X-Virus-Scanned: clean according to Sophos on Logan.com Return-Path: Sender: To: lml Date: Tue, 12 Sep 2006 09:55:13 -0400 Message-ID: X-Original-Return-Path: Received: from smtp109.plus.mail.re2.yahoo.com ([206.190.53.34] verified) by logan.com (CommuniGate Pro SMTP 5.1c.3) with SMTP id 1375519 for lml@lancaironline.net; Tue, 12 Sep 2006 00:23:30 -0400 Received-SPF: none receiver=logan.com; client-ip=206.190.53.34; envelope-from=djmolny@yahoo.com Received: (qmail 99886 invoked from network); 12 Sep 2006 04:22:48 -0000 DomainKey-Signature: a=rsa-sha1; q=dns; c=nofws; s=s1024; d=yahoo.com; h=Received:From:To:Subject:Date:Message-ID:MIME-Version:Content-Type:Content-Transfer-Encoding:X-Mailer:Thread-Index:X-MimeOLE:In-Reply-To; b=BniJOK7CXeM9LjwzrDAbgFQj1TZTWW4Mi8dNTPPro5IyT8xJLm1CI1yYeSOPluRWukbYjC/srQA9t5+DIh7VbHDheIYEUry8+GkrPj3Wr5cYniO4QdxFbqFO1GJMwCLaVOPWTXFwERp2qJVv+TI4I1RnjBPmNyjU3wePGF0hCI8= ; Received: from unknown (HELO DJsLaptop) (djmolny@67.173.237.76 with login) by smtp109.plus.mail.re2.yahoo.com with SMTP; 12 Sep 2006 04:22:48 -0000 From: "DJ Molny" X-Original-To: "'Lancair Mailing List'" Subject: RE: [LML] Re: AW: MT-Propeller X-Original-Date: Mon, 11 Sep 2006 22:22:45 -0600 X-Original-Message-ID: <020201c6d623$1972a120$6601a8c0@DJsLaptop> MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit X-Mailer: Microsoft Office Outlook 11 Thread-Index: AcbWH/IOLBc0UXyDR7+11i8shSvClAAAE2/g X-MimeOLE: Produced By Microsoft MimeOLE V6.00.2900.2962 In-Reply-To: As you are all probably aware, parachutes are required by the FAA for bank angles in excess of 60 degrees and/or pitch attitudes in excess of 30 degrees. Spin training is excepted, as are solo flights. The IAC requires parachutes for all competition flights. As a result, those of us who commit aerobatics on a regular basis are used to wearing parachutes pretty much every time we go up. On the rare occasions that I fly in a spam can it feels strange not to have my chute -- sort of like driving my car without the seat belt. Hamid's sarcastic? insensitive? abrasive? comments notwithstanding, 400' AGL is generally considered the final decision point for jumping vs. riding it in. This is based on the time it takes the chute to open, which does not vary much based on airspeed. You do need to be concerned about airspeed, however, as most mil-spec reserve chutes are only rated to 135Kts if memory serves. Any higher than that and you may find yourself attached to a bunch of ribbons instead of a canopy. Some manufacturers build canopies that can open successfully at much higher speed -- Butler chutes come to mind, and the Softie ram air canopy. These may be appropriate for any Lancair drivers who want to make that particular safety investment. As far as escaping from a plane in distress goes, circumstances obviously vary widely. A control failure may render an airplane unable to land but relatively stable in flight. (Recent example: Sean Tucker.) In case of fire or engine-out over hostile terrain, egress would usually be straightforward. Yes, if a wing falls off, you're definitely going to have a difficult time getting out of the plane. So no, a parachute is not silver bullet. But chutes can and do save lives. This is obviously a highly personal decision, and for non-aerobatic types there is no obvious "right answer". To help with the decision process, let me recommend some excellent articles by master rigger Allen Silver. They are on the web at: http://www.silverparachutes.com/wst_page11.html. Regards, DJ Molny, Extra 300L N133DF -----Original Message----- From: Lancair Mailing List [mailto:lml@lancaironline.net] On Behalf Of Hamid A. Wasti Sent: Monday, September 11, 2006 10:00 PM To: Lancair Mailing List Subject: [LML] Re: AW: MT-Propeller Hamid Wasti wrote: > Posted for Kevin Kossi : > A parachute may have come in useful in this case! > How so? So the rescuers could use it to cover the body till the ME arrives?