Parachutes for Aerobatic a/c?

[7gcbc]

Anyone use them on a regular basis (not that way, to sit on, and hopefully never to actually use), what model do you use/recommend, cost, durability, and ease f use ?

whats the Pre-requisite training (i.e I don't actually want to do a parachute course, I have done the static British Para course(centuries ago), but now I just just satisfy the reqs should I someday see a cabane fluttering off to the left)

Normally would not bother me, but Kids do that to you............ :uhoh:


Thanks in advance.

[Cricket23]

I am also looking into buying a 'chute, and have found the following link useful, although I've not yet managed to get a price.

http://www.pprune.org/forums/showthread.php?t=59567&highlight=parachutes

[Flyingcircusace]

Hi
I have used a national 425 Backpack for several years now. Fits well in Cap, Extra, Laser. Seat pack may be better for Pitts? Would not be without it now. Have you seen The Sean D Tucker incident?

Fcirc

[djpil]

I've had a Slimpack from http://www.parachutesaustralia.com/ for many years - worn in a Pitts and Laser. Quite good. Others who have tried it also like it.
One of my friends has recently bought a Softie from http://www.softieparachutes.com/ to wear in a Pitts - he's very happy with it.
I've also spent a lot of time sitting on a Butler tailored for a Pitts. The chute replaced the seat cushion. Very comfortable. http://www.butlerparachutes.com/
Several of the aerobatic club members in Victoria have done some parachuting. Not I, not never! Every few years we get some-one to give us a training session on emergency egress. The next one will be around July.

[7gcbc]

Thanks all for replies, especially Djpil , can you keep me in mind when that emergency egress session is on, I'd like to attend, as the owner of the s2b I fly may also be interested.

DJ ,Do you cririque/advise also anymore?

cheers

7g

flying circ , yes the recent Sean Tucker Incident is the one that got me thinking, not that I'd ever be doing 12+ , but it was the joystick that got him, and thats not good at all.

[Mark 1]

The bit you can't practice (more than once anyway), is jettisoning the canopy and bailing out.

Evidence from the gliding world is that having bailed out, deploying the canopy is usually successful, irrespective of training.

Remember not to release the parachute harness while releasing the seat harness!

There's a rig for sale at the moment on the BAeA site.

[djpil]

Will do #7. Yep, I do more flying and critiquing than ever. Planning even more in future after seeing the info on super in the budget this week. Our next practice session is at Kyneton on 21 May. We don't have a date for the chute session yet but it will be on the club's website. He travels around a bit, I'll ask if he's interested in doing a session in Sydney.

[greeners]

I use Nationals and Softies in the Extra on a very regular basis. I prefer the Softie for comfort as it has a thin seat pad which ensures support for the lower back in flight; the National 425 without this can sometimes ride high on the back and lead to discomfort around the lower spine.

[eharding]

Irvin-GQ seat pack in the Yak, Irvin-GQ Silhouette back-pack in the Pitts & the Extra. Not cheap, but fairly bomb-proof construction.

[Sleeve Wing]

With you on that, Ed. Also Irvin Silhouette and National 425 backpacks very similar.
Sometimes a little concerned whether I could get out of the front seat of a Pitts with a backpack on. If it was whirling around a bit with a fair bit of positive, I reckon a seat pack might be favorite.
Anybody any recommendation ?
Sleeve.

[Legalapproach]

I did the brief parachute course during pilot training in the RAF but we were not allowed to do an actual jump. With a bang seat its all automatic but years later when I got a Pitts I wondered what would happen if you actually had to bail out. I therefore decided to do an AFF (accelerated free fall) level one jump for the experience. I would thoroughly recommend it to anyone regularly flying with a parachute. Although the ground drills will give you a vague idea of how to land, an AFF jump will teach you how to get into a stable face to earth position and then deploy, fly and land a canopy. The only danger is you might actually enjoy it. I did - and jumped from 12,000 feet earlier today, and err, yesterday and errrr, the day before - flew to the drop zone in the Cub so haven't completely joined the Dark Side.:rolleyes:

[Croqueteer]

:eek: I came out of an inverted spinning Pitts at about 1200ft (Open cockpit) and it was like using an ejector seat. At that ht adopting a stable position did not enter my mind! I had an ex USAF seat pack, which opened almost instantly, and the landing was akin to jumping off a table. I had done all the drills (including the ejector seat rig) in the RAF, and my 'chute packer made me do drills every time he packed it, so in the event all my actions were automatic. The sky seemed bluer and the fields greener for a few weeks after.

