On 10/17/2011 07:55 PM, Gary Leinberger wrote:
> I looked very carefully at putting a ballistic chute on my Europa
I went through the same mental exercise, with the same outcome. Apart
---From affecting the plane in a negative way (you forgot to mention the
weight disadvantage; it eats up all bagage weight), I couldn't really
imagine many realistic situations in which I would (be able to) deploy
the chute. Given the fact that it destroys the aircraft (if it is not
during deployment then it is during the uncontrolled touch down
somewhere on a rock, tree or building) I would not be so enthousiastic
to pull the pin out of the mortar if it would "just" be an engine
failure, or "just" an IMC encounter, or anything else where there would
still be any hope to come out unscathed.
I would deploy it during an engine failure over sea, or maybe during an
engine failure in the mountains without any suitable landing spot. I
doubt it could be deployed after a structural failure in flight (I
imagine the roll rate of the plane would be instantly enormous if some
piece of wing would depart the airplane) or during an in flight
collision (given the cruise speed of the Europa it is doubtful if anyone
would be able to press a button after the event, providing there is some
structural integrity left after the collision to either reach the chute
and to carry the wreckage after deployment.)
Most of the arguments apply equally well to personal chutes.
Frans
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