BRS BRS-6 600 User manual

Notes:
1. Part number 020000-01 consists of the textual and graphical contents
presented on the following 57 sheets of this part drawing printed in booklet
format on 8-1/2 x 5-1/2" sheets of paper with printing on both sides unless
specified otherwise on Purchase Order.
2. Sheets
2 and 58 are considered the front and back cover of the booklet and
are to be printed on cardstock.
3. The tiltleblock for this document is omitted on the following sheets so that
they may be printed directly without the need for cropping.
4. This sheet must be omitted when booklet is printed.
Ballistic RecoverySystems,Inc. Defaults: f3@
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-BRS
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Fax:[phone] ASME Y14.5-1994
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South St.Paul,MN, USA 3 PIC: &N/A
www.BRSparachutes.com Angles: + N/AO
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BRS-6 Owner's Manual, Models 600-1800
Tltleblork/Form No 500 Issued 3/21/2002
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The tnforrnatlon contained ~n thls drawing tr the role property of BRS Inr
Any reproductan m part or whole without the vrltten permlrrlon of BRS Inr IS prohtblted
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BRS NO. 020000-01, Sht 1 of 58
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1

BALLISTIC RECOVERY SYSTEMS, INC.
OWNER’S MANUAL
FOR
BRS-6™ EMERGENCY PARACHUTE RECOVERY SYSTEMS
(Models: 600, 800, 1050, 1350, 1350HS, 1600, & 1800)
BRS Part # 020000-01
©2005 Ballistic Recovery Systems, Inc.

This manual complies with applicable sections of ASTM F 2316,
“Standard Specification for Airframe Emergency Parachutes
for Light Sport Aircraft”
This manual supercedes and replaces all previous
BRS Owner’s Manuals
Use of the BRS (ballistic recovery system) unit is for emergency
situations only. Such use may subject you to mishap, injury, and
even death. Since BRS cannot govern use of the unit, BRS hereby
disclaims all liability.
Modification of any component part of the BRS unit, or failure to
strictly follow the procedures and directions set forth in this
manual or supplemental material provided by BRS, can result in
deployment failure and personal injury or death to the pilot and
any passengers aboard the aircraft.
Proprietary Notice
The information contained in or disclosed by this document is
considered proprietary to Ballistic Recovery Systems, Inc. This
document and the items and information contained or disclosed
within shall not be used, copied, or reproduced in whole or in part,
nor shall the contents be revealed in any manner to any person
unless written permission is obtained from Ballistic Recovery
Systems, Inc.
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
Introduction
TERMS AND CONDITIONS .....................................................................................7
OBLIGATIONS OF THE OWNER...............................................................................9
1. Before delivery......................................................................................9
2. After delivery........................................................................................9
3. After installation ................................................................................. 12
LIMITATIONS OF BRS SYSTEMS............................................................................ 13
BRS SYSTEM BASICS ......................................................................................... 14
1. The Parachute ..................................................................................... 14
2. The Slider........................................................................................... 16
3. The Rocket Assembly............................................................................ 17
4. The Activation Assembly ........................................................................ 20
5. The Bridles and Harnesses...................................................................... 22
INSTALLATION................................................................................................ 23
Operation
BRS™-6 SYSTEM OPERATIONAL LIMITS................................................................... 25
NORMAL PROCEDURES...................................................................................... 26
BRS Pre-Flight Checklist................................................................................ 26
EMERGENCY PROCEDURES ................................................................................. 27
1. Deployment Scenarios............................................................................ 27
2. Proper Activation Procedures.................................................................. 29
KILL THE ENGINE ..................................................................................... 29
PULL THE ACTIVATING HANDLE ................................................................... 29
3. Post-Activation Environment................................................................... 30
4. Touchdown Environment ........................................................................ 31
SECURE RESTRAINT SYSTEM ....................................................................... 32
ASSUME EMERGENCY LANDING POSITION........................................................ 32
5. Other Safety Item Suggestions ................................................................. 33
Maintenance
1. Mandatory Canopy Inspections and Repacks ............................................... 36
2. Unscheduled Canopy Inspections and Repacks ............................................. 36
3. Rocket Replacement.............................................................................. 37
4. Parachute Service Life........................................................................... 37
5. Owner Maintenance............................................................................... 37
A. Container Damage ............................................................................. 37
B. Container Contamination..................................................................... 38
C. Environmental and Storage Conditions.................................................... 39
D. Corrosion ........................................................................................ 39
E. Vibration-Related Problems.................................................................. 39
F. Ultraviolet Degradation....................................................................... 40
G. Protection from Tampering.................................................................. 40
6. Preparing Your System for Repack/Return.................................................. 41
Disassembly and removal of rocket ........................................................ 41
7. Switching your BRS system to another aircraft............................................ 45
Information for Emergency Personnel
BRS™-6 System Parameters
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INTRODUCTION
Congratulations on the purchase of your new BRS-6 Emergency Parachute System. You have
chosen what we believe to be the highest quality, most innovative product of its kind. With
worldwide sales exceeding 20,000 units and over 180 saved lives to its credit, BRS has the most
successful and popular systems available.
