Stopped by the airport today and got to talking with the maintanence manager by the name of Kurt. He took me out to show me a BRS package going in a 172. It was the first one his crew had installed.

The BRS is now certified for retrofit in 172's and 182's. Goes in the baggage compartment and uses up 83 lbs. Rocket goes through rear window, drags chute behind it, which is connected to a strap going along the top of the fuselage and hooking into the main wing supports at CG. The rocket gets replaced every 10 years. The chute is around 43 ft.

Total cost about $23K - safety priceless.

Excuse my ignorance but what is a BRS package?

BRS - Ballistic Recovery Systems - It is a whole airplane parachute for emergencies when all else is a DEAD end!

We've got a BRS on one of our ultralights. It's a nice feeling, but there's a whole can of worms to be opened re: pilot behavior when he knows a parachute recovery is available.

I think the most valuable thing about having a parachute recovery system is engine failure over harsh terrain, where a survivable landing may not be possible.

Given that most fatal accidents happen on takeoff or landing, and there is a minimum altitude associated with deploying one, I don't see much value in regarding it as a stall/spin recovery method. It is a good feeling though when flying over nasty terrain.

Then, there's always this possibility (@ 1:02 sec)

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There is an amazing video on the BRS site that shows a light plane being cut off by a tow plane. The cable gets wrapped in the light plane's propeller and breaks off. Fortunately the guy had a BRS chute and he used it!

http://www.brsparachutes.com

BRS is a great thing for people that know what they're doing. The bad part is since they are standard equipment in Cirrus aircraft, it helps make them the new "twin forked doctor killer". You get people with more money than brains flying them thinking 'I've never flown anything high performance, I don't need training, I have a chute'.

The other bad thing about the Cirrus is if you pull it, the airframe is trash. Its good the Cessna version goes out the rear window, it's replaceable.

23k is a lot of scratch for a system that I would submit is not statistically justifiable in that airframe. Cirrus markets theirs as a panacea to appease the concerns of buyers who probably don't have any business in that much airplane to begin with, but in truth it was key to getting the plane certified given it's spin characteristics (or, more accurately, it's poor spin recovery characteristics). And I don't know that the chute deployment is what strikes the airframe, I thought it was the high ROD under the chute and likely damage on touchdown that assured that. Parting shot is the impact the Cirrus BRS has on insurance rates, since every deployment results in a complete loss.

Not to say that I think a BRS is a categorical waste of money in a 172 - I guess if you were primarily flying it in terrain that offered few favorable landing sites or routinely spent lots of time in hard IMC it might make sense...

Just one dudes opinion...

bigdawg wrote:BRS is a great thing for people that know what they're doing. The bad part is since they are standard equipment in Cirrus aircraft, it helps make them the new "twin forked doctor killer". You get people with more money than brains flying them thinking 'I've never flown anything high performance, I don't need training, I have a chute'.

The other bad thing about the Cirrus is if you pull it, the airframe is trash. Its good the Cessna version goes out the rear window, it's replaceable.

I seem to recall the mighty Cirrus couldn't meet the spin requirements so they had to add the chute to get certified.

Maybe I'm mistaken (again), but I seem to recall seeing that the g-load of an airplane impacting terrain after chute deployment is significantly higher than the g-load of an airplane flying into terrain at minimal airspeed. Granted the airplane used as an example was a maule, which flys pretty slow. But so does a Cessna 172 / 182. There's also the consideration of how well the human body survives horizontal decelerative forces (flying it in), verses how poorly the human body survives vertical compression forces (parachute pancake flop). If you're flying over impossible terrain, why not just WEAR a parachute?

$23k and 83lbs of lost useful load for a 172? I need that like I need teeth for my asshole.

tough to open the door if your over 60 MPH airspeed. Maybe that's why parachutes aren't as prevalent in the GA area. Try opening your car door at 60.. Only hollywood can have a pilot open a door and stand there and jump out of the plane like he was jumping off a bed...

Hammer wrote:I need that like I need teeth for my asshole.

I dunno, Ravi. That sounds like it might come in handy if you're ever wrongly convicted and sent to the state penn.

Skystrider wrote: Rocket goes through rear window,
Total cost about $23K - safety priceless.

What to do now, no rear window.

I can't speak to what people are thinking about when they purchase a BRS system or under what conditions they may decide it is necessary to use it. Nor do I know for a fact what the reasons are for Cirrus's decision to add it to their line of aircraft. I do know that that the pilot whose prop was ripped off his plane by a tow cable was reasonably justified in pulling the handle and that it probably saved his life.

Different situations offer different choices and while I do not have a BRS system I feel it is a benefit to us all that it is in the marketplace and we have the opportunity to decide for ourselves. I respect the people who have it in their airplanes. The same as I respect the people who do not. Who knows? The day may come when I find myself in a situation when I am thinking that I wish I had that option. All things are possible.

Meanwhile I was only offering the information because I thought it was interesting.