I heard from a reliable source a couple months ago cirrus caught one of it’s paint employees in hibbing putting bondo filler over some glass that he had ground down to the base foam on the horizontal stab.Also,cirrus had no idea on how many he has done this to.They had to go and load test some of the production planes that had gone out.I was curious if anybody heard the same as I am interested in putting my 15k down soon.Has cirrus been open with any production problems that have come up? Quality and such.Let me know
I heard from a reliable source a couple months ago cirrus caught one of it’s paint employees in hibbing putting bondo filler over some glass that he had ground down to the base foam on the horizontal stab.
This is basically true. CD has put out a service bulletin that requires the horizontal stab to be ultrasonically to detect this problem. There is apparently no structural problem, but the damaged surface has to be properly repaired to prevent long-term ingress of moisture. The number of affected planes is unknown, so all planes are to be inspected.
There was a problem with the door hinges, that was also addressed with a service bulletin (CD supplied replacement hinge bolts I think).
So CD is certainly open about these issues, in the sense that they address them, and issue SBs - I wouldn’t expect them to put out a press release though 
Also he mentioned the support bracket that holds the flap motor to the fuselage came unglued and broken loose on a sr-20 test flight in the last 2 months because of improper bonding preperation.Caused extreme control difficulties as the flaps became free.Any truth to this and if so have they fixed that?
I heard from a reliable source a couple months ago cirrus caught one of it’s paint employees in hibbing putting bondo filler over some glass that he had ground down to the base foam on the horizontal stab.Also,cirrus had no idea on how many he has done this to.They had to go and load test some of the production planes that had gone out.I was curious if anybody heard the same as I am interested in putting my 15k down soon.Has cirrus been open with any production problems that have come up? Quality and such.Let me know
Can you back this up a little bit please? If this is true it’s obviously important. What kind of “reliable source”? Another Cirrus employee? Someone in the FAA? Have you asked Cirrus for a response (presumably you’d do that before putting down $15k, right?). Anyone who has or is about to have a plane obviously has a stake in knowing the facts here.
Also, just a suggestion: how about a real email address in your next posting? The reason it matters is the “crying wolf” syndrome. So many posts about Cirrus problems have been from people who don’t use traceable names, and who supply phony email addresses (like “OldWyne@yahoo.com”), that when there really is a problem people may dismiss it.
If “OldWyne” is just a typo, and your real email address is similar but subtly different, then I apologize for assuming that you’re deliberately using a fake address. But for now, my working hypothesis is that this is a “disinformation” post – that’s been the pattern in the past when people give damaging info while hiding behind fake names.
Happy New Year, Jim Fallows
I heard from a reliable source a couple months ago cirrus caught one of it’s paint employees in hibbing putting bondo filler over some glass that he had ground down to the base foam on the horizontal stab.Also,cirrus had no idea on how many he has done this to.They had to go and load test some of the production planes that had gone out.I was curious if anybody heard the same as I am interested in putting my 15k down soon.Has cirrus been open with any production problems that have come up? Quality and such.Let me know
BTW, Wayne, better plan on 20k for that down payment. And if you can, I’d suggest a trip to Duluth to put your mind at ease. I’ve done so, and they were excellent in showing me around, explaining things, introducing me to their key people, and answering any and all questions I asked. The plant is spotless, and reveals a professionally run company intent on doing things right. For me, a $200k commitment certainly required a $500 trip to learn what they are all about.
Good luck.
Pete
I heard from a reliable source a couple months ago cirrus caught one of it’s paint employees in hibbing putting bondo filler over some glass that he had ground down to the base foam on the horizontal stab.Also,cirrus had no idea on how many he has done this to.They had to go and load test some of the production planes that had gone out.I was curious if anybody heard the same as I am interested in putting my 15k down soon.Has cirrus been open with any production problems that have come up? Quality and such.Let me know Cirrus was very upfont sent out a service bulletin and then coomunicated very effectively as to getting someone out to ultrasound the area. My aircraft was found to have a couple of areas where lass neede to be repaired. There is no stuctural problem flying the plane now. I was told they are still working on the repair method that they were developing a faster drying and stronger formula. I expect that the repair will be done by February. I do not see what the big deal is the factory had an SB out which is in the public domain and has been excellent as usual with there follow up and service.