BRS Emergency Parachute Systems utilize a manually activated, solid propellant rocket motor
to extract a round, non-steerable parachute and recover the aircraft in life-threatening
emergency situations. With adequate altitude, it is designed to then lower it to the ground at
a survivable rate of descent. Current products are the result of more than 25 years of BRS
experience in designing, testing, manufacturing, and servicing ballistically deployed parachutes
for aircraft. Functional and structural reliability have been essential to their successful
development.
BRS has sold units for over 300 different types of ultralight aircraft, experimental aircraft, and
military unmanned aerospace vehicles (UAVs). In addition, there are FAA-certified systems
currently installed on every Cirrus Design SR-20 and SR-22 aircraft, and select Cessna models
(C150, C172, and C182) as an aftermarket STC product. The use of proven parachute and
rocket motor technology has been a key factor in this endeavor. The materials, components,
design methods, and production methods used in the BRS solid propellant rocket motors,
parachutes, and related components have been adapted from military applications that have
evolved through hundreds of projects over the past several decades. BRS maintains that our
units have been tested under more conditions, in a greater selection of aircraft, and through a
broader variety of potential use modes than any other emergency backup parachute system
intended to recover aircraft and occupants together.
While the BRS Emergency Parachute System will not make your flying absolutely safe, it will
provide you with additional safety, if used according to this manual and with common sense.
BRS Incorporated is a publicly held company based in South St. Paul, Minnesota. A full-time
staff is available to assist you with any needs you may have relative to your new purchase of a
BRS unit. If you have questions of any type, feel free to contact the company using the
following information:
BRS, Incorporated
300 Airport Road
South St. Paul, MN 55075-3541 • USA
Telephone: [phone]
[phone] (Emergency Only)
FAX: [phone]
Email: [email protected]
Website: www.BRSparachutes.com
Hours: M-F, 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM, CST
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This document was written with owners and potential owners in mind, giving a general
overview of the BRS product line, safety information, operation, and maintenance. We have
also added a section at the end expressly for emergency personnel. This section will be
beneficial to emergency workers who may not have heard of our products, yet desire to know
more about them in the event of an accident. Please keep in mind that this document is not
tailored to any particular aircraft and was kept generic enough to cover most applications.
In many cases, BRS will provide additional installation instructions and guides for your
particular aircraft to supplement this document. However, for custom orders, it is very likely
that you will not receive any supplemental instructions, since it is cost-prohibitive to develop
a complete set of instructions for an order of one.
IMPORTANT NOTICE: Owners MUST completely read this manual. As an
owner of a BRS system, it is absolutely mandatory that you completely read
this manual before installing or using your new unit. Failure to properly
install, maintain, and/or use the BRS system could result in personal injury
or even death to you or your passengers, and damage to your aircraft.
If you have any questions or are unsure of any portion of this manual, please call or write
before proceeding in error. BRS wishes for you to fully understand the proper use of the BRS
system for your safety and that of your passengers.
c
Failure to read and understand this manual
ould cost you your life!
