PPRuNe Forums - View Single Post - Aircraft accidents AIrcraft to blame?
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Old 12th Feb 2009, 22:14
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Piper_Driver
 
Join Date: Jan 2008
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The only real use I can see for a ballistic chute is mid air or structural failure. Both are very rare occurences that probably would compromise the airframe to a point where it wouldn't withstand the forces generated by the chute deployment.
Loss of power over inhospitable terrain at night or in IFR would be another good reason to deploy the chute. Going down in the mountains in poor visibility is almost guaranteed to kill occupants. If I found myself in that situation and had the BRS option I'd go for it.

The chutes work best when the aircraft is in stablized flight at speeds within the normal flight envelope. After a midair or a structural failure stabilized attitude is unlikely, and airspeed might be a problem as well.
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