Cirrus Deploys Chute Safely

In article YNq4d.240836$mD.16837@attbi_s02,
"C.D.Damron" wrote:

"C J Campbell" wrote in message
...
The SR22 is not approved for spins, and has not been tested or

certified for spin recovery characteristics. The only approved and

demonstrated method of spin recovery is activation of the Cirrus

Airframe Parachute System (See CAPS Deployment, this section).

Because of this, if the aircraft "departs controlled flight," the CAPS

must be deployed.

Sounds like legal-speak to me. I'm am willing to bet that Cirrus has spun
the hell out of that design with pleasing results.



That is apparently what cost Astronaut Gorden Fullerton his life, when
he was testflying a Cirrus.

Orval Fairbairn wrote

That is apparently what cost Astronaut Gorden Fullerton his life, when
he was testflying a Cirrus.

That will come as a surprise to him. :-) You're thinking of
Bob Overmyer, but he was killed in a VK-30, which was a completely
different airplane, a kit put out by Cirrus before they certificated
the SR series. Fullterton is still alive, BTW.

Dave 'program' Hyde

"C.D.Damron" wrote in message
news:YNq4d.240836$mD.16837@attbi_s02...

"C J Campbell" wrote in message
...
The SR22 is not approved for spins, and has not been tested or

certified for spin recovery characteristics. The only approved and

demonstrated method of spin recovery is activation of the Cirrus

Airframe Parachute System (See CAPS Deployment, this section).

Because of this, if the aircraft "departs controlled flight," the CAPS

must be deployed.

Sounds like legal-speak to me. I'm am willing to bet that Cirrus has
spun
the hell out of that design with pleasing results.

Actually, no pilot has ever reported recovering from a spin in a Cirrus. It
is not for lack of trying. There are numerous reports of Cirrus aircraft
crashing (or they would have crashed if CAPS had not been deployed) after
the pilots entered a spin, however.

Actually, no pilot has ever reported recovering from a spin in a Cirrus.

Who would he report to?

It
is not for lack of trying. There are numerous reports of Cirrus aircraft
crashing (or they would have crashed if CAPS had not been deployed) after
the pilots entered a spin, however.

I don't agree. What there have been is a few low altitude spin ins and a couple
of crashes involving pilots not deploying the chute. However, there is no indication
that they attempted to recover from (or even recognized they were involved in) a spin.

Searching the NTSB for Cirrus:

1. Stall/spin immediately after takeoff (treetop level). SR20
2. Pilot deployed CAPS in IMC after insturments became unreliable SR22
3. Botched landing due to brake failure. SR22
4. Wire strike during simulated forced landing SR22
5. Low altitude stall due to evasive manouvering in the pattern. SR20
6. Crash from low altitude pass SR20
7. Wire strike. SR20
8. Spatial disorientation followed by a high speed impact with the ground (unlikely therefore
to have been a spin). SR22
9. VFR-into-IMC CFIT SR20
10. Collision with deer SR20
11. CAPS deployed after aileron falls off. SR22
12. Mountainous terrain/Density Alt CFIT SR20
13. SPIN FROM 5000 FEET. SR22
14. Spatial disorientation and CAPS wouldn't deploy, collides with trees on emergency landing. SR22
15. Emergency landing due to failure to replace drain plug SR20
16. Forced landing due to fuel mismanagement. SR22
17. Botched landing SR22
18. VFR into IMC CFIT (mountainous) SR20
19. SR20 test crash (aileron jamming)
20. VK30 CG test results in spin.
21. VF30 engine fire forced landing

Plus there are two more that don't have enough information to determine. However
I suspect one was a botched illicit IFR approach. The other was a fatal in Spain.
As far as I know ther ehave been FOUR Cirrus deployments (counting the most
recent one) Of which only the last one as near as I can tell might be spin related.
The others were PANIC button pulls from mechanical failures or disoriented pilots.

So at the most we've had one SR20/SR22 crash from a spin that the pilot might
have thought to try recovering from (either via CAPS deployment or control input)
and one CAPS deployment to avert a spin.

This doesn't agree with your statement.

I found it refreshing that both newspaper accounts treated the story
in an intelligent, technically reasonable manner with none hysterical
ranting that often occurs in accounts of General Aviation incidents.

Sid Knox

Velocity N199RS
Starduster N666SK
KR2 N24TC
W7QJQ

Why dont people make airplanes that will spin anymore?

Why dont people make airplanes that will spin anymore?



I am pretty sure that its a trade off for speed or weight. Then again,
Lancair 400 supposedly spins just fine, so go figure.

"Justin H" wrote in message ...
Why dont people make airplanes that will spin anymore?

Who says they don't?

In article , "Justin H"
wrote:

Why dont people make airplanes that will spin anymore?




They all do -- some just don't recover properly.

"Justin H" wrote in message
...
Why dont people make airplanes that will spin anymore?

Even the Cirrus will spin -- you just pull the CAPS handle to make it stop.
:-) Spin certification is an additional expense and the planes are expensive
enough as it is. Still, there are plenty of airplanes certified for spin
training, not least the ubiquitous Cessna 172.