28 May 2025, 08:35 [ UTC - 5; DST ]
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Post subject: Re: Cirrus convert  Posted: 11 Jun 2014, 12:04 |
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Joined: 11/06/10
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Username Protected wrote: Fiberglass is a totally different animal than Carbon Fiber. For one, fiberglass is constructed with a polyester resin that has 0 UV protection in it. The reason why is because that is a cheap form of resin. Carbon fiber not only is much much stronger, but uses an Epoxy resin that has UV protection and is much better than a polyester resin. Besides that fact, Carbon Fiber is darn near not effected by heat at all. Anyone that tries to compare fiberglass to carbon fiber does not understand the differences between the two products. What's made of "carbon fiber"? Cirrus? I don't think so. A 30 year old Bonanza is a nice machine. My 2004 Cirrus was showing serious wear and rattle when I got out of it. I disagree that fiberglass will hold up better to the elements and time than aluminum.
Jason,
I believe it was in the G2 model, the spar was replaced with carbon fiber for weight reasons. I do not think there is any other carbon fiber added till the G5.
In terms of material, you need to compare equal cared for planes that have the same starting point. A G2 Cirrus is no where near the quality of a 2004 Bonanza. I do not think they were equal in build quality till closer to 2009 when Cirrus made the improvements for FIKI in the G3 and eliminated most of the Velcro/glue for holding the interior together.
If you look at boats, old aluminum boats actually fair worse then most fiberglass. But can be restored easier.  Comes largely down to TLC.
Tim
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Post subject: Re: Cirrus convert Posted: 11 Jun 2014, 16:04 |
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Joined: 12/17/10
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Location: Valparaiso, IN
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Username Protected wrote: Fiberglass is a totally different animal than Carbon Fiber. For one, fiberglass is constructed with a polyester resin that has 0 UV protection in it. The reason why is because that is a cheap form of resin. Carbon fiber not only is much much stronger, but uses an Epoxy resin that has UV protection and is much better than a polyester resin. Besides that fact, Carbon Fiber is darn near not effected by heat at all. Anyone that tries to compare fiberglass to carbon fiber does not understand the differences between the two products. What's made of "carbon fiber"? Cirrus? I don't think so. A 30 year old Bonanza is a nice machine. My 2004 Cirrus was showing serious wear and rattle when I got out of it. I disagree that fiberglass will hold up better to the elements and time than aluminum.
I never said fiberglass would hold up better to the elements. I said carbon fiber would. I was of the impression that the SR-22 and all was a carbon fiber airplane, no?
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Post subject: Re: Cirrus convert Posted: 11 Jun 2014, 16:07 |
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Joined: 01/29/08
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Location: Walterboro, SC. KRBW
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Username Protected wrote: I never said fiberglass would hold up better to the elements. I said carbon fiber would. I was of the impression that the SR-22 and all was a carbon fiber airplane, no? I wonder what gave you that impression? That's a pretty big leap.
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Post subject: Re: Cirrus convert Posted: 11 Jun 2014, 16:26 |
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Username Protected wrote: As a cost cutting measure, Cirrus is moving all production to Indonesia and henceforth all fibers will be polyester, instead of carbon or fiberglass. bamboo? 
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Post subject: Re: Cirrus convert Posted: 11 Jun 2014, 16:34 |
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Joined: 07/26/10
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Location: West Palm Beach, FL (KLNA)
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Username Protected wrote: I never said fiberglass would hold up better to the elements. I said carbon fiber would. I was of the impression that the SR-22 and all was a carbon fiber airplane, no? I wonder what gave you that impression? That's a pretty big leap.
You guys need to look at the Lancair product line... if you want full Carbon Fiber construction.
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Post subject: Re: Cirrus convert Posted: 11 Jun 2014, 16:41 |
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Joined: 11/06/10
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Username Protected wrote: I never said fiberglass would hold up better to the elements. I said carbon fiber would. I was of the impression that the SR-22 and all was a carbon fiber airplane, no? No. Only the wing spar in Cirrus is Carbon Fiber. Rest is Fiber Glass. I am not aware of any certified plane which is all carbon fiber. Closest would be A380 and 787 with 25-50% carbon fiber. Tim
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Post subject: Re: Cirrus convert Posted: 11 Jun 2014, 18:59 |
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Joined: 11/19/12
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Username Protected wrote: I never said fiberglass would hold up better to the elements. I said carbon fiber would. I was of the impression that the SR-22 and all was a carbon fiber airplane, no? No. Only the wing spar in Cirrus is Carbon Fiber. Rest is Fiber Glass. I am not aware of any certified plane which is all carbon fiber. Closest would be A380 and 787 with 25-50% carbon fiber. Tim
Isn't the Corvallis carbon fiber?
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Post subject: Re: Cirrus convert Posted: 11 Jun 2014, 19:04 |
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Joined: 11/06/10
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Username Protected wrote: Isn't the Corvallis carbon fiber? Nope, has some just like Cirrus. I think it is wing spar and a few other internal structures. But basically not much from what I recall. Tim
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Post subject: Re: Cirrus convert Posted: 11 Jun 2014, 21:17 |
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Username Protected wrote: I never said fiberglass would hold up better to the elements. I said carbon fiber would. I was of the impression that the SR-22 and all was a carbon fiber airplane, no? I wonder what gave you that impression? That's a pretty big leap.
That's just what I had been told.
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Post subject: Re: Cirrus convert Posted: 11 Jun 2014, 21:34 |
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Joined: 01/27/13
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Wow, a lot of misinformation.
Cirrus aircraft have been painted from day one. Originally only white was certified but later other colors were. Heat was the reason. Cirrus has no air temp limitations.
Cirrus, starting with the G3, is carbon fiber spar, I think a door part or two, fiberglass and aluminum. Control surfaces are aluminum.
The Corvalis is all carbon fiber. Even the control surfaces are which is very expensive and does little to improve things. A flap is easy to bend in aluminum which is why Cirrus uses aluminum for control surfaces and fiberglass for complex curves.
There is a great blog post by one of the Cirrus engineers giving the tradeoffs including surprising (to me) interactions between different materials and what has to be done when switching from one to the other.
I have heard nothing about Cirrus production being moved offshore other than some comments saying production for China may eventually move there. Can the poster of this comment please reference a source.
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Post subject: Re: Cirrus convert Posted: 11 Jun 2014, 23:48 |
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Joined: 01/16/11
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Username Protected wrote: Wow, a lot of misinformation.
From us????, not a chance. We're all terribly well informed. It's that wealth of personal information that keeps us in conversation here on Beechtalk on a daily basis. Let's just say we're giddy with it. And we all fly good looking airplanes too. I said I believe that the Cirrus is painted. Ma boat's painted too, in awlgrip. I believe that the Corvalis has carbon fiber in certain areas to re-inforce the strength, just like my boat. I believe that the Corvalis has a Nomex core for stiffness and strength, which I believe is made from Kevlar. I don't believe that the whole bird is made of carbon fiber. I believe that you may prove me wrong. But at the end of the day skippy...... Superman was the man of steel, not the man of carbon fiber.....and he never had to pull the chute........therein lies the difference!!
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