Are Planes With Parachutes Really Safer?

Summary

The video discusses the development and impact of the Cirrus Aircraft Parachute System (CAPS), highlighting its invention by Alan and Dale Klapmeier and Boris Popov. The CAPS is designed to enhance aircraft safety by deploying a parachute in emergencies. Despite initial skepticism, the system has proven effective in reducing fatal accidents among Cirrus aircraft. The video emphasizes the importance of training pilots to use CAPS and shows how it has saved lives by lowering the fatal accident rate over the years.

Takeaways

• ✈️ The idea of using a parachute system for airplanes was initiated by Alan and Dale Klapmeier and developed by Boris Popov's company, Ballistic Recovery Systems.
• 🪂 The Cirrus Aircraft Parachute System (CAPS) has been in use for over 20 years and aims to enhance safety by allowing planes to descend safely in emergencies.
• 💡 CAPS involves a rocket-extracted parachute system that deploys from the baggage compartment, requiring a 45-pound pull to activate.
• 📉 Initially, the fatal accident rate for Cirrus airplanes was slightly higher than the general aviation average, but it has since improved to be average or even below average.
• 🚀 CAPS training emphasizes using the parachute as the first option in emergencies, not the last resort, helping pilots overcome hesitation to deploy the system.
• 📊 Data from the Cirrus Owners and Pilots Association (COPA) shows 98 CAPS deployments with 84 considered successful in saving lives.
• ⚠️ CAPS has a 100% survival rate for occupants when deployed within a realistic operating envelope, though there have been cases where it didn't fully deploy or malfunctioned.
• 📝 The Cirrus training program encourages pilots to remind themselves of the parachute's availability during flights to ensure they are prepared to use it if necessary.
• 📉 The graph data shows a decrease in fatal accidents correlating with increased CAPS deployments and improved pilot training.
• 🛠️ Cirrus offers free training for buyers of used airplanes under the Embark program to ensure all pilots are well-trained in using CAPS.

Q & A

What is the name of the parachute system developed by Alan and Dale Klapmeier?

The parachute system is called the Cirrus Aircraft Parachute System, or CAPS.

How long has the CAPS system been in use?

The CAPS system has been in use for 20 years.

What is the general perception of pilots regarding the use of a parachute system in an airplane?

Some pilots may view the use of a parachute system as a sign of inexperience or lack of confidence, as it might imply they cannot handle an emergency situation without it.

What are the components of the CAPS system and where are they located?

The parachute and rocket extractor are mounted behind the baggage compartment. The system weighs about 80 pounds and has a 55-foot round canopy.

What is the activation process for the CAPS system?

The activation lever is on the cabin ceiling and requires a 45-pound pull that ignites the rocket, which then pulls the canopy out of the airplane inside its deployment bag.

What is the purpose of the 'slider' in the CAPS system?

The slider slows the canopy inflation to reduce deployment loads, preventing the lightweight nylon parachute from being shredded during opening due to high air loads.

How does the CAPS system help in reducing injuries during a crash landing?

The system uses pyrotechnic fuses on snub lines to allow the airplane to assume a more upright attitude, spreading the impact load to the landing gear and energy-absorbing seats.

What was the initial safety record of Cirrus aircraft before the widespread adoption of CAPS training?

Initially, Cirrus had a fatal accident rate slightly higher than the general aviation average. It was only after pilots were trained to use CAPS that the rate decreased.

How has CAPS training influenced the decision-making of pilots during emergencies?

CAPS training has instilled in pilots the idea of considering the parachute as the first option in an emergency, rather than a last resort, reducing the stigma associated with its use.

What is the maximum demonstrated deployment speed for the CAPS system?

Cirrus gives the maximum demonstrated deployment speed as 133 to 140 knots, depending on the model.

What is the current fatal accident rate of Cirrus aircraft compared to the general aviation average?

The current fatal accident rate of Cirrus aircraft is average or slightly below the general aviation average.

How many lives has the CAPS system saved according to the Cirrus Owners and Pilots Association (COPA)?

COPA tracks CAPS deployments and lists 98 events, claiming 84 of these as saves, meaning lives were saved by using the parachute.

What is the survival rate of aircraft occupants when CAPS has been used within a realistic operating envelope?

The survival rate of aircraft occupants when CAPS has been used within a realistic operating envelope is 100%; nobody has died for having decided to use the CAPS parachute.

