Ballistic Parachute Systems

[stardust]

In the early Cessna delivery string, the discussion morphed into parachutes, so I thought I would start a new topic.
There are 4 big scenarios where you would want a 'chute.
1. You get hit from behind by a glass cockpit oogler going 180 not minding his own business, and he takes your tail off. You never saw him coming so you never had a chance, even if you are God's gift to aviation. No chute, you (and passenger) die. With a chute, you walk away.
2. You take a vulture through the canopy, which knocks you out at the minimum. Your non-flying passenger was briefed on the use of the chute, turns off the engine with the key, and pulls the handle. You both live.
3. You have a sudden illness (faint, heart attack, stroke, etc.) and again, your passenger pulls the handle and you both live.
4. There have been 11 fatalities in one type of LSA because of an in-flight structural failure. They might all be alive if they had a 'chute.
So if you must have the payload because of supersize issues, then so be it. But if you like maximum safety, and the best protection for you and your passengers, get a 'chute! But beware! If you ever fly regularly in a plane with a ballistic system, you will come to know a new level of comfort that won't be there without the 'chute.
As the sign over some training facility says, "If you need a parachute and you don't have one you will never need one again".

[Pawlander]

I feel more comfortable in my parachute-equipped plane than I would without that added margin of safety. And, it was a definite selling point for my non-pilot wife.

Admittedly, that's easier said with a CTLS than with a SkyCatcher or some of the other, heavier LSA's.

With the CT, unless you are significantly larger than your average bear, the presence of the 'chute does not cost you needed fuel reserves. Two people can carry enough fuel for bladder capacity +1 hour and still enjoy the safety of a ballistic 'chute. Flying day, VFR, with reference to the ground, that is enough reserve to get you to fuel -- or at least a walk-away landing -- anywhere in the country. We typically fly 350-400 SM legs on our cross-country flights.

[KSCessnaDriver]

In the early Cessna delivery string, the discussion morphed into parachutes, so I thought I would start a new topic.
There are 4 big scenarios where you would want a 'chute.
1. You get hit from behind by a glass cockpit oogler going 180 not minding his own business, and he takes your tail off. You never saw him coming so you never had a chance, even if you are God's gift to aviation. No chute, you (and passenger) die. With a chute, you walk away.

Why do people always assume that its going to be the non-LSA plane that ends up hitting an LSA. Its just as likely to be another LSA hit you, as it is to be that mythical Cirrus coming at you doing 180.

2. You take a vulture through the canopy, which knocks you out at the minimum. Your non-flying passenger was briefed on the use of the chute, turns off the engine with the key, and pulls the handle. You both live.

Unlikely that its going to knock you out. I've seen airplane's (and other photographs) hit birds in the windscreen (jets included), that don't incapacitate a pilot. Inconvenience the pilot, yes, but incapacitate, not likely, but I'd like to see the NTSB stats on that, if available.

3. You have a sudden illness (faint, heart attack, stroke, etc.) and again, your passenger pulls the handle and you both live.

So, by pulling the parachute, your medical issue is automatically solved. I like that, maybe it's time to put parachutes everywhere. Honestly, I'm not sure that pulling the parachute is going to save the fallen ill pilot. It might save the passenger, but who knows about the pilot.

4. There have been 11 fatalities in one type of LSA because of an in-flight structural failure. They might all be alive if they had a 'chute.

The last place I want to be when I'm on fire is in the air longer. In-flight fire's are likely to be the worst time to pull the parachute, as it exposes you to the fire for the longest possible time

So if you must have the payload because of supersize issues, then so be it. But if you like maximum safety, and the best protection for you and your passengers, get a 'chute! But beware! If you ever fly regularly in a plane with a ballistic system, you will come to know a new level of comfort that won't be there without the 'chute.
As the sign over some training facility says, "If you need a parachute and you don't have one you will never need one again".

Again, the BRS systems are a tool, not a crutch. Some people are starting to think of them as a crutch, in order to promote somewhat riskier flying. But don't go telling EVERYONE that what you think of a required safety feature should be for everyone. I've flown a couple LSA's that had a lockable BRS handle. In those, I didn't take the time to unlock them inflight, as I don't feel the need for the system. Sure, its there, but I don't plan on using it, nor will I use it.

The problem is people who think that at the first sign of trouble, that its time to pull the chute, and that simply isn't the case.

[FastEddieB]

My prior plane was a Cirrus.

I did not buy it because of the BRS - in fact, if I could have ordered one without I probably would have.

That said, after about 600 hours in BRS-equipped planes, I must say one gets used to the idea - much like helmets on motorcycles or seatbelts in cars, one starts to feel a bit "exposed" without them once you get used to them.

My Sky Arrow does not have BRS, and has somewhat limited useful load already. I comfort myself that if I have to come down, even in a poor area, the 39k stall speed may save us. Still, when flying over heavily wooded areas of N GA with virtually NO good landing sites in gliding range, I DO miss the chute option.