BRS uses the standard ANSI attention symbols and words throughout this manual. Users or
readers are highly advised to observe text accompanied by all such symbols and words and
treat them as important safety instructions.
— This symbol appears where the information describes an imminently
hazardous situation which, if not avoided, WILL result in death or serious injury. This symbol is
used only for the most extreme situations.
— This symbol appears where the information describes a potentially
hazardous situation which, if not avoided, COULD result in death or serious injury.
— This appears where the information describes a potentially hazardous
situation which, if not avoided, may result in minor or moderate injury, or where an alert
against unsafe practices is useful.
In addition, other important information will be highlighted with:
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TERMS AND CONDITIONS
These terms and conditions shall apply to all offers, sales, agreements, contracts or other arrangements
between Buyer and Ballistic Recovery Systems, Inc. (“BRS”) regarding the sale by BRS of parachute
systems and other goods to Buyer (“BRS Unit”). These terms and conditions shall be read in conjunction
with any additional terms and conditions in any purchase order or other agreements between Buyer and
BRS to the extent possible, but shall control over such agreements to the extent they conflict.
Buyer is required to provide to BRS a 25% deposit of the purchase price prior to entry of an order. Buyer
must pay the balance of an invoice for each order prior to shipment.
If full payment of an order is not made in full within 30 days of BRS’ notification to Buyer of completion
of an order, a 1.5% charge per month will be assessed to Buyer. If full payment is not received after three
months of BRS’ notification, the order will be restocked. BRS shall retain Buyer’s 25% deposit as a
restocking fee.
The purchase price set forth above does not include any taxes or fees, including but not limited to sales use
tax, excise tax or customs fees, if applicable. All such taxes and fees are in addition to the purchase price
are the sole and exclusive responsibility of, and shall be paid by, Buyer. The purchase price set forth above
shall be subject to increase without notice by the amount of any sales, use or excise tax levied or charged
either by the federal, state, and county, city or other government agency.
Title to any BRS Unit(s) purchased under these terms and conditions shall remain with BRS until receipt of
full payment by Buyer. Risk of loss of the BRS Unit(s) shall pass to Buyer at the time of delivery of such
Unit(s) to a common carrier or Buyer’s delivery agent at the FOB (or ex-works) shipping point, which shall
be BRS’ facility. Buyer shall be solely responsible for any fire, theft, accident or other insurance Buyer
desires for delivery of any BRS Unit(s).
BRS shall not assume any risk or liability for delay or non-fulfillment under this Agreement due to fire,
explosion, flood, storm, acts of God, war, strikes, breakdown, fires, governmental orders, inability to obtain
necessary materials or components or other causes beyond BRS’ control. Manufacture, shipment and
delivery are subject to any prohibition, restriction, priority, allocation, regulation or condition imposed by
or on behalf of the United States of America, which may prevent or interfere with fulfillment of this order.
Except as otherwise set forth herein, all sales are final. Claims for errors, deficiencies or imperfections
shall not be considered unless made within thirty (30) days after receipt of BRS Unit by Buyer. BRS shall,
at BRS’ sole and exclusive discretion, either replace such non-conforming BRS Unit or credit Buyer for the
price of such non-conforming BRS Unit within a reasonable time of BRS’ receipt of such non-conforming
BRS Unit.
All claims for defective BRS Units must be presented to BRS, in writing, within one (1) year after date of
delivery of such BRS Units. Failure of Buyer to give such notice shall constitute a waiver by Buyer of all
claims with respect to such defective BRS Units. BRS shall be given an opportunity to verify the existence
of any alleged defect. Returns must be authorized by receiving an RMA (return material authorization)
prior to shipment back to BRS.
In the event a defective or non-conforming BRS Unit shall be replaced by BRS or in the event BRS shall
refund the sales price received from Buyer for such defective BRS Units, Buyer shall return the non-
conforming BRS Units to BRS in strict accordance with BRS’ written instructions concerning shipping,
handling, insurance and other matters as to which BRS may issue instructions.