[AerocatS2A]

Croqueteer, did you discover why the inverted spin was not recoverable?

[Croqueteer]

:eek: No, not really. I entered the inadvertant inverted spin at about 2,800ft from a cocked up stall turn, (Practising for a comp and trying to keep it looking good for the judges). Although I had done a bit of deliberate inverted spinning, it doesn't prepare you for the real thing, which is disorienting in the extreme, as you have no sky to help, only rapidly whirling earth. I took what I thought was the correct action, but it kept on rotating. I checked the pole fully back and central, throttle closed, but I did not check the turn indicator. I think I might have changed feet when it did not recover immediately. I'm fairly sure that I had the wrong rudder applied as I came out, as I had a skinned left shin where it hit the panel. I next thought of letting go of everything, but realised that I could see individual leaves on the trees, my next memory is of an empty Pitts cockpit with the straps streaming back along the fusilage. I thought I had better pull the ripcord, only to find it was already in my fist! A pilot collegue who observed all this said he thought I came out at about 1200ft. The 'chute gave me a violent tumble as it opened, then I was landingThe fault was mine for being insufficiently trained in extreme unusual attitudes, being lulled into a false sense of security by inverted spinning not being required at standard level. I would advise all potential aerobatic pilots to get some training from someone like Alan Cassidy, and always wear a chute.
Also note that all this happened in seconds, and it took me hours after to try to work it all out! My wife's comment was, "you're too old and too fat for aeros, you can buy a Jodel"

[AerocatS2A]

Sounds pretty scary. I've done a bit of flying in a Pitts, about 600 hours I think, so I know that inverted spinning can be disorienting. A friend of mine was killed in similar circumstances, spun out of a stall turn (the exact cause is uncertain.) Unfortunately, no parachute, and not enough height to use one anyway.

You're fortunate to have had the presence of mind to use it before it was too late.

[Barcli]

is there a video somewhere of Shaun Tuckers " incident " ?

[HappyJack260]

Anyone use them on a regular basis (not that way, to sit on, and hopefully never to actually use), what model do you use/recommend, cost, durability, and ease f use ?
whats the Pre-requisite training (i.e I don't actually want to do a parachute course, I have done the static British Para course(centuries ago), but now I just just satisfy the reqs should I someday see a cabane fluttering off to the left)
Normally would not bother me, but Kids do that to you............ :uhoh:
Thanks in advance.

Wander over to Airborne Aviation next time you're at Camden and ask Peter Forbes if you can have a look at the seat packs we use in JAX. They're Nationals, I think (came with the plane) and for a shortie like me they give me the extra height I need visibility. Reasonably comfortable to sit on, too.
I wouldn't want a back pack in a Pitts - there's little enough room between the seat back and the panel as is.

John

[chrisN]

I have been advised in the past that GQ/Irvin emergency 'chutes are tolerant of first-timers not getting into the right recovery position and being extremely reliable in deploying correctly. They are also subject to rigorous testing to a known standard. Not necessarily true of some other 'chutes, and apparently there is no one agreed standard for testing or requirements.

If anyone knows better, please advise.

Meanwhile (for gliding) I will only buy GQ/Irvin, or Strong, based on that advice - my current 'chute is GQ.

Chris N.

[stiknruda]

I did several jumps with the RM parachute club at Dunkeswell years and years ago and have no desire to repeat the experience!

At Oshkosh in '99, I looked at Strong but they were too physically large to replace the rear seat back support in the Pitts so I bought a Softie wedge which is just the ticket.

It does need getting used to after it has been repacked!

Stik

[Zulu Alpha]

If you need a parachute, I can highly recomend
http://www.parachuteshop.com
Don Mayer there is very helpful. He shipped my chute overnight to the hotel I was staying at in the US. It all worked very well.
He will also do custom colours, embroider names etc. but this takes a bit longer
The website also has a lot of useful information and articles
I bought a softie with the aerobatic straps which move all the clips etc. away from the seat belt area. I'm very pleased with it. Hope I never have to use it.

[yakker]

I have 2 Irvin EB80 back 'chutes for sale. These were bought from the RAF when we purchased a Slingsby. If you are interested PM me.