I heard from a reliable source a couple months ago cirrus caught one of it’s paint employees in hibbing putting bondo filler over some glass that he had ground down to the base foam on the horizontal stab.
This is basically true. CD has put out a service bulletin that requires the horizontal stab to be ultrasonically to detect this problem. There is apparently no structural problem, but the damaged surface has to be properly repaired to prevent long-term ingress of moisture. The number of affected planes is unknown, so all planes are to be inspected.
There was a problem with the door hinges, that was also addressed with a service bulletin (CD supplied replacement hinge bolts I think).
So CD is certainly open about these issues, in the sense that they address them, and issue SBs - I wouldn’t expect them to put out a press release though
They not only issued the SB but they sent a tech around the country to ultrasound the affected airplanes. As always great service from a great company!
I heard from a reliable source a couple months ago cirrus caught one of it’s paint employees in hibbing putting bondo filler over some glass that he had ground down to the base foam on the horizontal stab.
This is basically true. CD has put out a service bulletin that requires the horizontal stab to be ultrasonically to detect this problem. There is apparently no structural problem, but the damaged surface has to be properly repaired to prevent long-term ingress of moisture. The number of affected planes is unknown, so all planes are to be inspected.
There was a problem with the door hinges, that was also addressed with a service bulletin (CD supplied replacement hinge bolts I think).
So CD is certainly open about these issues, in the sense that they address them, and issue SBs - I wouldn’t expect them to put out a press release though
They not only issued the SB but they sent a tech around the country to ultrasound the affected airplanes. As always great service from a great company!
p.s. this S>B> only affects airplanes 1005 through 1076 except 1023,1050,1074. After a talk with the cirrus tech he said no sanding equipment is allowed in the tail connection area. All sanding is now done by hand.
Also he mentioned the support bracket that holds the flap motor to the fuselage came unglued and broken loose on a sr-20 test flight in the last 2 months because of improper bonding preperation.Caused extreme control difficulties as the flaps became free.Any truth to this and if so have they fixed that?
Haven’t heard about this one, but if you call CD and talk to Mike Busch I am sure he will be able to inform you. Good thing they do test flights.
Not trying to come across as Wrath of God here, just trying to distinguish between bona fide problem alerts and some bogus ones that came a few months ago under invalid email IDs. If I have misjudged “Wayne’s” intent, I apologize – but I am curious about whether this is real issue or not. jf
It takes a journalist to feret out a phony e-mail address. I tried it too on the second “Wayne” message and the address doesn’t work.
I heard from a reliable source a couple months ago cirrus caught one of it’s paint employees in hibbing putting bondo filler over some glass that he had ground down to the base foam on the horizontal stab.Also,cirrus had no idea on how many he has done this to.They had to go and load test some of the production planes that had gone out.I was curious if anybody heard the same as I am interested in putting my 15k down soon.Has cirrus been open with any production problems that have come up? Quality and such.Let me know
Can you back this up a little bit please? If this is true it’s obviously important. What kind of “reliable source”? Another Cirrus employee? Someone in the FAA? Have you asked Cirrus for a response (presumably you’d do that before putting down $15k, right?). Anyone who has or is about to have a plane obviously has a stake in knowing the facts here.
Also, just a suggestion: how about a real email address in your next posting? The reason it matters is the “crying wolf” syndrome. So many posts about Cirrus problems have been from people who don’t use traceable names, and who supply phony email addresses (like “OldWyne@yahoo.com”), that when there really is a problem people may dismiss it.
If “OldWyne” is just a typo, and your real email address is similar but subtly different, then I apologize for assuming that you’re deliberately using a fake address. But for now, my working hypothesis is that this is a “disinformation” post – that’s been the pattern in the past when people give damaging info while hiding behind fake names.