What is the significance of the '500-foot call-out' in CAPS training?

The 500-foot call-out is a training routine where the pilot verbalizes 'CAPS available' to remind themselves that the parachute is there for emergencies, making its use part of the flight routine.

Outlines

00:00

✈️ Introduction to the Cirrus Parachute System

The video script opens with a humorous anecdote about two men proposing a parachute system for airplanes, which evolved into the Cirrus Aircraft Parachute System (CAPS). This system has been around for 20 years and, while initially met with skepticism, it has proven to be a significant safety feature. The script highlights early doubts and misconceptions about the system, such as accidental deployments and crashes. However, it also notes that these fears were largely unfounded. The development of the system included rigorous testing, and the parachute system has been credited with saving lives, despite some initial resistance from the pilot community.

05:01

🛩️ Cirrus Accident Rates and Pilot Training

The second paragraph discusses the initial safety record of Cirrus aircraft, which had a higher than average fatal accident rate. By 2012, the rate began to improve, and by 2018, it was comparable to or better than the general aviation average. This improvement is attributed to increased pilot training, particularly in the use of CAPS. The Cirrus Owners and Pilots Association (COPA) played a key role in advocating for this training. The military faced similar challenges with ejection seats in the 1950s, where pilots had to be trained to use them effectively. CAPS training encourages pilots to consider the parachute as a viable option during emergencies, not just as a last resort.

10:03

🪂 CAPS Deployment and Effectiveness

The third paragraph delves into the mechanics and effectiveness of the CAPS. The parachute system can be deployed at any altitude and speed, although its effectiveness varies. Despite some incidents where the parachute failed to deploy correctly, overall, CAPS has been highly successful in saving lives. The Cirrus Owners Group tracks CAPS deployments, noting 98 events with 84 classified as saves. While the term 'saves' can be debated, it is clear that CAPS has significantly contributed to the survival of pilots and passengers in many emergencies. The paragraph also highlights the importance of proper training and the effectiveness of CAPS in various scenarios.

📉 Impact of CAPS on Accident Rates

The final paragraph examines the impact of CAPS on Cirrus accident rates over time. Despite an upward trend in the total number of Cirrus accidents, the fatal accident rate has remained low, thanks in part to the effective use of CAPS. The data suggests that increased training and the use of CAPS have played a crucial role in improving safety. Cirrus also offers free training for buyers of used aircraft through a program called 'Embark.' The video concludes with an emphasis on the importance of CAPS training in ensuring pilot safety and reducing fatal accidents.

Keywords

💡Cirrus Aircraft

Cirrus Aircraft refers to a brand of aircraft known for incorporating advanced safety features into their designs. In the context of the video, it is highlighted for the innovative parachute system that has been a part of their aircraft for 20 years, emphasizing the company's commitment to safety and innovation in aviation.

💡Parachute System

A parachute system in this video refers to the safety feature integrated into Cirrus aircraft, designed to allow the plane to descend safely in case of an emergency. The script describes the system as a combination of a parachute and a rocket that can be activated by the pilot, illustrating its role in potentially life-saving situations.

💡Boris Popov

Boris Popov is the individual who developed the parachute system used in Cirrus aircraft. His company, Ballistic Recovery Systems, is responsible for the technology that has been a significant factor in the safety record of these aircraft, as mentioned in the script.

💡CAPS (Cirrus Aircraft Parachute System)

CAPS stands for Cirrus Aircraft Parachute System, a specific type of parachute system that has been a standard feature in Cirrus aircraft for two decades. The script discusses the novelty and effectiveness of CAPS, noting its role in saving lives and changing pilot behavior towards safety.

💡Pilot Ego

Pilot ego is a concept discussed in the script that refers to the reluctance of pilots to admit defeat or the need for assistance, such as using a parachute system. It is presented as a barrier to the adoption of safety measures like CAPS, as some pilots initially viewed it as a sign of weakness.

💡Activation Lever

The activation lever is a critical component of the CAPS system, located in the cabin ceiling of the aircraft. The script describes it as requiring a 45-pound pull to ignite the rocket and deploy the parachute, indicating its importance in the emergency procedure.

