Ballistic Recovery Systems

최근 개발된 경항공기의 경우 최악의 상황에서 사출이 아닌 항공기 전체를 보호하기 위해 개발된 기술로 가장 잘 알려진 항공기로는 Cirrus 사의 SR-20, 22 기종에서 찾아볼 수 있습니다.  Cirrus Airframe Parachute System (CAPS)라고도 불리우며 항공기를 Parachute  로 지상에 안전하게 착륙시킬 수 있는 System 입니다.   이러한 장비까지 있는 비행기라면 당연히 고가이겠지요?

 

SR-22 GTS Model 의 경우 USD$600,000 입니다.  현재 환율로 계산하면 7억이 넘는군요. 물론 최고가의 비행기이며 3억정도면 저렴한 기종도 구입은 가능합니다.

 

 

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Components

A solid-fuel rocket is used to pull the parachute out from its housing and deploy the canopy fully within seconds. Typically on ultralight installations the rocket is mounted on the parachute container. on larger aircraft installations the rocket may be remotely mounted.

Over the years the BRS systems employed have been improved and updated and the current version is the BRS-6. This has a separate rocket installation that can be removed from the parachute so the parachute can be sent for re-packing without the problems of trying to ship the rocket as well. Typically the parachute requires repacking every six years and the rocket requires replacing every 12 years.

Rescues completed

 

The first ballistic recovery parachutes were on the market in 1982, and the first deployment was in 1983. Between then and April 2007, over 225 people were aboard 201 aircraft which deployed BRS parachutes; most of whose lives were presumably saved by those parachute deployments.^[1]

Aircraft supported

BRS Models are available for:

• The whole line of Cirrus Design general aviation aircraft. The Cirrus BRS models are known as the Cirrus Airframe Parachute System.
• Cessna 172, Cessna 182, Cessna 162
• Symphony SA-160
• Non-certified airplanes up to 1,800 lb weight
• A wide variety of non-certified Ultralight aircraft
• A wide variety of Light Sport Aircraft (LSA). BRS is standard equipment on the following approved LSAs:^[2]
  • AMD Zodiac
  • Aeroprakt A-22 FPNA
  • Apollo Fox
  • Apollo Delta Jet (Trike)
  • CZAW SportCruiser
  • Eurofox
  • FK-9
  • Flight Design CTSW series
  • P&M Aviation Quik Trike
  • P&M Aviation Quik GT450 Trike

Cirrus Airframe Parachute System (CAPS)

The CAPS is a BRS system designed specifically for Cirrus Design's line of general aviation aircraft including the SRV, SR20 and SR22. As in other BRS systems a solid-fuel rocket, housed in the aft fuselage, is used to pull the parachute out from its housing and deploy the canopy full within seconds. The goal of employing this system is the survival of the crew and passengers and not necessarily the prevention of damage to the airframe.

Since the landing gear and firewall are part of the structure designed to be crushed for energy absorption during impact after parachute deploy, Cirrus originally thought that the airframe would be damaged beyond repair on impact. But the first aircraft to deploy (N1223S)^[3] landed in mesquite and was not badly damaged. Cirrus bought the airframe back, repaired it, and used it as a demo plane. It was eventually sold to another owner who destroyed it in a crash short of the runway.^[4] Several of the aircraft involved in CAPS deploys have been put back into service, with the exception of those that landed in the water.