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#1
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Of parachutes and things
Was hoping to get a bit of expertise here. I'm in the market for an
emergency bailout chute for flying in my Pitts S-1D. The top US contenders seem to be National and Softie but with no experience in the field, and parachutes not exactly being the kind of object you can try on for size in the shop, I don't really know what to look for and what to avoid. I'd appreciate any tips anyone out there could provide. Are there any European models that anyone has any experience with? Obviously comfort and space in the cockpit are major considerations. Thanks! Shawn |
#2
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"ShawnD2112" wrote:
Was hoping to get a bit of expertise here. I'm in the market for an emergency bailout chute for flying in my Pitts S-1D. The top US contenders seem to be National and Softie but with no experience in the field, and parachutes not exactly being the kind of object you can try on for size in the shop, I don't really know what to look for and what to avoid. I'd appreciate any tips anyone out there could provide. Are there any European models that anyone has any experience with? Obviously comfort and space in the cockpit are major considerations. Glider pilots routinely fly with parachutes. You may also want to ask in rec.aviation.soaring. I've flown with National, Butler and Softie. The usual discussion is whether it fits into the space available in the cockpit. If you're buying new, talk to a reputable supplier and tell them your height (for sizing), weight (right diameter/descent rate) and aircraft type (you want something that's comfortable in your type of seat.) Under TSO C23b, which covers most emergency chutes, some chutes are "low speed category" for under 150 mph aircraft and some are "standard category" with no limits (but manfr will usually give some limits.) Some chutes are certified under TSO C23c which has three categories A,B and C. B is the minimum you'd want to consider (150 KIAS at a gross weight of 254 lb.) Comfort is paramount. I sat in my Softie for a 12.5 hour flight. Todd Pattist (Remove DONTSPAMME from address to email reply.) ___ Make a commitment to learn something from every flight. Share what you learn. |
#3
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In article AnZDc.1369$Dq1.851@newsfe6-win,
"ShawnD2112" wrote: Was hoping to get a bit of expertise here. I'm in the market for an emergency bailout chute for flying in my Pitts S-1D. The top US contenders seem to be National and Softie but with no experience in the field, and parachutes not exactly being the kind of object you can try on for size in the shop, I don't really know what to look for and what to avoid. I'd appreciate any tips anyone out there could provide. Are there any European models that anyone has any experience with? Obviously comfort and space in the cockpit are major considerations. I wear a parachute for all my flying. I much prefer the Softie to the Strong rig we have. The Softie comes in many different styles/models. As far as canopy choice, I want a canopy that is going to work at any speed I might exit the airplane....as Todd noted that are different certifcation criteria. -- Dale L. Falk There is nothing - absolutely nothing - half so much worth doing as simply messing around with airplanes. http://home.gci.net/~sncdfalk/flying.html |
#4
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"ShawnD2112" wrote in message news:AnZDc.1369$Dq1.851@newsfe6-win... Was hoping to get a bit of expertise here. I'm in the market for an emergency bailout chute for flying in my Pitts S-1D. The top US contenders seem to be National and Softie but with no experience in the field, and parachutes not exactly being the kind of object you can try on for size in the shop, I don't really know what to look for and what to avoid. I'd appreciate any tips anyone out there could provide. Are there any European models that anyone has any experience with? Obviously comfort and space in the cockpit are major considerations. Thanks! Shawn Shawn; I take it you're into negative g these days, or at least thinking about that side of the envelope :-) I'd suggest the Mini Softie. You can get it with a very comfortable aerobatic harness which doesn't kill you with the metalwork if you're working the airplane negative. It should fit into the D cockpit ok unless you've been hanging out at Mac Donald's too much lately or into that damn "bloomin onion" thing I ate the other night at the Outback!! Man, you should have seen THAT thing!!!! :-)) I think they just dip it into a bucket of LDL Cholesterol and hand it to you!! :-)) Dudley |
#5
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ShawnD2112 wrote: Was hoping to get a bit of expertise here. I'm in the market for an emergency bailout chute for flying in my Pitts S-1D. The top US contenders seem to be National and Softie but with no experience in the field, and parachutes not exactly being the kind of object you can try on for size in the shop, I don't really know what to look for and what to avoid. I'd appreciate any tips anyone out there could provide. Are there any European models that anyone has any experience with? Obviously comfort and space in the cockpit are major considerations. Thanks! Shawn If you buy used, ask the seller for the manufacturing date. Many riggers will not repack a canopy that is older than 20 years old. Also check for ADs. Butler has a very good discusion on parachute selection at: http://www.butlerparachutes.com/howto.htm And: http://www.butlerparachutes.com/PDF/HowToSelect.pdf You really need to talk to other pitts pilots. If the backpack is too tall, it could ride up and create problems with the shoulder restraint straps; that wouldn't be desirable when flying upside down. Here is a quote from the Butler web page: "In many aircraft with relatively upright seating (close to 