BRS shall not be liable for any claims for labor or consequential damages and BRS Unit(s) may not be
returned except by permission of BRS. BRS accepts no responsibility for breakage, damage or losses
occurring after delivery by BRS to a common carrier or Buyer’s delivery agent, to whom all such claims
must be referred directly.
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BRS warrants to Buyer that BRS Unit(s) subject to this Agreement shall be free from defects in
workmanship or material. BRS’ liability for breach of warranty for defective BRS Units delivered to Buyer
under this Agreement shall be limited, at BRS’ option, to: replacing or repairing such defective BRS Units;
or refunding the sales price received by BRS for such defective BRS Units.
THE EXPRESS WARRANTIES CONTAINED HEREIN ARE IN LIEU OF ANY AND ALL OTHER
WARRANTIES, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING WITHOUT LIMITATION THE WARRANTY
OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.
BUYER’S SOLE REMEDY IN THE EVENT OF BREACH BY BRS OF ANY OF THE WARRANTIES
CONTAINED HEREIN SHALL BE THER REPAIR OR REPLACEMENT, AT BRS’ OPTION, OF THE
NON-CONFORMING BRS UNIT(S). BRS SHALL NOT BE LIABLE FOR DAMAGES, INCLUDING
WITHOUT LIMITATION SPECIAL, INCIDENTAL, CONSEQUENTIAL OR PUNITIVE DAMAGES,
ARISING OUT OF OR IN CONNECTION WITH THE PERFORMANCE OF THE BRS UNIT OR ITS
USE BY BUYER. BRS’ MAXIMUM AGGREGATE LIABILITY FOR LOSS OR DAMAGE ARISING
UNDER, RESULTING FROM OR IN CONNECTION WITH THE SUPPLY OR USE OF THE BRS
UNIT, OR FROM THE PERFORMANCE OR BREACH OF ANY OBLIGATIONS IMPOSED
HEREUNDER OR OTHERWISE, WHETHER SUCH LIABILITY ARISES FROM ANY ONE OR
MORE CLAIMS OR ACTIONS FOR BREACH OF CONTRACT, TORT (INCLUDING
NEGLIGENCE), DELAYED COMPLETION, WARRANTY, INDEMNITY, STRICT LIABILITY OR
OTHERWISE, SHALL BE LIMITED TO THE AMOUNT ACTUALLY RECEIVED BY BRS FROM
BUYER FOR THE PURCHASE OF SUCH UNIT(S).
BRS and Buyer consent to jurisdiction over any actions or legal proceedings arising out of or relating to the
sale and purchase of any BRS Unit(s) under these terms and conditions of the courts of the State of
Minnesota and/or the Federal District Courts, Fourth Division, State of Minnesota. The parties expressly
agree that Minnesota shall be the exclusive forum for any such actions or legal proceedings.
In the event BRS is required to institute any action or legal proceeding to enforce any of the terms and
conditions herein, BRS shall be entitled to recover all of its court costs and reasonable attorneys’ fees and
other related costs, expenses and disbursements arising out of such legal proceedings in which BRS
prevails.
If any term or condition herein shall be found by a court of reasonable jurisdiction to be invalid, void or
unenforceable, in whole or in part, such decision shall not affect the validity of any remaining term or
condition. The remaining terms and conditions shall stand in full force and effect, and shall in no way be
affected, impaired or invalidated.
Use of the BRS (ballistic recovery system) unit is for emergency situations
only. Such use may subject you to mishap, injury, and even death. Since
BRS cannot govern use of the unit, BRS hereby disclaims all liability.
Modification of any component part of the BRS unit, or failure to strictly
follow the procedures and directions set forth in this manual or
supplemental material provided by BRS, can result in deployment failure
and personal injury or death to the pilot and any passengers aboard the
aircraft.
This manual includes general guidelines for the mounting, use, and care of the BRS unit.