💡Deployment Bag

A deployment bag is where the parachute is stored when not in use. The script explains that the parachute is packed into this small volume, which is then ejected from the airplane by the rocket when the activation lever is pulled, showcasing the compact yet crucial design of the system.

💡Pyrotechnic Fuses

Pyrotechnic fuses are used in the CAPS system to allow the snub lines to burn through, which helps the airplane to assume a more upright attitude during the parachute deployment. The script uses this term to illustrate the technical aspects of the system that contribute to a safer landing.

💡Touchdown

Touchdown in the script refers to the moment when the aircraft, now under the parachute, lands. It discusses the various conditions that can affect the touchdown, such as wind and the state of the landing surface, and how the CAPS system helps to manage these factors for a safer landing.

💡Survivability

Survivability in this context is the likelihood of surviving an emergency landing using the CAPS system. The script emphasizes that the parachute is designed to increase survivability, even in situations where the parachute does not fully deploy or function as intended.

💡Training

Training is highlighted in the script as a key factor in the successful use of the CAPS system. It discusses how Cirrus has implemented training programs to encourage pilots to consider the parachute as a first option in emergencies, rather than a last resort, which has contributed to the system's effectiveness in saving lives.

💡Accident Rate

The accident rate is a statistical measure discussed in the script that compares the frequency of accidents involving Cirrus aircraft to the general aviation average. The script notes a decrease in the fatal accident rate of Cirrus aircraft over time, suggesting that the CAPS system and associated training have had a positive impact on safety.

Highlights

The concept of a parachute system for airplanes, called CAPS (Cirrus Aircraft Parachute System), has been in use for 20 years.

CAPS was developed by Boris Popov and his company, Ballistic Recovery Systems.

Initially, there was skepticism among pilots about the necessity and effectiveness of using a parachute system in airplanes.

Cirrus aircraft experienced a higher fatal accident rate before the widespread adoption of CAPS.

The CAPS system weighs about 80 pounds and uses a 55-foot round canopy for deployment.

Activation of CAPS requires a 45-pound pull to ignite the rocket and deploy the parachute.

The system is designed to reduce deployment loads with a device called a 'slider' to prevent the parachute from shredding.

CAPS has been credited with saving lives, with 98 events recorded, of which 84 are considered 'saves'.

Pilots were trained to consider using CAPS as a first option in emergency situations, rather than a last resort.

CAPS deployment at any altitude can offer some drag and reduce g-forces during a crash, even if it doesn't fully deploy.

There have been cases where CAPS deployment resulted in minor or serious injuries, but the survival rate remains 100%.

Data suggests that CAPS has contributed to lowering the fatal accident rate of Cirrus aircraft.

Cirrus provides free training for used aircraft buyers to ensure they know how to use CAPS, under a program called 'InSight'.

The introduction of CAPS has changed the perception of safety in general aviation, encouraging pilots to prioritize safety over ego.

Despite some accidents occurring due to incorrect CAPS deployment, no fatalities have been attributed to the use of the parachute system.

The overall trend in serious accidents is increasing, but the fatal accident rate remains low, indicating the effectiveness of safety measures like CAPS.

Cirrus's approach to safety, including the推广 of CAPS, has been a significant factor in the reduction of fatal accidents in general aviation.

Transcripts

[Music]

