So, I am well aware of the drag chutes supplied by Walter Kostelezky, K.G. of Germany. I am aware of the rings and swivels at the connection to the aircraft, and that the aircraft end is a release somewhat resembling a Tost style release. But, I have a plane that has a different sort of interface with the airplane.

On the plane I have, the release is at the front end of a tube that is about 10 mm in inside diameter. It was just large enough for me to put my borescope camera inside. At the front of this hole, about 4-5 inches forward, is something that sticks in from one side, and goes maybe 1/3rd of the way across the diameter of the hole. I was not able to verify operation by pulling on the jettison handle, as I was the only one at the airport on that cold day.

Near as I can tell, it looks like this particular jettison mechanism would interface with something that looks like the end of a microphone plug. I am guessing this would be roughly 9 mm OD, tapered end, then a near 90 degree cut in or maybe even a o-ring style groove that the visible retaining feature would drop into to lock and hold the chute to the airframe until the jettison lever is pulled. My best guess is that there is a 5 inch or so long steel ferrel that is swaged onto the rope that goes back to the chute.

This tube exits the fuselage aft of the tailwheel and below the bottom of the rudder. From what I can tell, the rope went outside the airframe from attach point into the cover that is on the bottom of the rudder.

Any of you seen anything like that? The plane was built between 1962 and 1967 in Switzerland.

Thanks in advance for any assistance!

Steve Leonard
HB-723 soon to be N723HB