New Cirrus CDRS to be Introduced at Aviation World's Fair
ANN
Sponsor Cirrus was just so pleased with itself. "We've
finally done it," a giddy Alan Klapmeier told us. "We have covered
every foreseeable emergency contingency."
The Cirrus CDRS (Constantly-Deployed Recovery System) could be
described as, "the world's highest-powered, powered parachute
(PPC)," because it is.
"With the 'chute automatically deployed on takeoff," Klapmeier
said, "just about anything more the pilot can do to screw up, won't
hurt him. Even if he flies straight into a rock wall, he'll be
going only 25 mph -- and the airbags are going to cover
that."
Difficult Engineering/Marketing Decisions:
The production of such a machine was the subject of lively
debate at Cirrus, for over a year. "Just as we were establishing
our leadership in the 'safe and sensible' category of personal and
training airplanes," the company's Ian Bentley told us in a rare
interview, "along came this 'safe -- and sensible --
[garbled]' -- concept." An uncharacteristically frazzled
Bentley continued, "Now I've got to go out and find a whole new
market. Our regular customers like three-digit speeds too much to
sell [this] to them."
PPC Industry Reaction:
ANN called on its friends at long-time sponsor
Powrachute, where President (and former World Champion PPC pilot)
Eddie Johnson said, "It seems like a lot of extra machine, to do
what it's doing... but I guess if people want a PPC, and don't want
to be out in the air, it's OK."
Specifications and Flight:
The Cirrus CDRS looks and handles just like a regular SR-20 on
the ramp. The canopy isn't deployed until 15 knots shows on the
airspeed indicator. That's just about rotation speed, but the pilot
doesn't need to worry about rotation, per se -- the 'chute
opens, and the throttle stays against the firewall, and the machine
just lifts off. If the throttle remains pushed, climb rate is about
2000 fpm, with two aboard. After achieving cruise altitude, the
CDRS flies like any other PPC -- more throttle means 'climb;' less
means 'come down.' Forward speed is drag-limited, to 25 mph.
Once the airspeed drops below 10 knots, the canopy retracts and
stows automatically, so there's no fuss on the ground. BRS is
working on reducing the cost of the deployment cartridges -- it is
expected that production models will use the explosion of a single
12ga shotgun shell.
If the pilot forgets to load the BRS deployment module before
flight, there is an ignition cutout that keeps the engine from
starting. [We have learned that, if a pilot were to bypass this
safety device, he'd be left with what is essentially an SR-20, only
without the ballistic parachute --ed.]
Who's gonna buy it?
There are several prospective markets, including
the top end of the existing PPC crowd. A new and exciting market,
though, seems to be materializing. CFIs have, for years, lamented
that some people with the desire to fly, just don't seem to have
the ability.
Whether it's motor skills, a lack of commitment, or a lack of
time for currency, they just don't make it. This new Cirrus could
be used for those folks. One CFI we talked with said, "Shoot -- I
could solo somebody in this thing, who'd never make it in a 'real'
airplane. Oops -- I didn't mean it to come out that way. What I
meant was, 'they could get a really similar experience, with the
nice cockpit and all' -- and even with passengers, as long as the
speed wasn't a problem, heck -- the passengers would never know the
difference!" It could be a real face-saver, huh?
Delivery positions are now being taken by Cirrus's CDRS
subsidiary, which -- interestingly -- is being run by reformed
trial lawyers...