However, this thread started after a 'chute pull in a perfectly functioning aircraft because the pilot lacked the skill and/or confidence to continue to fly it.
Thats my view on it as well.
The chute meaning that they can tell everyone what a plonker they were is nice and more than likely saves more money to the manufacture than not having to do extensive tests to prove that it wasn't a design fault.
But fundamentally there is a pilot that shouldn;t have got themselves into that position in the first place.