Fuji
There is no doubt the chute saves lives as is well demonstrated in this event.
I am sold on the virtues of the chute so you do not need to convince me
I am not sold on some of the virtues of the pilots and in this case I am stunned the guy was IR rated.
Without any shadow of doubt the chute will encourage pilots into areas they cannot cope with!
As stated I do not like flying singles at night but I am sure I would be happy doing so in the Cirrus as the chute would give me an out!
On an ink black night you have no outs only the hope that what lies below is suitable to land on in the event of an engine failure.
I do not fly without outs as that is a game of Russian Roulette. The Cirrus would give me that out at night and hence I would fly at night! Would flying at night increase my chances of an accident? probably yes.
The same goes with weather or icing would the chute encourage me to press on looking for better weather ahead knowing that if ahead was a hell hole I had the option of an out? probably yes!
Would your non flying PAX be relieved if you briefed them on the use of the chute should you suffer a heart attack or stroke.
Of course they would! Why??? Because again it gives them an out if you blacked out at the controls and they were faced with death themselves.
So we are kidding ourselves if we think the chute will not make pilots more confident and will not encourage them to stray into conditions caution would normally keep them clear of!
That is something that we need to be aware of not something which rubbishes the chute.
This is the first production aircraft to come equipt with an in built chute system!
As it appears to be very efficient there are a whole new areas of operation where we need to consider the use of the chute like an engine failure.
Conventional aircraft the decision is clear you have to keep the aircraft flying to the ground and you have to be accurate! The chute brings in a new option a new "out"
With more options come more decisions! With more decisions the option to make the wrong decision! same as the extra engine in a twin.
The chute should not be used at the first sign of trouble but as a last resort after conventional solutions are considered too risky!
That is where new training should be in making pilots better equipt at making judgments quickly and acting on them and being aware of being lulled into a false sense of security that having a chute gives.
At present there seems to be little manufacturer guidance!!! hence the subject of the Cirrus and its chute will generate discussion and debate as well as a certain amount of controversy!
Pace