Impossible Turn

[Merlinspop]

The BRS in the CT is deployed with a rocket. Doesn't that also make it ballistic?

I would have thought so, but they (GRS) distinguish between the two.

http://sportair.aero/category/6-chutes/

From BRS's website (emphasis mine):
Q. What happens after I pull the handle?
A. In the first 0.1 second, the rocket accelerates to 150 feet per second (over 100 mph). In less than one second, the rocket will extract the parachute and will stretch tight its lines and the airframe harness attachments. Very shortly afterward -- depending on the forward speed of the aircraft -- the canopy will become fully inflated and will decelerate the aircraft. The aircraft stabilizes under the canopy quite quickly.

Seems GRS is splitting hairs for marketing.

[snaproll]

My bird has the Magnum 601 (rocket powered). According to the manufacture, recommended deployment is above 600 ft and maximum airspeed is 138MPH. Not sure how realistic their numbers are. Nice having but hope to never need it. To answer earlier questions about off field landings, most aircraft including LSAs do well off field if a fairly flat area exist. I have practiced with mine and landed on several desert roads, open fields, etc. Strictly up to the pilot - if you are not confident in off airport landings - pull the chute.

[FastEddieB]

Flying over broad swathes of the Southern Appalachians can give a pilot a whole 'nother view on the benefit of a chute!



I think Andy, Sport Pilot and Flocker will back me up on that!

[SportPilot]

.......

[FastEddieB]

Well, into the trees under control at 39k or so is about the only option, then!

[CharlieTango]

Looks like you'd be in the trees even with the chute

[FastEddieB]

A couple more...





On the second one the arrow represents the only halfway decent spot to shoot for.

I often wonder if my skills are up to slipping it in there.

[MrMorden]

Flying over broad swathes of the Southern Appalachians can give a pilot a whole 'nother view on the benefit of a chute!



I think Andy, Sport Pilot and Flocker will back me up on that!

You bet. There are a lot of areas where the choice is water or trees, and sometimes there is no water.

[snaproll]

Great pictures.. In SOCAL, don't have a problem finding a place to land - lakes are so low there is 100 to 300 feet of new dry bank all around the circumference of the lakes. Sad but true...

[Flocker]

Flying over broad swathes of the Southern Appalachians can give a pilot a whole 'nother view on the benefit of a chute!
I think Andy, Sport Pilot and Flocker will back me up on that!

Agree!

[Wm.Ince]

Flying over broad swathes of the Southern Appalachians can give a pilot a whole 'nother view on the benefit of a chute!
I think Andy, Sport Pilot and Flocker will back me up on that!

Agree!

Last March, coming across those southern Rockies, from San Jose to Tampa, despite planning and flying a route from airport to airport, it was reassuring to know I had a survival radio and BRS equipment onboard. An additional spot tracker would have been even better. I will have it next time.

[designrs]

Fantastic photos Eddie. I must visit your part of the country!

Re off-field landings: Very rarely do we see the nice "textbook off-field landing" even with LSA's that stall around 32 kts with flaps. Recent incidents: A soccer field landing that went end-over-end. Another plane mushed to destruction (pilot hospitalized). Another LSA with CFI came down in a railroad yard after motor loss on climb out... fatal. Just a few days ago a SportCruiser landed on a golf course... pilot was also a CFI... ended up in a pond, swam to safety. Video footage of hauling the plane out with a crane was not pretty. Oh and least we forget dear Yorktown did a forced landing after fuel exhaustion... with his "judgement & skills" (or not) the plane was totaled.

Despite the textbook optimism, realistically odds are that a forced landing will result in a totaled airplane and hopefully no injuries IF you are lucky.

Tough to pull the chute (owner transfer handle) but easier with the realization that plane will most likely be totaled anyway.

Or is it that we don't get to read about the better landings?
I only know of one: Jabaru landed on a farm. Hardly a scratch on the plane.

[FastEddieB]

Fantastic photos Eddie. I must visit your part of the country!

Any time!

For your trip out west, following the Appalachians SW for a while would also get you on your southern route. Prettier countryside, plus MOGAS at Mountain Empire, VA, and my digs if I'm around. MOGAS also at North Little Rock at an LSA dealer there.

To your list, we also had a Zenith go down near us, with substantial damage but only minor injuries.

I'll later try to add another "looked good from the air but YIKES!!!" example with photos from the Cirrus site that I may or may not have posted before.

Oh, and you're right - we mostly only have data on the bad outcomes. Planes that landed in fields, got running again and got on their way do not typically make it into the news.

Not to hijack, but if a BRS was offered for the Sky Arrow I would get one tomorrow - but only if I could get a gross weight increase equal to the weight of the chute. Since I don't foresee that ever happening, I guess I'll just have to plan my emergencies accordingly!

[designrs]

The aircraft stabilizes under the canopy quite quickly.

I pulled the chute in a full-cockpit Cirrus simulator which indicated a bungee type of bounce after chute deployment and then a "cradle rockin swing'" as the plane descend. I suspect there is a lot of truth in that simulation.

Waiting to see what happened in a chute deployment in a PiperSport / SportCruiser.
Of course it would be best to see this in a controlled test, but to my knowledge there is no public documentation of such.

Speaking of which… has there ever been an LSA chute deployment?????

[Merlinspop]

I tried to resist. I truly did....

Speaking of which… has there ever been an LSA cute deployment?????

I've seen a few cute LSAs and lots and lots of cuties deployed around LSAs.






I am ashamed.