Emergency Parachutes

[Reno_Steve]

With light aircraft as used in the sports class , F1 etc. it should be possible to use the rocket propelled parachutes that bring the whole plane down .

Are these yet used when racing, and would they be possible with the higher weight and speed of the unlimiteds ?

If any control is still available speed can be bled off (with height gain) before deploying the chute and even if simply landing out due to engine failure a parachute should result in a slower / safer landing.

[shadow]

Re: Emergency Parachutes

With light aircraft as used in the sports class , F1 etc. it should be possible to use the rocket propelled parachutes that bring the whole plane down .

Are these yet used when racing, and would they be possible with the higher weight and speed of the unlimiteds ?

If any control is still available speed can be bled off (with height gain) before deploying the chute and even if simply landing out due to engine failure a parachute should result in a slower / safer landing.

Like you said, if there was control you could get some altitude and try a landing. So it's not really a benefit there. Something to save the pilot's life when the airplane departs controled flight 50ft above the ground would be good. However, 50ft above the ground, 400mph+, is there even time to press the big red button? Wouldn't the pilot's first instinct be to try and pull out, wasting that fraction of a second needed to deploy the safety device.

This is all granted that a safety device like a parachute would be of any value 50ft above the ground....

[SpinB]

Re: Emergency Parachutes

Why not load 'em up with airbags (ala Mars landers...). But, then again, with the kinds of energy we're dealin' with, they may wind up bouncin' over Scolaris and rollin' under the arch downtown..........