When To Pull The Chute

[FlyingMonkey]

FWIW, the common wisdom in the Cirrus world is to leave the doors secured, as they are an important part of maintaining cabin structural integrity. That's why there's a crash hammer in the console; if the doors are jammed after landing under chute, bang your way out!

 

Looking at how our CTs are constructed, I tend to think the same applies for us.

 

No hammer required.

 

I don't disagree...I'm just personally more afraid of drowning than impact injuries.

 

Water is the only place I'd crack the doors before landing. I would not if flying into the impact, but would risk it under the chute where the impact will be ~20kt instead of 45kt+.

[FlyingMonkey]

"If there were not a decent landing option, I'd pull the chute at 100 feet and pull the speed back to just above stall to maximize time in the air to give the chute time to inflate. Worst case scenario, you mush into the ground at just above stall speed, which is your best non-chute option anyway if there is not a viable landing site. If the chute inflates in time that just cushions the blow even more."

 

I've been pondering this issue as well. The concern when I flew my Cirrus was that <500AGL doesn't give enough time for the entire deployment sequence to complete. If you pulled below that, you might be in the nose down part of the pendulum (and accelerating!) when you hit. On the balance, it seemed that an under-control, full-stall landing would hurt less than a no-control nose dive into terra firma.

 

With the CT's 250AGL BRS-viable altitude and it's relatively low weight and kinetic energy, I'm wondering if the same applies. IOW, below 250AGL, do we have a drag chute that will slow down the impact even if not fully deployed or do we face the same potential nose-splat that Cirrus drivers do in this scenario?

 

 

That is an excellent consideration. I don't know if the CT noses over like that on deployment...based on the chute position behind the wing I'd expect it to pitch back instead, but I just don't know. Of course a pitch back could stall the wing and drop you in a lot faster than stall speed too.

 

I do know there have been numerous BRS saves well below 500ft, so in a desperate situation I'd say "worth a shot" at almost any altitude if you have a lot of energy that needs to be dissipated.

[IrishAl]

Another significant factor to consider before launching the chute is wind strength on the ground. 

 

I recall seeing a story of a CT flier (in believe it was in Germany but I'm not certain) who pulled on a windy day and was dragged by the inflated canopy for half a mile (something like that) before getting wedged up against a building with the tail in the air.  He sustained injuries from being knocked about on the ground.  

 

A stiff wind could be useful in an off field landing (by reducing GS), whereas it's a liability with the parachute deployed.  

 

(I did a quick search for the story, but couldn't find it.)