Specific mounting challenges may occur on your aircraft. If any problems arise in the mounting
of your BRS unit to your particular aircraft, contact BRS immediately for assistance.
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OBLIGATIONS OF THE OWNER
1. Before delivery
Some aircraft owners may independently choose the parachute system they will buy.
The BRS factory may not even be directly involved in the purchase of a unit, especially
those obtained through dealers or second-hand from previous customers. The only way
for customers to gain factory advice on the correct unit for a given aircraft is to consult
the factory before accepting delivery. BRS units are expected to be highly reliable
pieces of equipment. They also feature long service lives. This is only possible if the
BRS unit is correctly suited to the aircraft on which it will be installed.
BRS encourages careful selection of the right unit, and the factory will provide
purchase consultation free of charge. For the custom builder, we also have an
Installation Guide which is available. Once the purchaser has accepted shipment of the
unit it will be considered “used” and a restocking, re-inspection charge may be applied
if a return is desired. If you are reading this, you most likely have already taken
delivery of your BRS Emergency Parachute System. However, it is not too late! It is
better to pay a small restock fee than to install a system that may not work when you
need it most!
• When selecting the proper unit, purchasers must not exceed the
recommended or stated forces, speeds, capacities, or other factors
regarding the safe use of a BRS system.
• Even after following all the recommended procedures described by the
factory, the possibility of injury or death still exists.
• Parachutes sometimes malfunction even when they are properly
designed, built, assembled, packed, maintained, and used. The results of
such malfunctions are sometimes injury or death.
2. After delivery
BRS systems are typically shipped to the dealer/customer in two separate containers.
One is a large box containing the parachute, rocket igniter w/launch tube, activation
handle, aircraft attachment bridles, and other misc. mounting hardware and parts.
The second, a smaller box, contains the parts necessary to assemble the ballistic
rocket, including: rocket body w/lanyards, propellant, and bulkhead.
In some cases, you may not receive both boxes on the same day. However, if 2-3 days
have gone by and you still have not received them, please contact BRS to help track
your shipment.
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After receipt, please open both boxes, remove all contents, and verify that all parts
are there (each box may or may not come with a detailed shipping list of what is
supposed to be included). If you feel something is missing, please contact BRS
immediately. Even if you do not plan on installing your system soon, it is still
important to review all contents. Customers will be charged for any missing
components that are discovered after 90 days from time of shipment.
Within the small box you will find an even smaller box containing the rocket propellant
and rocket body. On the outside of this box should be a set of instructions for assembly
of your rocket. If you do not see these, please contact BRS for another copy. The
rocket assembly instructions are not within this document.
NOTE: IF YOU PURCHASED THIS SYSTEM FROM A PRIVATE PARTY, you need
to make sure that you have all the components from the original order. You can
contact the BRS factory with the unit serial number at any time to find out what was
originally shipped with the unit, when it was built, when it is due for service, etc. You
may also find out if it is the correct parachute for your aircraft. Please refer to the
later section about switching units to other aircraft. Although the original buyer may
have never installed this BRS system, the unit you now own is considered used. All
warranties are transferable within the time limits of the warranty, as long as the
parachute is the correct unit for your aircraft and is installed in a manner consistent
with the guidelines of this manual. Used BRS units hold their value well and can be
economical purchases for pilots seeking the safety of a ballistic parachute system.
However, no one is served (you especially!) if you avoid obtaining factory advice about
a used system.
System Label Sample
The serial number for your BRS unit is imprinted on a small data label which appears as
a part of a larger label (see above sample). Along with the serial number, a date shows
when the parachute must be repacked. In addition, there is a small data label on the
rocket launch tube and on the rocket case itself which indicate when the rocket is due
for replacement.
Please be aware that it is quite common for the repack dates and
rocket replacement dates to be different!
Repack info
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If you have ordered your system well before you are ready to install it, it is wise to
review the contents of each box to ensure that you have received all of the
components. After that, the unit should be re-packaged and stored in a cool, dark
location away from curious children and/or adults. Remember, your unit contains an
igniter and rocket propellant, which still have hazard potential even if not completely
assembled.
