Sling Pilots Forum

Hey everyone,

I’m seriously considering adding a parachute system to my TSi build, and there are two options available in the configuration spreadsheet from the Airplane Factory: the Magnum Airframe Parachute (around $13,500) and the BRS Airframe Parachute (around $24,000), both weighing in at about 51 lbs.

From what I can tell, the specs are very similar—same repack interval, effective at low altitudes, and similar deployment speeds. BRS is obviously the more well-known option, especially with their Cirrus partnership, but that price difference is hard to ignore.

Has anyone here gone through the same decision process or have any insight into these options? Are you planning to include a parachute in your builds? Would love to hear your thoughts and experiences!

Thanks!
Stathis

Hi!

I went with the BRS option. The main reason being the smaller footprint in the baggage compartment. In addition to that I’ve already worked with a company doing the maintenance for the BRS parachutes in Germany and already know the process/prices/etc. from the Cirrus in our flying club. Besides that I thought the BRS option was a little lighter but I am not fully sure about that.

Regards
Jan

Hi Stathis,

OneAlphaMike did a really great video on this a few months ago at Mike's a sharp guy (and an airline pilot) so I have no qualms with his take on things.

Here is my take:

There are three scenarios in which I'd need a parachute:
1. A control surface falls off (very rare)
2. The engine falls off (equally very rare)
3. I have an engine failure over inhospitable terrain and don't have place to put down.

On number 3 I can manage through good decision aeronautical decision making and planning, the other two are exceedingly rare.

The reason why I didn't put one in are the following:

1. Aft CG that I can never offload
2. Extra weight I can never offload
3. Cost of the initial install and future repacking
4. Space consumption in the luggage area.

I did however install the cables, so if I change my mind in the future I can install one. I've been in a situation where I could have used a parachute, but landed in a field instead.

I totally respect the folks that choose to get one, but I think it's an individual choice for going that route or not.

I would add that there's good evidence that without training pilots are unlikely to use the chute, and there's no real good training for this use case (yes I know you & I are smarter than the average pilot...).

Further knowing that the system has been "unit tested" but not "integration tested" makes me worried that even in a scenario where it would probably make sense to pull the chute the fact that the first person to do so will end up a test pilot may in fact act as a further deterrence to actually pulling the chute.

This led me to think that at best the chute is like Brian said would be a source of extra weight and aft CG and at worst would offer a false sense of security and make it more likely I do risky things (like put myself in scenario 3) than if I didn't have it.

But I don't think this is the case where there is a clearly wrong answer.

The BRS repack interval is longer than the Magnum. 10 years vs. 6, IIRC. I believe the BRS may be more expensive to repack, but can't recall precisely. At the time I needed to make my decision, I had exact pricing and specs for both. When I mapped it out over time, based purely on acquisition and ongoing servicing costs, it took over 30 years to reach the crossover point. Meaning, the Magnum is less costly over that 30-year span. Somewhere between the 30-36 year mark, BRS became less total cost. I went with the Magnum.