Happy New Year, Jim Fallows
Jim, chill!
See my response (and Ed’s followup) - yes, this is a real issue, but with no immediate safety concern, and it’s being dealt with quite openly and effectively by CD. They didn’t send anyone over here to Oz to do the ultrasound, but they have organized a local outfit to do it (CD are sending calibration samples over).
As to Wayne’s email? I subscribe to the view “never attribute to malice that which can adequately be explained by incompetence”. While I believe there have been posts on this board that were intended as disinformation, I doubt that this is one of them.
Cheers, Clyde
It takes a journalist to feret out a phony e-mail address. I tried it too on the second “Wayne” message and the address doesn’t work.
I heard from a reliable source a couple months ago cirrus caught one of it’s paint employees in hibbing putting bondo filler over some glass that he had ground down to the base foam on the horizontal stab.Also,cirrus had no idea on how many he has done this to.They had to go and load test some of the production planes that had gone out.I was curious if anybody heard the same as I am interested in putting my 15k down soon.Has cirrus been open with any production problems that have come up? Quality and such.Let me know
Can you back this up a little bit please? If this is true it’s obviously important. What kind of “reliable source”? Another Cirrus employee? Someone in the FAA? Have you asked Cirrus for a response (presumably you’d do that before putting down $15k, right?). Anyone who has or is about to have a plane obviously has a stake in knowing the facts here.
Also, just a suggestion: how about a real email address in your next posting? The reason it matters is the “crying wolf” syndrome. So many posts about Cirrus problems have been from people who don’t use traceable names, and who supply phony email addresses (like “OldWyne@yahoo.com”), that when there really is a problem people may dismiss it.
If “OldWyne” is just a typo, and your real email address is similar but subtly different, then I apologize for assuming that you’re deliberately using a fake address. But for now, my working hypothesis is that this is a “disinformation” post – that’s been the pattern in the past when people give damaging info while hiding behind fake names.
Happy New Year, Jim Fallows
Happy New Year to All of YOU!
It’s sad that someone is posting with a phony e-mail. He didn’t even answer the question of his identity! Yahoo doesn’t have anyone with that name or with some combinations of that e-mail address (I was looking for some possible typo) in their data bank. I checked and I do have an inside person at Yahoo. It’s a shame that someone doesn’t have the guts to stand up for his own actions.
Hmmm, I hadn’t seen Wayne’s second post when I jumped on you, Jim. Maybe I was too hasty to criticise you for being too hasty 
Jim, chill!
Hi Clyde – I take the warning in good spirits (and, yes, I saw your followup). Like you, I strongly adhere to the “blunder” theory of history, as opposed to the conspiracy theory. I also have learned over the years to apply the “when angry, don’t send email for 24 hours” policy myself.
Here’s I thought it worth saying something about “Wayne.” The following combination of circumstances arouses my suspicion – and I think is worth calling to account. The combination is:
-
Damaging or derogatory allegations. Not mere exchange of opinions. Certainly not positive or even neutral observations about a person or company or product. I am specifically talking about charges that, if true or widely believed, would damage a person or company’s reputation.
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An untraceable posting name – “Bud,” “FastFlyer,” “Wayne”-- and no real name in the message.
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A bad email address.
No one of these on its own would cause a second glance. It’s also possible that all three of them could occur by accident – as I mentioned in the note to Wayne. (You’ll notice that he hasn’t reappeared to say, “Oh, sorry, the address should be…” since that first round.) But my experience in the Net world is that the full trifecta – derogatory info; anonymity; fake email address – is usually not innocent.
We all have our biases, and no doubt I have mine from journalism. Journalism is messed-up in lots of ways, but at least it adheres to the view that if you’re attacking somebody, you had better put your name to the accusations. Even Matt Drudge follows that rule! (Yes, there are times when you have to protect the confidentiality of sources. But the reporter and editor still have to put their names behind the story.)
Back to aviation-chat, Jim Fallows
Jim,
I’m sure I speak for many when I say I’m grateful you put the spotlight on this problem. All of us who read this forum should be aware of it.