you can hit pause if you've heard this

one two guys walk into a bar there are

plain guys one says to the other hey how

about this we put a rocket in the

baggage compartment of an airplane and

then we tie a parachute to it and if the

pilots about to crash or he gets scared

he can push a button and lower the whole

thing to the ground who would do this

who would believe it well these two guys

did that's Alan and Dale clap Meyer this

guy sold into parachute his name is

Boris Popov his company is called

ballistic recovery systems and while you

weren't looking or maybe thinking about

it this parachute system called the

Cirrus aircraft parachute system or caps

has been out there flying for 20 years

yep that long but it's still enough of a

novelty that if there's a camera around

and when is there not a camera around

the footage will make the evening news

not quite up to Russian dashcam

standards maybe but I caching

nonetheless now I wouldn't say all

pilots are egotistical jerks exactly but

we can be kind of funny you know like

somehow you're not a real pilot if you

got to fly around with a parachute to

pull your fat out of the fire so when

the Cirrus parachute system first

appeared the whisper campaign started

right away like the first pole would be

on the ground or some kid would pull it

by accident or the airplane would landed

powerlines and blow up or worse plan

in the middle of a Black Friday

doorbusters none of that happened oh

we're one airplane got struck by

lightning on the ground and puked the

parachute out the back and a couple have

landed in paralyze but none blew up

sometime around 1998 I stood in this

place

it's the Cirrus Factory in Duluth

Minnesota and they were doing tests on

the airframe by dropping it from the

ceiling they'll clap Meyer told me two

things I clearly remember one the

parachute would be a wild ride and the

people in the airplane would live but

wouldn't escape injury and two the

airplane would be trashed never to fly

again those things turned out to be true

sometimes and sometimes not so what has

happened was the cirrus parachute system

just a clever sales gimmick or has it

actually saved lives and made the

airplane safer as it was intended to do

I'll get to the numbers in a minute but

first let's talk about how this system

works the parachute and rocket extractor

are mounted behind the baggage

compartment the system weighs about 80

pounds and the latest versions have a 55

foot round canopy this parachutes go

that's pretty big the activation lever

is on the cabin ceiling and requires a

45 pound pull that lights the rocket and

that pulls the canopy out of the

airplane inside its deployment bag you

can see that clearly in this footage

shot by the Coast Guard of a Cirrus that

had a fuel issue over the Pacific Ocean

in 2015 in two seconds the shroud lines

are fully stretched then the canopy

comes out of the deployment bag and

begins to inflate the skinny donut thing

is called a slider and it slows the

canopy inflation to reduce deployment

loads that's important because the

parachute has to be made of light enough

nylon to pack into a small volume and

the slider slows things down so the air

loads don't shred the parachute during

opening initially the airplane is nosed

down but there are pyrotechnic fuses on

what are called snub lines and they're

designed to burn through and allow the

airplane to assume a more

upright attitude that spreads the impact

load to the landing gear and the energy

absorbing seats as Dale clap Meyer said

depending on the landing surface the

touchdown is no picnic but it's not a

trainwreck either the vertical descent

speed under canopy is about 1,700 feet

per minute or about 19 miles per hour

it's less than that if the parachute has

horizontal component from drifting in

the wind depending on the wind and sea

state a touchdown on water can be on the

sporting side this is probably the best

video of an actual touchdown on grass

with what appears to be no horizontal

wind component the pilot got a small cut

on his head but essentially both people

were uninjured caps did exactly what it

was supposed to do but overall has the

cap system really delivered

I bet back into our early reporting on

the Sira starting in 1994 when the

company touted the parachute the 26 g

energy absorbing seats and structure

cabin flail space and state-of-the-art

avionics as safety items without

actually saying it serious invited

buyers to think they were getting the

safest light airplane ever initially it

didn't work out that way Sears had a

rash of early fatal accidents and when I

analyzed the accident data in 2012 the

Cirrus Line had a fatal accident rate

slightly higher than the general

aviation average six years later the

Cirrus airplanes now have a fatal

accident rate that's average or maybe

even a little below the general aviation

average so what happened well 2011

happened for one thing that year 31

Cirrus airplanes had accidents 16 of

them were fatal to on just one day in

November a little before that the Cirrus

owners and Pilots Association coppa and

specifically this guy the Association

safety expert Rick beech figured out

something

most of these fatal accidents could have

been prevented if the pilots had just

used the parachute this accident near

the Bahama Islands in 2012 got a lot of

press positive press and it kind of iced

the cake on the push to train pilots in

the use of caps the military had the

same problem when ejection seats first

appeared in the 1950s pilots just

weren't used to analyzing how to use

that get me out of this thing button so

they dug a bunch of smoking holes while

sitting in perfectly good ejection seats

so let's bore into captain egos noggin

here to understand the nature of the

problem when the poop hits the fan our

man doesn't want to immediately admit

defeat because he is after all the

