From Oshkosh (EAA AirVenture 2019):
For years, especially during night flights, I have been wondering “Why can’t a Robinson R44 have a ballistic parachute like in the Cirrus, stuck on top like the pod for the Apache.”
Now it has been done! Zefhir from an Italian aerospace parts manufacturer, Curti. And it is turbine-powered! (via an APU engine, as per usual for jet-powered aircraft of this weight)
Experimental for now. Certified one day?
(An Apache crew visited Oshkosh…
)
What’s the descent rate with the chute compared to an auto?
Cirrus claims that it is about 1700 fpm and also that this is like being dropped from 13′ (most of the shock being absorbed by the gear, but back injuries are common). The forward velocity is minimal, so a Cirrus hitting the ground under a canopy should be less forceful than smacking into a tree after a botched autorotation. The parachute works even after it is too late to do an auto!