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To: LeGrande
About the only scenario that I think the parachute is good for is a structural failure and those are very rare.

Flying (inadvertently) into clear ice is the first thing that comes to my mind.

22 posted on 12/23/2004 8:09:18 AM PST by Aeronaut (May all the feckless become fecked.)
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To: Aeronaut; Tijeras_Slim; FireTrack; Pukin Dog; citabria; B Knotts; kilowhskey; cyphergirl; ...

23 posted on 12/23/2004 8:10:06 AM PST by Aeronaut (May all the feckless become fecked.)
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To: Aeronaut
Flying (inadvertently) into clear ice is the first thing that comes to my mind.

I am envisioning flying into a huge invisible sheet of ice hanging in the sky : )

How do you inadvertently fly into icing conditions? All icing conditions are IFR by definition. If you are flying in IFR conditions you had better know what you are doing and anticipate icing. If you are flying in a storm the last thing you want to do is pull the chute (of course it would be the last thing you ever did).

Sure, if your airplane was completely disabled by ice (not on takeoff or landing) it would be nice to be able to pop the chute. Or if you flew into a thunderstorm and it ripped your wings off it would be nice to be able pop the chute (after you had fallen free of course, but how would you tell?).

My GlaStar in a full stall descends at 500 to 800 fpm with a forward velocity of about 30 knots. With a BRS it would descend at a rate of around 800 - 1200 fpm with minimal forward velocity. Which is better? I guess it depends on the conditions, so is it worth cutting my payload by 70+ lbs and spending $16,000 on something that may help me in only a couple of situations?

32 posted on 12/23/2004 8:45:41 AM PST by LeGrande
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