007
I really do think not enough credence is given to the confidence factor of the chuted Cirrus and its roll in creating accident situations which it is a last resort for!
Lets look at a few scenarios.
Pilot X had heart problems becoming unwell in the street the fitting of stents and he eventually got his medical back but still in the back of his mind are the heart problems he suffered.
Is Pilot X more likely to feel comfortable flying a Cirrus with the knowledge that if he ever became unwell again he could pull the chute?
Pilot A always struggled with instrument flying and although passing the ratings struggled! Other pilots knew him as someone who was really not that confident.
Pilot A was using his aircraft for a business trip and it was an IMC day
He got the TAFS and the weather was due to drop around the time of his arrival.
Pilot A thought that all would be OK he would get in the destination airport before the weather closed down and he was forced to take an instrument approach which without his instructor he was not sure he would cope with.
He allayed his fears with the thought that if the worst happened and the weather was down when he got there and he really could not cope he would not die he had the chute.
Pace is used to flying high performance multi engine aircraft at night and having had a number of piston engine failures had serious doubts over flying singles at night. While an engine failure at night was unlikely the thought was there. Pace had access to a Cirrus which now gave pace another option.
Unlikely engine failure on a dark night and pace could pull the chute.
Pace was now a lot more happy flying a single piston at night!
The list goes on but looking at that accident video it is apparent that the chute is luring pilots into situations that they or the aircraft cannot handle as it is seen as a get me out of prison for free card if all goes tits up.
I have no doubts about this ignored factor and its impact on accident statistics which I am sure would be far better for the aircraft.
Some will say that it is because pilots do not pull the chute. Of course not as another said what pilot will want to wreck his aircraft? Their priority will be to try and recover before resorting to the chute and maybe leaving it too late but the comfort factor should not be ignored.
007 There is nothing on the face of it wrong with a comfort factor as being more relaxed flying makes for better pilots but with it comes the awareness that the chute takes you to places that no other beer reaches and that maybe a pint too much
Pace
Last edited by Pace; 24th Oct 2012 at 09:59.