Cessna Skycatcher
Posted on 09/25/2008 4:55:05 AM PDT by gridlock
Airframe Chute's Failure Forces Real-Live Bail-Out...
ANN has learned sume surprising details surrounding the recent loss of a non-conforming flying prototype of the Cessna SkyCatcher LSA during exclusive conversations with personnel from Cessna Aircraft and BRS Parachutes.
Cessna's prototype Model 162 SkyCatcher light sport aircraft crashed thursday afternoon near Douglass, KS on what was described as a routine test flight, but a Cessna spokesperson now describes as an extensive evaluation of the aircraft's smpin matrix... this particular test being devoted to "Full-Power, cross-controlled spins."
(snip)
Cessna has been pretty open adn up-front with the matter, at least to the extend of what is known just a few days after the incident. So far, Cessna and BRS have both confirmed that the pilot entered into some mode of irrecoverable flight condiditon in the spin tests and attempted to fire the rocket-deployed BRS emergency airframe parachute system. This corresponds to the "pops" and "sparks" reported by some witnesses. However; the BRS "fialed to deply as intended," according to a BRS staffer, and the pilot was left with no other choice but to egress the aircraft. No reason has been given for the alleged failure of the BRS parachute system but BRS confirsm that they have personnel on sight to participate in the investigation.
The pilot safely extricated himself and successfully deployed a Free Flight Preserve 1 canopy (thought to be part of a Para-Phernalia parachute system... the leading user of that canopy design), and landing about a quarter-mile from where the SkyCatcher impacted. While the airframe hit the ground largely intact, Cessna confirms that the aircraft is "totaled."
(snip)
(Excerpt) Read more at aero-news.net ...
Do you know the names for the Aerospace Ping List?
Somebody needs a refresher course in spelling and word usage!
I actually had to retype this article, because I could not cut and paste. It was difficult, but I let all the errors stand.
You are quite right, of course.
My comment wasn’t about your typing. From the article: “BRS confirms that they have personnel on sight to participate in the investigation
As opposed to on sound?
Spell checkers are wonderful things. They will tell you if a word is spelled correctly, but they won’t tell you if it’s the correct word.
I don’t, but your question points at a need that I have noticed in the last couple of weeks when I have had similar issues wanting to know who owned the ping list for various topics. Seems like a master list available on FR web site might just be something quite useful.
Some bailouts work, some don’t.................
Probably not so forgiving as a 152 or 172.
Between the availability of an unrecoverable spin and the failure of the BRS, this is not going to help the SkyCatcher sales one little bit. I think Cessna was going to market this thing as a “safe” alternative.
It was to be a very forgiving aircraft, almost impossible to get in trouble with. But if everything goes to Hell, pull the little red handle and “POOF!”, you float down like a feather. Sitting strapped in to an aircraft stuck in an unrecoverable spin with a non-functional BRS handle in your hand is not the “safe” mental picture they were going for...
Latest updated version at post # 306.
I hate it when that happens.
Don't know about the 152 but at least in some CG configurations a 172 will recover from a spin (into a dive) if you simply release the controls. (Yes I've tried it).
Thanks, who knew. Must have missed April 2007 I just know who pings me. I was not aware the list was so extensive or that there was a list.
Neither did I know of one until I caught that post. There’s an awful lot of work in that, too. Apparently it’s a work of love. :O)
Work of love, agreed. What better reason, I’m sure starting with JimRob the mods the ping list providers, and all the way down to the bottom the same could apply.
I don’t think the Mods or Jim Rob provide ping lists.
“Sitting strapped in to an aircraft stuck in an unrecoverable spin with a non-functional BRS handle in your hand is not the “safe” mental picture they were going for...”
Well that’s one of the risks of flight testing.
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