Ballistic Parachute Stories

[Big-D]

I Have a GRS fitted

Will only pull in the following circumstances

- Structural failure
- If something goes wrong medically like me having a heart attack and feel I can no longer fly
- If I loose complete control of the trike like if it goes inverted in turbulence or whatever
- Whipstall for whatever reason

In an engine out I will try and land and will not pull unless there is no way of landing - Will probably still be in trouble as you still hit the trees/obstacles that made you decide you can't land

Must say that it does give me extra peace of mind having the GRS


D

[Bennie Vorster]

I would also rather have the opportunity to rather open a BRS than to be sorry afterwards. Mush cheaper than your first medical bill any way.

[Arnulf]

Big D wrote

Will only pull in the following circumstances

- Structural failure
- If something goes wrong medically like me having a heart attack and feel I can no longer fly
- If I loose complete control of the trike like if it goes inverted in turbulence or whatever
- Whipstall for whatever reason

Would also consider deploying the GRS if engine failure over water and not within gliding distance to shore.

Regards,
Arnulf

[Gyronaut]

I lost a good friend, my instructor and namesake in a gyro accident last year as a result of rotor seperation in flight. I have spoken to the guys at GRS and am awaiting info re a chute for my gyro. Has anyone ever had any experience in how/where best to attach if deployed? My logic tells me that if the decision to deploy in a gyro has been taken and you pop the chute, it will be to save your life since zero roll landings are possible if you get it right in most circumstances other than catastrophic structural failure. This being the case I feel it should be attached to the nose wheel and therefore bring the gyro down backwards. If the rotor is still turning it will hit the ground first, then the tail, then the prop, then the engine, then the fuel tank and then the passenger and then the PIC. Yes the machine will take punishment but I am led to believe the rate of descent is much the same as falling off a 44 gallon drum? That means you will walk away and we all know the old saying "any landing you walk away from is a good landing".

Your expert opinions?

Len

[Arnulf]

Your expert opinions?

Speak to Abe Kruger, or Dave Grosvenor. They might give you more info.
Abe is a Forum member, and the importer of the GRS for Gauteng.
Dave from Dreamwings is in Natal.

Regards,
Arnulf

[Gyronaut]

Thanks Arnulf, I spoke to Abe in December and he was in contact with the Sycamore factory engineers but am still awaiting their input.

Perhaps I should call Abe and remind him...

Len

[FAWGie]

I had to do the first test flight for a brand new aircraft last week (New skyranger) and it was fitted with a Ballistic chute....I must be honest that it definately provided more comfort whilst putting the plane through it's paces that should there be a failure, one tug and the shute deploys in a second or two and you drift back to earth...I beleive that they can be deployed from as low as 50ft and still save the day.....that's fast.....

Now in a gyro, won't the rotating disk be a problem for deployment?

[Gyronaut]

In my humble opinion, only if the rotor is still attached (which reduces the times you may need it vastly except in a PPO situation) and then it shouldn't be a problem if you come down "nose up". I dont know and am looking for suggestions since I have no real idea. Just like the idea of the peace of mind it gives you having a backup (as you experienced FAWgie).

Kinda hoping someone 'in the know' will enlighten me.

[FAWGie]

The USA fighter helicopters have ejection seats, but these are linked to the rotor blade disperse system which blasts of the blades before ejection. I suppose a blade dispersal system would work out way too expensive for gyros and of course the chance of inadvertant activation would be a serious possibility.

[Thunderboy]

I saw one of the aerobatic pilots at Bara the other day had a proper parachute on his back.

dont know how much time one would have to open the canopy, unharness and still get out

[GR8-DAD]

I saw one of the aerobatic pilots at Bara the other day had a proper parachute on his back.

dont know how much time one would have to open the canopy, unharness and still get out

Hi TB, long time since we last chat
It is compulsory for the aerobatic pilots to have parachutes when doing public shows. They normally have para-seats, where the parachutes, attached to the pilots, also form the base of the aerie seat. Most of the aerobatic planes also have quick release doors/hatches that come undone completely within a sec or 2. Sufficient hight for deployment always gonna be a problem though.

[Thunderboy]

Hi and thanks GR8-PA

only 1 of the 7 or so actually had a parachute - which means the rest should have also had then

[Aerosan]

My question is this, fine to have a canopy but your chances of getting a safe pop should the aircraft fail during some manuver is very small IMO. Youll most probly be in a strange attitude, 500 or 600 ft agl or youll be by the time you can get out if you were high enough Im sure that staying in the aircraft and trying to make a controlled crash would be safer in most cases. Im not sure how many people in here have done a jump or two but you cant just step out the aerie and deploy a shute, but I would still like to have one just in case all the things are going for me instead of against This is my opinion. I am sticking to it.

[Morph]

One of the trike pilots at Morning Star flies with a parachute on his body, not a Ballistic. I'm not sure if it's going to be easy to extricate yourself from the trike if you have put it into a whip stall or tumble? But I think in this case it's more for peace of mind

None of this addresses the biggest killer of microlight pilots, low level flight into objects like power lines.

I doubt if a chute would have saved Junkie, who had less than 1.5 seconds between stall and impact with the ground

Would I put one on a plane , when I have the spare cash yes

[Thunderboy]

None of this addresses the biggest killer of microlight pilots, low level flight into objects like power lines.

A thought

Do you think the more hours one obtains the lower they fly?

I still like to fly pretty high especially when it is turbulent, over ridges etc
but there are many (and yes very good pilots) with high hours that do things I can't imagine ever doing, although still envious at their skills.

So does one become braver and more daring as the hours build up or is a conservatie pilot always conservative ???

I sometimes worry that Ill get that feeling of I know what I'm doing and start taking chances - it just takes one mistake or obstacle at the low height for an accident ???

Just thoughts - maybee some of the guys with the hundreds of hours can comment on what they do and how they feel