A ballistic rescue system (BRS) is an option available on Foxbat aircraft – about 15 of the Australian fleet of 125 are fitted with them. Thankfully, no-one has needed to deploy a BRS on an Australia Foxbat.
However, the pilot of this Cirrus was not so lucky, although due to the BRS, he and his passengers all walked away from what otherwise might have been a nasty incident.
It was around 2pm on Saturday afternoon, 10 December 2014 at Lawson, west of Sydney in New South Wales when some sort of problem occurred with the aircraft and the BRS was deployed – an excellent example of how modern technology can dramatically improve the safety of light aircraft.
Here’s a link for more information, including a short piece of video: Sydney Morning Herald
Since my Foxbat is already cabled for the BRS I have thought about getting one a few times but never made the move. The promoters (including Cirrus which seems to be a special case) extoll the virtues but forums are not so generous.
In this recent incident some have pointed out how close the aircraft came to the high voltage power lines for example. There are various stories doing the rounds claiming activation has created new problems – but perhaps these are fabrications designed to rubbish the product.
I wonder if anyone has compiled a list of the activations of these chutes and the outcomes for the aircraft and passengers involved?
It would be good to have info that was not provided by the companies wanting to sell the product.
Whats the price to retrofit a BRS to a foxbat? Cheers matt
Matt – in Australia, it’s something around A$5,500 plus shipping and GST. You need to contact Doug King at LiteFlight Green to confirm NZ price.
Having flown ejection seat a/c for many years I will be getting the BRS system fitted to my future Foxbat, a forced landing is fine if you can guarantee 100% a successful outcome, if in doubt pull the handle, remember that once the engine fails the insurance company owns the a/c, you must think of your safety first, there are also so many what if’s to consider if you go for the forced landing, if you attempt to land on the road you could get cleaned up by that semi trailer, hit power lines that are hard to see doing 50kts ouch etc. As they rammed into our heads in the RAAF, people are more important than a/c, however flying a tax payer funded a/c compared to one that you have worked very hard to buy can cloud ones decision making.
Reblogged this on Henry Vinson .