I was and still am active on the Cirrus Pilot's site (www.cirruspilots.org). MUCH discussion about each and every accident, including rigorous post-mortems on every chute "save"- with special analysis of those cases where a chute pull would have been prudent, but was not accomplished.

The last place I want to be when I'm on fire is in the air longer. In-flight fire's are likely to be the worst time to pull the parachute, as it exposes you to the fire for the longest possible time .

Much discussion of that on the Cirrus Owner's site. Even at Vne (where you probably would not want to be with a fire in progress) getting to the ground may take LONGER without the chute than with. While it seems to be gently wafting down, don't forget that under the chute you're coming down almost vertically at about 1200 fpm, covering a much shorter distance to the ground than while gliding.

But you're right in that burning to death "under canopy" would rank pretty high in the list of pilot's worst nightmares.

[FastEddieB]

I've flown a couple LSA's that had a lockable BRS handle. In those, I didn't take the time to unlock them inflight, as I don't feel the need for the system. Sure, its there, but I don't plan on using it, nor will I use it.

The problem is people who think that at the first sign of trouble, that its time to pull the chute, and that simply isn't the case.

The scenarios for pulling the chute should be thought about and trained for well before the need arises.

In general, the problem has been NOT pulling the chute when needed. Many pilots are dead now who might have survived a chute pull.

I had a sim session in a Cirrus simulator and here's part of my pirep:

Scenario 2

At some point in the flight, at about 4,000’, the plane entered what seemed to be a spin. I pushed the stick forward, determined the direction of rotation and pushed opposite rudder. I think I retarded the throttle as well. I seemed to be making some progress (I thought) when someone in the peanut gallery said “chute?”. Seemed like a plan and I reached up for the handle, but it was blocked by the cover. I spent a second or two fumbling with the tiny pull-tab on the cover, and then hit the ground. Yikes.

Turns out the left wing had departed and the “spin” was unrecoverable.

This was a real eye-opener to me. I had wondered why the NY pilots who spun never pulled the chute and was certain I would have. Now I’m not so sure.

Observations:

1) Once the plane started to “spin” the only term I can think of is “task fixation”. I was 100% wrapped up in recovering from the spin. I’ve done hundreds of spins in the past and managed to recover from each and every one, so why not this one?

Warren Zevon (R.I.P.) sang “You’re a whole ‘nother person when you’re scared”. Even in a simulation this was pretty intense and the amount of fixation was remarkable. Kind of like tunnel vision with blinders to any other task.

2) IMHO, having the CAPS cover in place could have fatal consequences. In this case, I don’t care what the POH says (and that means something coming from me!). If the cover is a required placard, maybe it could be Velcro’d to the ceiling next to the handle (I think Mike has the “Pull Procedure” laminated in the handle’s recess). Turns out in my scenario I also had the pin in place - again, I blame this on not having my own checklist which I’m very used to. Still, it shows poor use of the checklist which was provided.

3) I thought Mike R’s “BAM-touch head-grab handle” exercise was cute but a bit over-the-top. I take it back, and will practice it myself in the future.

Similarly, I was impressed when Jeff Seymore briefed the takeoff by showing, on the backup altimeter, the altitude where he would start considering the ‘chute and no longer commit to a straight ahead landing if the engine failed. Again, a good idea which I may incorporate into my own routine.

[3Dreaming]

Again, the BRS systems are a tool, not a crutch. Some people are starting to think of them as a crutch, in order to promote somewhat riskier flying. But don't go telling EVERYONE that what you think of a required safety feature should be for everyone. I've flown a couple LSA's that had a lockable BRS handle. In those, I didn't take the time to unlock them inflight, as I don't feel the need for the system. Sure, its there, but I don't plan on using it, nor will I use it.

The problem is people who think that at the first sign of trouble, that its time to pull the chute, and that simply isn't the case.

When I got my first CT I never pulled the pin while flying except once. That was flying into a traffic pattern with a bunch of other CFI's for a renewal clinic. Now key for starting is on the pin for the chute. I can not go fly without pulling the pin. When I heard the fellow from BRS talk about the chutes where they had been used to save lives. Then there is the accidents where a chute was installed and the handle bent or pulled from the bulkhead trying to deploy the chute I decided to start pulling the pin. I also had the chance to pull a handle to see what the pull forces were like. You will not pull one by accident.
You wouldn't think of flying your plane without insurance to cover your loss in the event of an accident, but you never plan to have an accident. I figure my life or the lives of those flying in my plane is worth the 26 pounds of useful load. Tom

[Pawlander]

I solved the BRS Pin issue with Velcro. I put some on the back of the red "remove before flight' tag and some on the panel between the EFIS and the Garmin 696, along with a "BRS Pin" label.

When I pull the pin from the locked position, I stick it on the panel. As I am cleaning up the cockpit post-flight, I see it there and am reminded to put it back in place to secure the BRS handle:



When the pin is still in the locked position on the BRS handle, its absence from the panel is conspicuous:

[Jim Stewart]

A small suggestion. Keep some long narrow cable ties in the aircraft. If you ever want to leave the airplane unattended and unlocked you can use the cable tie to safe the pin in place.