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jindoguy(at)gmail.com
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 Posted: Fri Jul 14, 2006 5:57 am Post subject: BRS installations |
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I just arrived home from another long drive to get an airplane. It is the second one I've bought in about 6 weeks. Yes, I am fortunate to have an understanding girl friend and to be in the position to be able to keep a couple of planes around for when friends drop in. But this isn't about me, it's about the planes.
Except for a cruciform layout, they are as different as can be. The Minimax 1100 is a low wing, wood and fabric job. The Firestar, well you guys know what a Firestar is. So what's the common denominator here?
The BRS.
Both aircraft have a BRS.
And both of them are installed COMPLETELY WRONG!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Each of the owners said roughly the same thing when showing me the BRS installation. I put it in here to get it out of the wind. When that rocket motor goes off, it's gonna punch right outta the side of the plane. Both planes are covered in light dacron and the BRS is mounted behind the pilot, inside fuselage with no sort of relief or hatch that would easily open should the BRS ever be launched. To be fair, the owner of the Minimax showed me the reliefs he had cut half way through the wooden longerons of the turtle deck.
On the Minimax, the BRS is mounted on the aft side of the seat back. On the Firestar, the BRS is mounted under the fuel tank.
According to the manual of the BRS 4, on page 18, General guidelines, 2, "NOTE: While the rocket is able to penetrate some thin materials, if it is close to material obstructions, it may not be able to initially gain forward movement sufficient to penetrate. The rocket WILL NOT (they used italics) penetrate normal dacron wing covering-as used on ultralights-unless an escape hatch (blowaway patch) is installed. Interference with the rocket's flight path should be avoided completely."
As I have said, neither the Minmax, nor the Firestar have a "blowaway patch". Should the BRS have ever been deployed on either of these aircraft the result would have been the same, a failed deployment. In both I would bet you a quarter the pilot would been badly burned at best. In the Firestar, I'd bet a dollar the BRS rocket motor would have ignited the fuel tank and caused the airplane to explode (wouldn't you like to see the NTSB report on that!).
Some of you out there in Photonville are probably like me and bought, rather than built your aircraft. If it came with a BRS, take an hour or three and dig out the BRS manual. Read and understand how the BRS works and how it should be installed, then go out and inspect the installation on your aircraft. If you have any doubts about the BRS installation, find out where you can get a factory authorized inspection and let them evaluate your concerns.
--
Rick Girard
"Ya'll drop on in"
takes on a whole new meaning
when you live at the airport.
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pj.ladd(at)btinternet.com
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| Posted: Sat Jul 15, 2006 2:38 am Post subject: BRS installations |
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Hi Richard,
the subject of BRS crops up quite a lot on the list. Are they mandatory in the US? I think they are compulsory in Germany, well it would be, but here in the UK very few are fitted.
I had one many years ago on a Thruster but never bothered on the Challenger and hve no intention of fitting one to the Xtra. In the UK part of the reason is the weight limit, no extra allowance is made for a BRS but it just does not seem to be considered that important. I have never heard pilots discussing them.
An aircraft breaking up in flight is almost, but not quite, unheard of and just having an engine pack up is not normally a reason to use the BRS.
Cheers
Pat
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Richard Pike
Joined: 09 Jan 2006
Posts: 1671
Location: Blountville, Tennessee
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| Posted: Sat Jul 15, 2006 3:54 am Post subject: BRS installations |
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Not mandatory at all. I have one on mine, but here in the mountains of E
Tennessee and especially the terrain between where I live and TNK
factory, if an engine quits, a parachute might become a viable option.
There are places where there is genuinely no place to land. But aside
from that, I agree, loss of an engine is mostly just a great nuisance.
Richard Pike
MKIII N420P (420ldPoops)
do not archive
pat ladd wrote:
| Quote: | Hi Richard,
the subject of BRS crops up quite a lot on the list. Are they
mandatory in the US? I think they are compulsory in Germany, well it
would be, but here in the UK very few are fitted.
I had one many years ago on a Thruster but never bothered on the
Challenger and hve no intention of fitting one to the Xtra. In the UK
part of the reason is the weight limit, no extra allowance is made for
a BRS but it just does not seem to be considered that important. I
have never heard pilots discussing them.
An aircraft breaking up in flight is almost, but not quite, unheard of
and just having an engine pack up is not normally a reason to use the BRS.
Cheers
Pat
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_________________
Richard Pike
Kolb MKIII N420P (420ldPoops)
Kingsport, TN 3TN0
Forgiving is tough, being forgiven is wonderful, and God's grace really is amazing. |
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Arty Trost
Joined: 25 May 2006
Posts: 205
Location: Sandy, Oregon
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| Posted: Sat Jul 15, 2006 8:20 pm Post subject: BRS installations |
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Re: correct installation of BRS:
In addition to reading the manual, contact BRS, give
them the make/model of your ultralight, and they will
send you a diagram of exactly where to mount it. They
also ask you to send them photos of the mounting, so
that they can help you determine whether or not it's
correctly mounted.
About 15 years ago I was flying back from the EAA
Arlington (WA) airshow, and one of my fellow pilots
radio'd that he'd lost all his controls. We were over
trees and about to cross over the Columbia River. He
pulled his chute (on a J-3 Kitten) and was able to
come down without injury.
Like some of the rest of you, I consider my BRS an
insurance policy for those times when I'm flying over
an area with no landing spots.
Arty Trost
www.LessonsFromTheEdge.com
"Life's a daring adventure or nothing"
Helen Keller
"I refuse to tip toe through life just to arrive safely at death."
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