In article ,
"vaughn" wrote:

"Jim Logajan" wrote in message
.. .
Jim Logajan wrote:
Video of wing failure via AVweb:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4a8cntPdRtk
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XnHuIET4P2s

It looks to me like the plane nearly flopped over on the canopy after
landing.
Had that happened, the outcome would have been tragically different.

Anyhow, how could someone see that and not be sold on ballistic chutes? I
was
amazed at how gentle the landing seemed to be.

Vaughn

I think the plane/pilot under discussion is part of an aerobatic team
that flies S-9's. If that is correct, then I would expect that the
planes have been modified to make them suitable for that level of
aerobatics. Unfortunately, even top level aerobatic birds can shed parts
if there is unidentified damage or fatigue in the structures. Wasn't
there a control system failure in Sean Tucker's Pitts?

No question that ballistic chutes are a good idea. They don't always
save the day, though. There was the SR-22 involved in a mid-air. The
ballistic chute was deployed, but the Cirrus was on fire and the pilot
and passenger jumped for it...from several hundred feet agl. The
weirdest ballistic chute misadventure that I know of was the breakup of
a Sparrowhawk ultralight glider that was being tested for potential
drone use. The Sparrowhawk comes with the BRS as standard equipment. A
test pilot was flying this particular Sparrowhawk and, because of a
faulty ASI, exceeded VNE by quite a bit. It was later determined that he
was over 175 knots when the thing came apart. It fluttered and the BRS
deployed on it's own due to the airframe breakup. The BRS deployment at
that high airspeed ejected the pilot, harnesses and all. Luckily, he was
also wearing a chute and was able to use it.

I don't have a BRS in my Stits LSA (yet), but I do have two good
emergency chutes. I always wear a chute when I fly my glider (it's the
primary seat cushion), and I often wear my chute when flying other
aircraft. I get funny looks when I step out of a 172 with a chute on.