Accident in Namibia, SH Ventus 2cxm

Standard equipment for flight testing of aircraft:

http://www.airborne-sys.com/pages/vi...covery-systems

On Thursday, February 4, 2016 at 6:51:48 PM UTC-8, son_of_flubber wrote:
I was aware of the chute used for landing on Libelle. So you think a similar chute mechanism could be used during spin/spiral dive recovery.

On Thursday, February 4, 2016 at 6:51:48 PM UTC-8, son_of_flubber wrote:
On Thursday, February 4, 2016 at 11:02:14 AM UTC-5, Bruce Hoult wrote:
On Thursday, February 4, 2016 at 6:32:26 PM UTC+3, son_of_flubber wrote:
On Thursday, February 4, 2016 at 3:32:51 AM UTC-5, Surge wrote:
One wonders if the inclusion of a tail parachute would have been a better option on these slippery open class ships with tricky recovery envelopes?

You would need a reliable means to jettison the chute at the right moment.

Like the blue knob low on the right hand cockpit wall in my glider here, you mean?

http://hoult.org/bruce/gliding/sasha/sasha-Images/3.jpg.

First stop deploys the chute. Zig right and all the way forward to jettison it.

I was aware of the chute used for landing on Libelle. So you think a similar chute mechanism could be used during spin/spiral dive recovery.

Shouldn't this move to another thread?
Jim

Sounds like a good idea.

As an aside, I have many chute only landings in an Elfe S-3 and a Libelle 301. Besides being great pattern & speed control practice (I slip around the pattern from downwind through final until I'm at about 50ft before deploying the chute) its a hell of a lot of fun!

On Thursday, February 4, 2016 at 3:32:51 AM UTC-5, Surge wrote:
One wonders if the inclusion of a tail parachute would have been a better option on these slippery open class ships with tricky recovery envelopes?
Accidental or unreliable deployment issues aside, a drag chute could probably be used to recover from a spin or spiral dive without exceeding Vne.

For example the Nimbus 2 has a terminal velocity in a vertical dive of 200 to 220 km/h (108 to 119 knots) with the tail chute deployed, air brakes and landing gear extended. So assuming one popped the chute within a couple of seconds (giving extra time to extend air brakes and lower the landing gear) the glider would be able to exit the spin/spiral vertically and then gently pull out of the dive without breaking anything in the process.

Is this a crazy idea or feasible?

On Thursday, February 4, 2016 at 3:32:51 AM UTC-5, Surge wrote:
One wonders if the inclusion of a tail parachute would have been a better option on these slippery open class ships with tricky recovery envelopes?
Accidental or unreliable deployment issues aside, a drag chute could probably be used to recover from a spin or spiral dive without exceeding Vne.

For example the Nimbus 2 has a terminal velocity in a vertical dive of 200 to 220 km/h (108 to 119 knots) with the tail chute deployed, air brakes and landing gear extended. So assuming one popped the chute within a couple of seconds (giving extra time to extend air brakes and lower the landing gear) the glider would be able to exit the spin/spiral vertically and then gently pull out of the dive without breaking anything in the process.

Is this a crazy idea or feasible?

Another option that would cover a broader range of potential disasters is the installation of a ballistic recovery chute.

On Thursday, February 4, 2016 at 3:32:51 AM UTC-5, Surge wrote:
One wonders if the inclusion of a tail parachute would have been a better option on these slippery open class ships with tricky recovery envelopes?
Accidental or unreliable deployment issues aside, a drag chute could probably be used to recover from a spin or spiral dive without exceeding Vne.

For example the Nimbus 2 has a terminal velocity in a vertical dive of 200 to 220 km/h (108 to 119 knots) with the tail chute deployed, air brakes and landing gear extended. So assuming one popped the chute within a couple of seconds (giving extra time to extend air brakes and lower the landing gear) the glider would be able to exit the spin/spiral vertically and then gently pull out of the dive without breaking anything in the process.

Is this a crazy idea or feasible?

With the sailplane departing form controlled flight and then accelerating at a high rate I wonder if the pilot would remember to actuate the chute. The critical part happens very quickly and is disorienting. Some would want to try to save it to avoid having to lose the chute.
That said it might be very useful after the wings are pulled off by making the projectile more stable and buying exit time.
FWIW
UH