Composite Development

Fred Jiran

Fred Jiran has been making composite parts for the Falco beginning in the 1980s when we first started selling plans and kits for the Falco. He is an expert on composite aircraft construction dating from when he was hired by a Swiss sailplane manufacturer to perform control surface modifications to avoid flutter problems on DIAMANT sailplanes. Fred trained at three of the then current sailplane manufacturers: Flug und Fahrzeug Werke (Diamant), Shempp-Hirth (Cirrus series) and Glasfluegel (Libelle, Kestrel etc.). Being certified as a factory authorized repair man by these companies, he set up shop as Fred Jiran Glider Repairs in Mojave, CA. This was next to Burt Rutan's shop, and Burt was intrigued with the sleek composite sailplanes. Motivated by what he saw on the European sailplanes in composite construction, he then designed the first of his fiberglass designs, the VariEze, and Fred built the cowling molds and jigs to make the fiberglass landing gear legs and many other components.. Thus, Fred could claim to be the father of composite "homebuilt" airplanes, but he's a modest man and doesn't make such claims.

We worked with Fred on the Falco composite components, starting with the cowling. Making a cowling mold is a difficult and expensive process, and working from our carefully dimensioned drawings, he was able to make the cowling plug and mold without having to go back to make changes. This is no small achievement. In all, the Falco cowling mold cost about $30,000. Nothing 'ez' or inexpensive here!

It's been a pleasure to deal with Fred over the years. He has closed his shop

Contact Gunder for availability.

Alfred Scott