What is the story with BRS and imported aeroplanes?

[englishal]

If I were to import an aeroplane from the USA, which has a BRS fitted, would I have to have it removed or could it stay?

Cheers

[A and C]

If this BRS is a retro fit and no one has imported one of these fitted to this type of aircraft into EASAland before you are into a lot of paperwork.

My guess is that it would cost too much to be worthwile unless you intended to sell these things in europe.

I have always marveled at the way the authoritys preach safety and then make it very hard and expensive to fit a device sutch as this that will improve safety.

[englishal]

Thanks....

It is nuts...If an aeroplane has been flying happily in the USA with a BRS fitted, surely it'll carry on in Euroland ?

Oh well.....

[flyingfemme]

So why not keep it on the "N"?

[IO540]

If this is talking about Cirrus, both the SR20 and SR22 are now EASA certified.

[Rod1]

Are we talking C of A or Permit?

Rod1

[englishal]

I meant an N reg "CofA" type with BRS fitted as a factory option, remaining on the N register....But could the CAA force you to remove the BRS even if on another register?

[IanSeager]

I meant an N reg "CofA" type with BRS fitted as a factory option

Off the top of my head I can't think of any that fit that description. What is it?

Ian

[englishal]

Just idle thinking....:)

I was just browsing the ads in the states and came across the OMF Symphony (sorry, it is not a Cirrus ;)). I have flown these before and they are great aeroplanes for two people, faster and more comfortable than a 172, and safer with the 25G seats / cockpit, and I wouldn't mind one. Less than $100,000 at the moment buys a nearly new (2005), with about 150 hrs on the clock with G430, G420, Mode S, BRS, etc.....

The only thing wrong with it is that is should have been aerobatic....oh and that OMF went bust :}

[IanSeager]

A really nice aeroplane to fly. I don't think that OMF ever certified one with a BRS anywhere in EASA land though.

Ian

[englishal]

Does this mean that if I bought one and kept it on the N reg the BRS would have to be disabled to fly in in EU land though? That seems a bit of a shame to me....? It is a bit like taking the liferaft off your yacht because Europe does't recognise a blue one or something!

[IanSeager]

Does this mean that if I bought one and kept it on the N reg the BRS would have to be disabled to fly in in EU land though?

No, you could keep the BRS system if you kept it on the N reg. If you get serious, I would suggest talking to the people at BRS about system maintenance to make sure that there are no OMF specific parts that are no longer available.

Ian

[englishal]

Thanks! It is all a bit of a mine field.....I really need to get my head around the rules and regs :O

Cheers

[moggiee]

I saw an article in Flight International a few weeks back saying that insurance companies were INCREASING premiums on aeroplanes fitted with BRS.

Apparently, the stats show that BRS equipped aeroplanes are more likely to be involved in accidents as the pilots tend to deploy the chute at the first hint of trouble, rather than land the aeroplane. This leads to more damage to the aeroplanes, overall, and so higher costs to the insurance comapny.

It could be that the cost of removing the BRS (or at least disabling it) could be paid for by lower insurance and maintenance costs.

[Duchess_Driver]

It could also be that the BRS is part of the Certification process and 'disabling' or 'removing' may mean the CofA is no longer valid.

Removing it would certainly impact the weight,balance and performance figures.

[englishal]

You can buy them without, but there was a factory option of BRS. I'd quite like to keep it though, it is a bit like going out to sea on a boat and taking the life raft off because insurance would be cheaper!

I can see that BRS in the UK could be a can of worms though and it may be a better option to source one without and save the extra $10,000.......

I'd only every deploy the BRS in the case of structural failure or if it was 100% certain a sucessful landing could not be made (over water for example)....