•Never point the BRS unit toward anyone—including you—at any time!
Treat the BRS unit as a loaded gun!
•Do not tamper with or attempt to modify or repair the BRS unit at
any time.
•Do not under any circumstances replace any missing items with
materials obtained from another source unless approved by BRS. Do
not assume you are buying the same quality parts, even if the part
numbers appear to be identical. You have peace of mind that your
unit has all factory-approved parts only when you have obtained
them directly from BRS.
•If you have too little or too much harness length… if you have too
little or too much housing line for the activating handle… if the
brackets, clamps, or other mounting parts do not seem to fit your
aircraft as specified, please contact the factory for further
information before modifying any component! The hardware
provided for your aircraft is meant to be used in a very specific
manner.
•BRS has gone to considerable effort to assure your BRS unit will fit
your airplane in a manner that the factory finds best. This means
more than just how it looks or how well it seems to fit your aircraft.
For example, the forces transmitted to the airframe on canopy
opening can be considerable (3-7 Gs, depending on many variables).
In addition, the dynamic responses of the aircraft to the deployment
of a parachute are not well understood by many people. These two
factors receive much attention from BRS engineers. Changing the
attachment points can render a BRS unit inoperable because the
mounting point(s) are insufficiently robust or because the point of
attachment relative to the aircraft’s center of gravity does not
permit the desired flight dynamics.
•It is important that you follow instructions carefully or consult with
BRS about any change in the installation. A seemingly minor change
could render your BRS unit incapable of performing its job in an
emergency, or could interfere with its proper operation.
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3. After installation
Once the installation has been completed, you are required (not merely
requested) to send photographs depicting the installation directly to the
factory. These photographs—several may be needed to fully show the installation
in good detail—must include:
(1) mounting of the container/rocket assembly on your airframe,
(2) routing of the stainless steel cable or Kevlar® harness system
(3) routing and securing of the activating handle and cable housing
(4) direction of rocket fire relative to the airframe
(5) modifications to any BRS-supplied hardware
These photographs should be sent at once when the installation is completed.
Send to the address given at the front of this manual or email digital photos to:
[e-mail]. A BRS representative will review your installation
and let you know if there is a problem. A follow up letter or email is sent out to
let all submitters know that their installation has been reviewed and may suggest
minor changes or request more photos.
While we demand you send us these photographs, we very much want you to
understand that this protects both of us. Sending in your photographs is the final
“Quality Control” check. We seek to provide you with the most reliable emergency
parachute system possible.
This is for your benefit and safety. The inspection of photographs or actual
installation is done free of charge to you. If you do not submit photo
verification, you incur the risk that the BRS system, as you have installed it,
may fail to work properly, which could cause injury or even death as well as
damage to your aircraft.
To activate your BRS warranty (see above), you must return the Owner
Registration Form as soon as possible after purchase. If you do not return the
form with installation verification photos, your warranty will not be activated.
If you cannot find your Owners Registration Form, please contact BRS for a
replacement.
If you do not return your completed Registration Form, it is possible that BRS will
not have your current name and address. Without this information, BRS cannot
notify you of important information. If you are not the original owner, please
contact BRS with your information so our customer database can be updated.
BRS wants to help you get the most from your new BRS unit. One way the company
can do so is to supply valuable information about upgrades and new safety features
that are available. Another way is to keep you advised of any Airworthiness
Directives (AD Notices) that will assure your BRS unit will perform as expected.
Additionally, BRS can also remind you when your unit needs periodic maintenance.
The maintenance schedule for BRS products is defined in this manual and it is
MANDATORY that all owners follow this. If the maintenance schedule is not
followed, the parachute must be placarded as “INOPERATIVE” until maintenance
can be performed.
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LIMITATIONS OF BRS SYSTEMS
1. Your BRS system does have a low-altitude limitation
Your BRS unit is designed for the fastest possible operation and inflation of the
parachute. This means it can work from much lower altitudes than a hand-deployed,
spring-deployed, or pilot parachute-deployed emergency system.