90o, such as the Citabria, 1-26, etc.), a backpack parachute is usually the best choice. However, the pack must be long enough to rest on the seat bottom and support its own weight without dragging on the shoulders of the wearer. Conversely, it must not be so long that it rides up around the wearer’s ears and forces the shoulder restraint straps up unnecessarily. If the pilot desires a back type parachute in an aircraft such as the Pitts (and similar types like Great Lakes, Skybolt, etc.) with tight cockpits, relatively upright seating and close clearance between the pilot’s face and the instrument panel, we generally recommend a back parachute that is thickest at the bottom and thinnest at the top in order to keep your face out of the instruments. Of course, the problem with the thickness at the bottom is that you may begin to run out of leg room." For added info, do a search on "tso-c23b" or "tso-c23c" Marty Pautz "promote a society that respects its elders; before it is too late." |
#6
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"Dudley Henriques" wrote in message ink.net... Forgot to tell you. Whatever you buy, try it on first and make at least one flight in it with the Pitts. Don't baby the flight either. Take it out sustained both ways and see how it feels, especially inverted. Do a half roll, stabilize there and just hang for a bit and feel it on your back. You'll know if it's going to do the job for you. Dudley |
#7
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"ShawnD2112" wrote in message
news:AnZDc.1369$Dq1.851@newsfe6-win... Was hoping to get a bit of expertise here. I'm in the market for an emergency bailout chute for flying in my Pitts S-1D. The top US contenders seem to be National and Softie but with no experience in the field, and parachutes not exactly being the kind of object you can try on for size in the shop, I don't really know what to look for and what to avoid. I'd appreciate any tips anyone out there could provide. Are there any European models that anyone has any experience with? Obviously comfort and space in the cockpit are major considerations. Thanks! Shawn FWIW, I fly with a Softie seat parachute in my Yak. I don't have any back room or leg room in the Yak but the seat box is deep. The seat cushion in the plane is removable and the Softie seat parachute fits perfectly into the seat box once the seat cushion is removed. The parachute came with a 2-inch pad which protects the bottom of the parachute from rubbing and also provides just the right amount of height to sit on. Real comfortable too. Good luck justin |
#8
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I highly suggest the Paraphenalia Softie with the aerobatic harness.
It gets the hardware out of the way from the restraints. Especailliy if you put in a ratchet harnes like a Hooker. Also, you can get the Softie with Aerobatic Harness as either a back pack or seat pack. -j- On Mon, 28 Jun 2004 18:24:10 +0100, "ShawnD2112" wrote: Was hoping to get a bit of expertise here. I'm in the market for an emergency bailout chute for flying in my Pitts S-1D. The top US contenders seem to be National and Softie but with no experience in the field, and parachutes not exactly being the kind of object you can try on for size in the shop, I don't really know what to look for and what to avoid. I'd appreciate any tips anyone out there could provide. Are there any European models that anyone has any experience with? Obviously comfort and space in the cockpit are major considerations. Thanks! Shawn |
#9
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Butler will work with you on getting the fit correct. He used to post of one of the groups, but I haven't seen anything from him for awhile. |
#10
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Was hoping to get a bit of expertise here. I'm in the market for an
emergency bailout chute for flying in my Pitts S-1D. The top US contenders seem to be National and Softie but with no experience in the field, and parachutes not exactly being the kind of object you can try on for size in the shop, I don't really know what to look for and what to avoid. I'm 6 ft. and 200 lb. I used a "Mini-Softie" backpack in the S1 ("C" fuselage, "S" wings) that I flew for several years, and was satisfied that it was the best fit for that airplane. When I switched to an S-2B, I bought two Wedge Softies (also backpacks), which are thicker at the bottom than at the top. The S-2B has good legroom, the Wedge leans me back a bit and I have more distance from face to inst. panel. Again, the right choice; it's very comfortable, even for 10 hr. flying days. BUT....the Wedge doesn't work for me in the S-1, because the latter is very short on legroom. If I were 3 or 4 inches shorter, it would be a different story, and the Wedge would be OK. It might also be OK in a "long fuselage" S-1S or T. But I think the D is short. Some folks like the "chair pack" which has a flap below the butt to help hold the chute in place during negative G. I don't find any problem with the straight backpack or the Wedge here, at least not up to -5 g's, which is about all I ever do. My Mini Softie had the pelvis-bruising buckles, which I thought were OK, so I ordered the Wedge's that way. After I started flying serious advanced, the bleeding started bothering me so at repack time, I had Dan convert my favorite Wedge to the aerobatic harness. Problem solved. If you can, borrow chutes from friends to try, or if you are close to a parachute shop, fly in to visit. Dan at Paraphernalia in Arlington (WA) has been more than accomodating to me. It's only about 220 NM from home for me, so stopping in isn't difficult. Go to a nearby contest and you'll find 20 to 50 pilots with every conceivable type of parachute, and they'll probably all be willing to advise and help. Especially the big ones (pilots, that is)...it's a battle for all of us! Doug Sowder |
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