"a" wrote in message
...

-----massive clip because my reader didn't properly update the
quotes----------

There is some data that suggests there are more fatalities in a Cirrus
than a 172 when normalized for exposure (flight hours and the like)
although the more directly competing airplane in terms of performance
might be a 182 or a complex single. I have not seen data about that.
The CAPS manufacture cites the deployed device will provide a descent
rate of about 1600 fpm. Some point out a suitably configured sel might
go down at 800 fpm, but the different that might be more important is
the SEL will be flying at 50 or 70 MPH and that represents some energy
that has to be turned to heat.

Speaking of heat, someone may be able to reduce it and add light if
they have data on serious accidents among airplanes with similar
mission profiles -- my guess is the Cirrus mission might be more
nearly like an complex SEL than a 172.

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IIRC, this subject came up and one of the contributors, possibly Ron,
provided some data which he had made a considerable effort to filter in a
usefull and not predjudicial way--and the difference in accident rates were
not sufficiently great, between the Cirrus and other high performance
singles, to be at all compelling--especially considering the small number of
accidents in any type of aircraft during a given period.

OTOH, my personal opinion is that a lot of it really comes down to the idea
of pilots reducing themselves to passengers, as though in the back of one of
those giant airline mailing tubes, simply riding along to the crash site
after irrevocably turning control over to a mechanical device--in this case,
the ballistic parachute. That's probably an acceptable concept for
bureaucrats and desktop simmers; but seems to richly deserve a little "push
back" from current and former fliers--from solo students to ATPs.
Personally, I thnk I'd rather be out under a "real" parachute and not forced
to crash flat on my fanny in the damned airplane...

Just my $0.02
Peter