SZD 30 "Pirat" experience

[Hamar kommune IT-avdelingen]

Hi!

Our club has a SZD 30 "Pirat" (1974) in pretty good shape, and it is a
relly nice plane to fly. However, a couple of years ago there was an
accident reported in Denmark with a Pirat. Rumours say that the plane
disintegrated in the air (the pilot escaped by chute), the accident
enquiry showed that there was some faulty glueing in the main wing
construction. Our plane (having allegedly a serial number next to the
one that crashed) was immediately grounded by the Norwegian Aviation
authorities but later checked and found OK, but the top speed was
reduced from 220 to 165 km/h.
Does anyone know anything about this particular accident, or have any
experience with the Pirat.
I believe that ours is the only flying example in Norway. I have heard
that there are 3 in Denmark, none of them flying.

Michael Gregor
Hamar
Norway
--
- itha...@online.no

[Ian Johnston]

Hamar kommune IT-avdelingen (itha...@online.no) wrote:

: Our club has a SZD 30 "Pirat" (1974) in pretty good shape, and it is a

: relly nice plane to fly.

I have one myself, and I'm very fond of it. Apart from anything else, it's
the only glider I've ever flown that was long enough in the cockpit for me.

: However, a couple of years ago there was an

: accident reported in Denmark with a Pirat. Rumours say that the plane
: disintegrated in the air (the pilot escaped by chute), the accident
: enquiry showed that there was some faulty glueing in the main wing
: construction. Our plane (having allegedly a serial number next to the
: one that crashed) was immediately grounded by the Norwegian Aviation
: authorities but later checked and found OK, but the top speed was
: reduced from 220 to 165 km/h.
: Does anyone know anything about this particular accident, or have any
: experience with the Pirat.

I understand that a lot of Pirats here had to have glue checked some years
ago - before I got mine. Mine wasn't involved - perhaps it was only the
WSK built ones rather than the SZD ones which were involved.

I do have a Vne restriction from the manufacturer's original 250kph to
220 kph. Something to do with tailplane attachments, I believe - I'm
hoping to have the necessary modifications done soon.

Ian

[Lars Peder Hansen]

Hamar kommune IT-avdelingen wrote:
>
> Hi!

>
> Our club has a SZD 30 "Pirat" (1974) in pretty good shape, and it is a

> relly nice plane to fly. However, a couple of years ago there was an

> accident reported in Denmark with a Pirat. Rumours say that the plane
> disintegrated in the air (the pilot escaped by chute), the accident
> enquiry showed that there was some faulty glueing in the main wing
> construction. Our plane (having allegedly a serial number next to the
> one that crashed) was immediately grounded by the Norwegian Aviation
> authorities but later checked and found OK, but the top speed was
> reduced from 220 to 165 km/h.
> Does anyone know anything about this particular accident, or have any
> experience with the Pirat.

> I believe that ours is the only flying example in Norway. I have heard
> that there are 3 in Denmark, none of them flying.
>

Hi Michael,

The accident occured pretty much as you describe it, the plane's center
wing section disintegrated during a mild pull-up from approx. 150 Km/t.
The pilot landed safely with his parachute from an almost impossible low
altitude. My club (Billund Flyveklub) had a Pirat at that time, with a
serial number close to the crashed plane's. On inspection, the center
wing showed extensive glueing faults, you could easily push a 0.2 mm
probe in between the wing skin and the spar at several places. I am not
sure whether this had to do with the procedure used when glueing the
upper wing skin, or with poor glue quality, or both. Apparently Pirat's
were produced at several sites at once, under the same factory name. I
think that the important factor is the production site, and not the
serial number, but don't quote me on that. Our Pirat was grounded, and
later sold to a German club, that operates 5 or 6 Pirats. It is flying
again, after having the center wing section reworked at the factory in
Poland. As of now, I have no information on the fate of the two other
Danish Pirat's.

Happy Soaring,
Lars Peder

--
*********************************************************************
* *
* Lars Peder Hansen *
* Consultant, CAD/CAM & DtP *
* LEGO A/S, DK7190 Billund, Denmark. *
* e-mail: l...@post1.tele.dk or lars....@ims.legoas.lego.dk *
* Opinions are my own, I do not speak for LEGO A/S. *
* *
*************************************** I'd rather be soaring... ***

[Wojciech Wójcik]

Hi My name 's Wojtek .I'm from Poland.If you want I can ask in SZD Bielsko
Biala factory about yours PIRAT. Send my e-mail with yor asking.If I can
help you .I send you answer. Aeroclub Gliwicki :
aer...@silesia.pik-net.pl
http://www.silesia.pik-net.pl/~aerogl

Hamar kommune IT-avdelingen <itha...@online.no> napisał(a) w artykule
<334382...@online.no>...

> Hi!
>
> Our club has a SZD 30 "Pirat" (1974) in pretty good shape, and it is a
> relly nice plane to fly. However, a couple of years ago there was an
> accident reported in Denmark with a Pirat. Rumours say that the plane
> disintegrated in the air (the pilot escaped by chute), the accident
> enquiry showed that there was some faulty glueing in the main wing
> construction. Our plane (having allegedly a serial number next to the
> one that crashed) was immediately grounded by the Norwegian Aviation
> authorities but later checked and found OK, but the top speed was
> reduced from 220 to 165 km/h.
> Does anyone know anything about this particular accident, or have any
> experience with the Pirat.
> I believe that ours is the only flying example in Norway. I have heard
> that there are 3 in Denmark, none of them flying.
>
>
>

[Josep Seto]

Hi Hamar,

I only can say that in spain, where there are lots of Pirat, the VNE has
been restricted to 170 Km/h by the spanish authorities.

Hamar kommune IT-avdelingen <itha...@online.no> escrit a l'article