This, however, does not mean it will work from too low an altitude. How low is too
low? That is a valid question that can't be answered easily, because no simple answers
are available.
In some of the life-saving situations BRS has experienced, the individual deploying the
system felt he was less than 100 feet above the ground. Yet, the deployments were
successful. BRS cannot guarantee this would ever happen again. The circumstances
might have all been perfect for a low altitude deployment.
If the craft had its surfaces intact… if the craft was flying level at the moment of
deployment… if the forward speed was generous… if the pilot pulled the handle
without fumbling… if the system had been correctly installed… if the engine was shut
down… if, if, if. All these ifs represent some, but not all, of the conditions that aid a
rapid deployment. And if the situation is optimal, theoretical projections show
deployment can be rapid enough to save the craft and occupant(s) from extremely low
altitudes.
2. Your BRS cannot compensate for poor piloting or inexperience
You should not expect that the BRS can suddenly make you a better pilot. While BRS
believes you made the right choice in adding a BRS emergency backup system to your
aircraft, it does not mean that now you are safe from all aviation disasters. It is merely
a backup, another chance, and is only part of an overall program of aviation safety.
3. Your BRS cannot guarantee that you will not be injured after a
deployment, or that your aircraft will not be damaged
While it is likely that using a BRS unit could indeed save your life (in some situations),
it is not at all guaranteed to save you from injury or death, nor your airplane from
damage. Assume that only you are responsible for the safe operation of your flight, and
that you have a BRS for additional safety against the time when your skills, planning,
judgment, and careful equipment maintenance are still not enough. When you use an
emergency parachute system, you have entered a realm of flight where the
unpredictable is the norm.
4. You cannot “experiment” with your BRS unit
In no case should you “experiment” with your BRS. You should not fire it on the
ground just to see if it works. Not only may you injure someone standing innocently
nearby, but you will incur hundreds of dollars of expense to repack your parachute
and replace your rocket. In addition, firing your BRS experimentally will render it
unusable on your airplane until the factory has serviced your unit.
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BRS SYSTEM BASICS
The following discussion is useful to better understand the basics of what you are about to
install on your aircraft. You’ll come to depend on it and you’ll want to understand it.
1. The Parachute
Round, non-steerable parachutes are used for aircraft recovery because their purpose is
simple, to slow an aircraft to a descent speed that is conducive to a safe touchdown. It is this
simplicity that enhances their reliability.
Parachutes are fabricated from woven textiles in the form of fabrics, tapes, webbing, and
thread. The basic structure of a round parachute (shown in Fig. 1) consists of the canopy and
suspension lines. The canopy, which creates the aerodynamic drag, is made up of a series of
fabric panels or "gores" sewn together to form its desired shape. The canopy has a vent at its
center to allow some air to escape in a controlled manner and thus reduce oscillations and
provide a stable descent. Vent lines are attached to the perimeter of the vent and routed
symmetrically across its center to provide structural support and maintain its shape.
The suspension lines are attached to the "skirt" of the canopy and converge to a riser or set of
risers at the opposite end. The canopy structural integrity is enhanced by a "skeleton" of tapes
and webbings sewn nearly perpendicular to each other to the top surface of the canopy fabric.
Radial bands run from opposite suspension line attachment points, across the top of the
canopy. The skirt band, vent band, and circumferential bands run around the circumference
of the canopy. The precise geometry of the canopy shape, positioning of the structural
reinforcement and choice of materials are all adjusted for each particular application, striking
a balance between opening characteristics, strength, stability and rate of descent.
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Riser
Suspension Lines
Skirt
Radials Bands
Circumferential Bands
Canopy
Vent
Figure 1.
BRS Parachute Assembly
Slider
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With a few minor exceptions, all of the textile components in our parachute systems are
fabricated from either Kevlar® or Nylon. The materials used in BRS parachutes, including the
fabric, reinforcement tapes, suspension lines, and threads, are all woven to military or industry
specifications that define specific parameters such as raw fiber materials, yarn count, yarn
twist, weave type, and finish.