immortal clone of Chuck Yeager so he

tries to work the problem and fix it

except maybe he gets a little TAS

saturated which is fancy psychobabble

for his brain turning to quivering mush

not only has he forgotten about the caps

handle a foot from his ear he may be

only vaguely aware he's in an airplane

at all Cirrus has dedicated caps

training kind of installs another gear

in the pilots head that makes thinking

about caps use part of the flight

routine for example when climbing out

after takeoff at 500 feet

the pilot verbalizes caps available to

remind himself that the parachute is

there for other emergencies say engine

failures turbulence upsets or loss of

control Cirrus now trains pilots to

consider the parachute as the first

option not the last resort training also

emphasizes that if you have any doubt

about the survivability of the situation

use the parachute forget the stigma it's

better to go home at night with a good

story than to ride your ego into a

crater the 500 foot call-out might

suggest that the parachute can't be

affected below that altitude but Boris

Popov he's the guy who makes the

parachute says the better way to think

about it is that the parachute can be

used at any altitude

any speed or at least speeds that aren't

too fast Cirrus gives the maximum

demonstrated deployment speed as 133 to

140 knots depending on the model but the

parachute has been successfully deployed

at speeds much higher than that

Popov says that even at very low

altitudes deploying the parachute will

offer some drag and reduce the g-forces

in a crash even if it doesn't fully

deploy the Cirrus owners group tracks

caps poles carefully and currently lists

98 events of these it claims 84 are

saves meaning lives were saved by using

the parachute I might quibble with that

term saved because it implies that

whatever emergency the pilot confronted

could only have been resolved by the

parachute that's not always true in the

case of an engine failure or even a loss

of control

in fact in two cases pilots pulled the

parachute but it failed to deploy

properly and the pilots were forced to

land trailing the malfunction parachuted

both did that safely in a third incident

the rocket didn't fire at all after the

pilot lost control in clouds but the

pilot regained control

and landed in a field it turned out to

have been a Fault in the handle cable

mechanism quite a few caps poles have

been at low altitudes as low as 300 feet

and the pilot and passengers have

survived often uninjured this much is

true

when caps has been used within a

realistic operating envelope survival of

the aircraft occupants has been 100

percent in other words nobody has died

for having decided to use the caps

parachute even when it didn't work

correctly but that's not to say there

having been fatal accidents Copas data

shows eight fatal crashes in which

parachute use was attempted or may have

been attempted one was a California

crash in which the airplane was flying

well over 200 knots far above the

maximum deployment speed eight others

appear to have occurred because

deployment was attempted at altitudes so

whoa the parachute just didn't have time

to deploy fully injuries have occurred

in caps landings but at a rate lower

than Sears may have initially expected

in those 84 saves

I counted 19 accidents with minor

injuries and 10 with serious injuries

those are small total numbers to

calculate meaningful rates but I call

the probability of a minor injury about

one in four and a major injury about one

and eight it should come as no surprise

that parachutes aren't perfect and

neither is capped in this accident for

reasons that weren't clear the airplane

struck nose first injuring all three

people aboard the NTSB called it a

faulty deployment these pictures were in

the accident docket because the aircraft

was in a planned practice formation

flight

a quick-thinking person in the wing

airplane took the photos injuries aside

has caps actually lowered the Cirrus

fatal accident rate the available data

suggests that it has although there are

probably other factors it took a while

to get there take a look at this graph

the red line traces fatal accidents

since 2001 the Green Line shows caps

deployments behinds cross after 2013

that's not just luck as pilots were more

aggressively trained to use caps they

used it and inevitably fewer of them

died in crashes pretty simple math

consider 2018 as just a single year of

accidents with more than 7,000 airplanes

out there the cirrus fleet flies about a

million hours a year 2018 was a bad year

for steers accidents 29 total but only

six were fatal coppa counted 10 caps

pulls in 2018 with the number of fatal

spend twice as high without all those

caps deployments hard to say for sure

but probably here's what the 2018

accident rate looks like with caps and

here's what it might have been without

it one last number here that yellow line

is a total number of serious accidents

it has been trending upward recently

although fatal accidents remain low the

rising trend is somewhat of a mystery

but the theory is that as more serious

airplanes get older they're cheaper to

buy and that expands ownership to more

pilots who being cheap might not take

the training on the other hand those

accidents look less worrisome if you

consider that as a cirrus fleet grows

the accidents aren't increasing much

that's the same as a declining rate to

its credit Cirrus offers these buyers of

used airplanes free training under a

program called in bark it's free how

could it not be a good deal and if you

wanted to figure out how to use that

parachute if you lose it in a series of

dark and stormy night it could save you

from being just another dot on one of my

annoying graphs for a bleb

I'm Paul bird or Ellie thanks for

watching oh and by the way this isn't

one of those weather channel clickers

it's the key fob for my truck