Volume 11, Number 1 • Spring 2003 • Small Business/SBIR

NASA Helps Create a Parachute to Save Lives

In 1994, NASA’s Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) program awarded Ballistic Recovery Systems (BRS), Inc., of South St. Paul, MN, an SBIR Phase I contract to develop a “low-cost, lightweight aircraft emergency recovery system.”

In October 2002, a pilot released his Cirrus SR-22 aircraft’s parachute and landed safely in a Texas Mesquite tree grove. The pilot was uninjured, and there was minimal damage to the plane. The safe landing made aviation history as the first emergency application of an airframe parachute on a certified aircraft.

NASA Langley Research Center, Hampton, VA, recommended funding for the BRS SBIR Phase I proposal to develop new, light-weight and strong materials that would allow a parachute to deploy at the speeds required for high-performance general aviation (GA) single-engine planes. The parachute and mounting gear had to weigh less than 60 pounds, including the straps that are part of the airplane structure.

“BRS addressed a NASA program need with their innovative solution,” said Robert Yang, head of Langley’s Small Business Partnership Team. “The company had an excellent technical proposal and did significant homework in planning for commercial applications.”

Propelled by a solid fuel rocket motor, the parachute is released from a special opening on top of the fuselage. Three Kevlar® webbing straps connect the parachute to the airframe and help guide it through a level descent.

Although BRS has had 155 “saves” with its ultra-light and experimental parachute systems, the October safe landing is the first in a certified GA aircraft. Mark Thomas, president and CEO of BRS, Inc., says this is a historical moment for aviation and for BRS.

“We hope that this ‘save’ will have a far-reaching impact on pilots of all aircraft designs,” added Thomas. “Making them more aware that there are alternatives when things go wrong and you cannot safely land your airplane.”

The BRS Cirrus Airframe Parachute System (CAPS) is included as standard equipment on the
Cirrus four-seat SR20 and SR22 aircraft. NASA maintains an SR22 for GA research applications.

“This technology has been successful on many levels,” added Yang. “It will be part of the suite of innovations available to SATS (NASA’s Small Aircraft Transportation System research program) that has been funded through the SBIR program. BRS has been able to take the concept and spin it back into NASA’s program needs.” Q

For more information, contact Robert L. Yang at NASA Langley Research Center, T: 757/864-8020, r.l.yang@larc.nasa.gov. Please mention you read about it in Innovation.

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