SAC Forum ACVV

C-GBEK IS28B2 (twin Lark) S/N 236. Manufacture date March 1980. Total time 1281 hours. Empty weight 894 lbs. Max weight 1300 lbs. 34:1 glide ratio, semi-retractable gear, positive and negative flaps. Equipped with Kollsman ASI , united instruments altimeter, Cambridge MKIV audio VSI., and compass. 12 V power outlet that can be used to run your GPS off of. Tail dolly. Canvas canopy cover. New canopy in 2008. Excellent custom open trailer used to transport on annual trips from Ontario to Sugarbush VA. The trailer has a nose dolly to help with rigging.

There is currently a 35 year manufacturers calendar life on Larks in Canada and the US. In Canada, after 35 years the plane can be flown as "owner maintained" if they are transferred to that status prior to the end of the 35 years (BEK needs to be moved into this category by the end of 2014). C-GARQ has already been transferred into owner maintain status.

Repair and update history:

1982: repairs to the belly skin and bulkhead after a hard landing
1994: repainted entire glider and new fabric on control surfaces
2000: TOST tow hook over-haul and installation and 20 year inspection carried out
2004: small patch to LH leading edge and on LH side of rudder, 27" X 7.5" section of lower fuselage skin from nose bulk head to second frame aft was replaced with 0.040" 2024T3 aluminum sheet.
2008: new canopy after ground handling incident

Asking price is $15,000 obo.

You or someone you know can check out BEK at the 2014 Women Soaring Pilots Association (WSPA) seminar at York July 21-25 or it is a quick road trip from the 2014 nationals being held at SOSA. If you are interested, please contact Paul Nelson at pnelson@nelwat.com. He is representing Guelph Gliding and Soaring Association (GGSA) in the sale.

I would be quite leary about the validity of "owner maintenance" being a fix for a glider which is deemed not airworthy by the manufacture...even if you think that it has been done successfully. Many things have slipped by TC if they haven't been given/or aren't aware of the manufacturer's wishes. I don't mean to be a killjoy, but I have an expired Lark, and all the documentation that I'm aware of is the manufacturer has no interest in changing anything. Owner maintenance relies on the fact that an aircraft is airworthy...after 35 years, the manufacturer states that it is not! I think if TC were aware of the expiration of the aircraft, they wouldn't grant any status that would change it (perhaps with extensive engineering proof).
On that note, I have a Lark trailer. It is robust, double axle, hydraulic surge brake...a thing of beauty...and I'll throw in a Lark!!! It was perfectly airworthy at it's untimely expiration.

I'll also throw in a right wing and horizontal stab for an SZD55!!

A good use of a Lark or a Blanik once grounded is as displays. For clubs near a major road consider mounting one on a post as signage to lure people in. At the AGM in Ottawa, Emmanuel Cadieux showed us pictures of Lezno and they did that with a glider. Another idea is donating one to a local air cadet squadron if they have a large enough hall to suspend it from the ceiling. Maybe a larger regional airport might enjoy having a glider suspended from their ceiling in the terminal. Consider also donating to a local aviation museum: if privately owned you might even be able to get and use a charitable donation receipt. It is better to have them seen rather than sitting in/on trailers. I wonder too if a school that teaches aviation maintenance would like one. It would be good to have budding AME's know what a glider is and how to maintain it. The aluminum ones are also useful for structural lessons common to all spam cans. Lastly, let's consider the creation of a Canadian Soaring Museum. Every club has a couple of interesting gliders sitting in boxes or hangars that will never fly again. Imagine if we created the entity and could provide donation receipts for these gliders then once enough were collected found a site and built such a museum. Ideally, such a venue would eventually serve as the SAC HQ. In fact, if created under SAC we're half way there.

Come and get it! I considered putting the Lark on a poll...did a quick calculation of the loads of an over 400kg Lark, in a 100kt wind (worst case scenario...or the usual Newfoundland breeze), and realized the cost was nearing a senator's housing allowance. Trailer is still for sale...would be strong enough and big enough for almost any two seater!