Minor injuries after plane deploys parachute and crash lands | Hacker News Reader

Minor injuries after plane deploys parachute and crash lands

cbsnews.com

As of 10 March 2024 there have been 128 saves with 263 survivors in aircraft equipped with the Cirrus Airframe Parachute System (CAPS), mainly the SR22 aircraft. Details of each deployment are published at the link below.

https://www.cirruspilots.org/Safety/CAPS-Event-History

The CAPS ballistic parachute system was also certified for the Cirrus Vision Jet SF50 in 1998, and was pulled for the first time in 2022.

The SF50 crash-landed in an alligator infested Florida swamp/lake near Orlando that has popular airboat tours. Everyone survived.

https://www.flyingmag.com/cirrus-vision-jet-pilot-pulls-chut...

This seems very impressive. I'm not sure they had any option for a non-parachute landing site.

Without any power, there's not much you can do. The area within 6 miles of Shelter Cove Airport is densely wooded and full of steep hills, on Google Maps I couldn't make out any suitable landing sites. It's probably safe to say this was the only option they had, glad they pulled the handle in time.

One thing that's really cool is that CAPS gives passengers an option if the pilot is disabled. In addition, it can be great for when pilots enter a no-escape situation like a box canyon that is not wide enough to turn around in. Personally I think any GA pilot should have a CAPS or BRS parachute installed immediately. The best $10k you will ever spend.

Planes with parachutes? New to me. Neat.

From the wiki: achieving certification in October 1998, and as of 2022 was the only aircraft ballistic parachute used as standard equipment by an aviation company.

I wonder how much these cost and how expensive it is to restuff it. Though not dying is obviously worth the cost.

Deploying the parachute damages the plane; according to wikipedia as of late 2021, there were 126 deployments, and only 21 of those aircraft were repaired and back in service.

So, 'restuffing' is pretty expensive.

Still cheaper than buying a new life.

They’re becoming more popular in general aviation. Cirrus introduced them 10 to 20 years ago for their GA airplanes.

I think some small, personal jets are getting them as well.

Once the parachute is deployed, the plane is totaled.

Every twelve years, the parachute and deployment rocket has to be replaced, at a cost of $20-30K.

I learned all that from this video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hO4YUCd5YPQ

CAPS is a really great system that has probably saved hundreds of lives: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cirrus_Airframe_Parachute_Sy...

Perfect planes for rich doctors and lawyers that can afford to replace planes not to become better pilots

Wow, it wasn't a Boeing! /s

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