OK, there your are, upside down, half a wing missing, on your way down
through a gaggle of 20 gliders. Is it better to pop the BRS right away
(maybe get someone with your chute), or wait till you are below the
gaggle (maybe hit someone(s) at high speed on your way down)?


Oh my, where to start? First off, this ain't my first rodeo, I have
been through this drill twice while doing my civic duty in the USAF
and believe my, delaying pulling the handle was the last thing I
considered. The problem that really worries me is a midair in the
pattern. I almost had a head-on midair just after calling down-wind
with a fellow who didn't feel it was necessary to tell me he was
entering the pattern also, but in the opposite direction! If we had
collided, there is no way either of us would have made it, period, end
of discussion! Deploying a BRS in this situation, could save a
life.............mine!
They have conducted 35 airborne tests to establish maximum weight and
speed parameters. The system I selected is 200 pounds under the max wt
with a max deployment speed of 138mph. The nose will pitch up on
deployment, so the sooner the better in this regard..........don't
want the canopy to fail or to loop up into the deployed chute.
Conclusion, don't delay pulling the little red handle! BRS tests have
shown the system could work as low as 260 feet depending mainly on
aircraft attitude on deployment (rocket fires up). Descent rate of
15-28f/s depending on wt and density altitude, lets use 22f/s, thats
like jumping off a 7 foot ledge or being involved in a fender-bender
at 15mph. Descent attitude on the Genesis is 40 degrees nose low due
to the hatch being aft a bit. I would expect the nose wheel to absorb
half the impact with the main gear taking the rest with some
structrual damage, but I know a good A&P who works cheep.
Where in any of the above do I; tidy up the cockpit and step smartly
over the side wearing my back-pack?
:) JJ
PS the Strong is sold.