, but some members in our club managed to rig it in a way, that the wings weren't
supported by the main bolt, but by the support bolt (dunno excact details). And they flew it. And
landed safely. No aerobatics were performed this time which possibly saved the life of the pilot.
Regards,
Kaido from Estonia
"Laviniu Tirca" <REMOVE_TO_R...@blarg.net> wrote in message
news:al7s2m$1mta0s$1...@ID-49798.news.dfncis.de...
Richard Brisbourne
<REMOVE_TO_R...@blarg.net> wrote:
I flew one for about 5 years in the 1970's.
Performance comparable to first generation standard class glass
(Libelle 201, ASW-15 etc.) At the sort of prices they sell for, lots
of bang for the buck.
And unlike first generation glass, the brakes work!. I don't know
what the fields are like in your part of the world, but for early
cross-countries and field landings the approach control is great.
Other good features like the jettisonable cockpit have been mentioned
already.
In the UK it had a bit of a reputation as a non-climbing "lead sled".
In my opinion this was unjustified: I found it quite entertaining to
outclimb people who'd made disparaging comments about my glider in the
bar the night before. I think the main reason for its reputation as a
non-climber is it feels absolutely great circling at 55 knots, while
at 45 it feels sluggish but, in British thermals at least, goes up a
heck of a lot better (OK, fly it a bit faster near the ground).
The seating position is _very_ reclining. Personally I liked it, not
everyone does. Forward view is better if you have small feet.
The only problems we had were mechanical, and spares related. It was
full of all sorts of East European engineering ideas that owed nothing
to glider production elsewhere: some of them worked very well, some
didn't.
The wing attachment system already mentioned used an expanding centre
bolt- this had been used elsewhere, it's similar to the Schemp Austria
or SHK. The bolt has to be fully expanded: this is easy to see from a
visual check- you just have to know what you are doing. There was a
case in the UK some years back of an impatient SHK pilot having the
wings fold on a winch launch because he missed this check.
The sideways retracting wheel was a problem: unless you had the
correct smooth action to lower it it was liable to stick, or more
usually the door stuck. The effect of this was to abrade away the
edge of the undercarriage door.
In 1970's UK we had problems getting spares: we eventually came to the
conclusion that the then agent must have been a front for espionage-
we certainly had problems getting them to answer phone calls about
glider spares- like undercarriage doors. My guess is you'd be OK now,
especially if you speak Polish, or know someone who does, but I'd
check it out.
The real name at the left of the e-mail address is richard
SoarHead
Laviniu. That's why I've owned it twice! Wish I could still keep it!
Vince
SoarHead
First, the wing are rather heavyish especially the wingroot sections, same
as the tail - carrying it for a 200m of walk is not a pleasure.>>
Hey Janusz,
Put a tail wheel on it. Or at least use a tail dolly. I have both... The
plane came over from Europe with a skid. I didn't ever consider flying it
until I had a tailwheel since most of my flying was on paved areas. The
wingroot isn't that bad either. Eat more meat & potatoes and work out once in
a while! I only have to move it less than 2 meters from the trailer dolly to
the fuselage for assembly.
Vince
F.L. Whiteley
"Richard Brisbourne" <spamb...@rbris.nildram.co.uk> wrote in message
news:3d7a0f56...@news.nildram.co.uk...<snip>
> The wing attachment system already mentioned used an expanding centre
> bolt- this had been used elsewhere, it's similar to the Schemp Austria
> or SHK. The bolt has to be fully expanded: this is easy to see from a
> visual check- you just have to know what you are doing. There was a
> case in the UK some years back of an impatient SHK pilot having the
> wings fold on a winch launch because he missed this check.
>
tired, turned with the other hand in the other direction. But you're right,
he missed the visual check. I heard he reached the top of the launch with
about 1/8" of pin engaged and pulled the tail chute on descent.
Frank Whiteley
Janusz Kesik
They're just stiffening the wings connection, so there should be no problem
if not loaded too much.
JK
Janusz Kesik
and lazier than at 80.
JK
Janusz Kesik
performance so much.
The spares are now available from SZD Jezow
website: www.szdjezow.com.pl
Regards,
--
Janusz Kesik
Aeroclub Czestochowa, Poland
jant...@interia.pl
http://www.soaring.enter.net.pl
> The sideways retracting wheel was a problem: unless you had the