Parachute material strength requirements are ultimately based on deployment characteristics,
or specifically, deployment loads. A typical deployment load profile begins with a snatch force
which occurs when the parachute assembly is initially extracted from its container and pulled
to full line stretch. This is usually not felt by the pilot/passenger. When air begins to fill the
canopy, higher inflation loads result. The number and magnitude of the peak loads is
dependent on airspeed at deployment, payload weight, and atmospheric conditions.
2. The Slider
After the parachute is completely extracted and exposed to the relative wind, it begins to
inflate, generating drag forces to decelerate the airplane. The magnitude of these drag forces,
or inflation loads, for a particular parachute design is a function of the airplane's weight, the
airspeed at deployment, and the rate of inflation.
The inflation rate of BRS parachutes is controlled by a proprietary slider, an annular shaped
fabric panel with metal grommets along its perimeter. The parachute suspension lines are
routed through the grommets such that the slider is free to move along the suspension lines.
The parachute is packed with the slider positioned at the top of the suspension lines. Since the
diameter of the slider is significantly less than the open diameter of the canopy, it limits the
initial open diameter of the parachute and its rate of inflation as shown in Fig. 2. Once the
dynamic pressure acting on the system decreases to a safe level, the slider moves down the
lines, allowing the parachute to inflate to its full diameter.
Maximum Reefed Disreefing Full Canopy Deployment
Condition Condition
Figure 2.
BRS Annular Slider
Sliders can be "tuned" for a particular set of deployment conditions by adjusting their
geometry. For example, increasing the size of the slider's vent will increase the airflow into the
parachute and therefore increase the initial rate of inflation. Decreasing the fabric area will
decrease the drag on the slider and allow it to disreef at a higher dynamic pressure, thereby
increasing the final rate of inflation. BRS was the first to introduce and patent this technology
for emergency parachute recovery systems (U.S Patent # 4,863,119).
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3. The Rocket Assembly
All current BRS rocket motors use stored chemical energy in the form of a solid propellant to
provide the thrust forces necessary to rapidly remove any enclosure cover and extract the
parachute from its container. These rocket motors use a composite propellant, a
heterogeneous mixture of ammonium perchlorate (AP) and aluminum powder (Al), the oxidizer
and fuel. These are the most commonly used types of ingredients in modern solid propellants.
A synthetic rubber binder is also necessary to provide a structural matrix to hold these
ingredients together. Other typical propellant additives include burn rate modifiers to
accelerate or decelerate combustion, curing agents to solidify the propellant at different rates,
plasticizers to improve the processing properties, bonding agents to improve the chemical
properties, and antioxidants to reduce chemical deterioration. The size, shape, and size
distribution of the propellant's solid particles are also key factors in its burning characteristics.
Two versions of our larger rocket assemblies, the BRS600 and BRS900, illustrated in Fig. 3,
consist of the igniter, rocket motor base, and rocket motor. The rocket motor components
consist of the motor case, aft bulkhead, propellant, and nozzle. The motor case/aft bulkhead
contains the propellant and serves as a pressure chamber when the propellant is burning. The
composite propellant is cast into grains, or solid shaped masses that fit snugly inside the motor
case. To provide consistent dimensional tolerances, the grains are cast inside a filament wound
internal liner that also acts as an insulator to limit heat transfer to the motor case.
Our smaller rocket motors, the BRS300 and BRS460, do not utilize a rocket motor base, but
instead attach directly to the igniter. They consist of a motor case, propellant, nozzle, and
both an aft bulkhead and forward bulkhead, illustrated in Fig. 4.
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Launch Tube
Rocket
Igniter
Motor
Case
Rocket Motor Base
Nozzle
Aft Bulkhead
Pro
p
ellant Grains
Figure 3: BRS-600/900 Rocket Diagram
Rocket Moto
r
Igniter
Aft Bulkhead
Motor Case Nozzle
(3 for BRS-460)
Propellant Grains
Forward
Bulkhead
Figure 4: BRS-300/460 Rocket Diagram
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