Cirrus pilot paid $15,000 for a parachute repack?

[FloridaPilot]

I met a Cirrus pilot today and he told me that he just dropped $15,000 for the 10 year parachute repack. He told me that you have to do it every 10 years because spin recovery is non existent in a Cirrus This is on top of all the maintenance it needs and the engine work. My apologies if this has been spoken about before. I just couldn't find it on this website.

I know owning an airplane is an expensive hobby but are there airplanes with comparable performance, (Or a little less) that has less expensive maintenance? He told me that he can drop $35,000 easy on maintenance and extra costs A YEAR!

 

[frfly172]

How safe do you want to be,having a chute is not cheap.

 

[FastEddieB]

Well, the part about spin recovery is wrong, anyway.

 

[Checkout_my_Six]

some say it's worth every penny of that....$4.10/day ain't all that bad.

 

[N64543]

1500 a year for the added safety of BRS. Sounds like a good deal to me.

 

[d5by5]

I met a Cirrus pilot today and he told me that he just dropped $15,000 for the 10 year parachute repack. He told me that you have to do it every 10 years because spin recovery is non existent in a Cirrus This is on top of all the maintenance it needs and the engine work. My apologies if this has been spoken about before. I just couldn't find it on this website.

I know owning an airplane is an expensive hobby but are there airplanes with comparable performance, (Or a little less) that has less expensive maintenance? He told me that he can drop $35,000 easy on maintenance and extra costs A YEAR!

Cirrus was granted ELOS (Equivalent Level Of Safety) for the combination of the cuffed wing design from NASA which reduces spin risk to a very low level. And by testing and proving the BRS parachute can be used to eliminate non-recoverable spins entirely. The Cirrus can recover from a spin, the confusion seems to come from the FAA issuance of ELOS for Cirrus.

The BRS 10-year maintenance requires a rocket replacement and a repack done by BRS itself. For those that do not want or see the life-saving possibility of the BRS system, the cost will seem inordinate to buy and maintain one

 

[SixPapaCharlie]

Next time meet a mooney pilot.
He gets the same performance for pennies on the dollar.
No chute though.

I fly an older model Cirrus. First annual was ~3k including new brakes. Chute was repacked the year before we got it. I doubt we're going to have the plane for 9 more years so not too worried about that expense.

I think maintenance can be crazy high on any plane. I have a friend that just spent 16 grand on a cracked rear bulkhead in his 182

Only thing so far maintenance wise has been oil changes. I paid $250 for the last one. That's probably close to typical.
Point is, any plane can get really expensive and the $10k Cirrus annual is a myth.

Buy yeah get a Bo or Mooney you can go fast "affordably"

 

[Checkout_my_Six]

Buy yeah get a Bo or Mooney you can go fast "affordably"

Well.....that was easy.

 

[Geico266]

RV-10 is much cheaper than a Cirrus or Mooney.

 

[SixPapaCharlie]

RV-10 is much cheaper than a brand new Cirrus or Mooney.

FTFY.

Edit: Comparable avionics, etc, you are probably right.

 

[asgcpa]

Actually 14,200-14,400 for a repack. $1,500 a year approximately for peace of mind or safety is well worth it.

 

[poadeleted21]

Actually 14,200-14,400 for a repack. $1,500 a year approximately for peace of mind or safety is well worth it.

I don't really see the point. I'd rather have control of my decent. I suppose it becomes useful if you lose a control surface but, that's exceptionally rare.

I recall one pilot who pulled the handle because he dipped in a little IMC and one who pulled and the rocket fired but the chute didn't deploy and he landed safely.

I wouldn't turn one down if it were free but at 1.5k per year, I'm not interested.

 

[asgcpa]

I don't really see the point. I'd rather have control of my decent. I suppose it becomes useful if you lose a control surface but, that's exceptionally rare.

I recall one pilot who pulled the handle because he dipped in a little IMC and one who pulled and the rocket fired but the chute didn't deploy and he landed safely.

I wouldn't turn one down if it were free but at 1.5k per year, I'm not interested.

Or in the case of a midair. Or if something happens to a pilot knowing that a well briefed passenger could pull the chute in case of pilot incapacitation is a comfort.

 

[NoHeat]

He told me that he can drop $35,000 easy on maintenance and extra costs A YEAR!

I call BS

$35k? Maybe if it is 3 years old, if the "extra costs" are depreciation, loan payments on a new plane, and fuel. Those can be much more costly than maintenance.

Since he mentioned a repacking, it must be 10 years old, so depreciation can't be that much.

For maintenance alone, that $35k claim simply cannot be true. Aside from the chute, maintenance costs are not much different for an SR22 vs any other airframe with the same Continental engine.

 

[dalealan]

Let's see now, you take one of your loved ones for a sight seeing flight, say your youngest son, in your non-parachute equipped aircraft. Flying along you feel a tremendous jolt from the rear of the plane and now you are spinning out of control from about 4000' altitude. You never saw any other plane or anything. You do know the outcome of this scenario don't you?
Your widow cannot bury her husband and her youngest son for $15,000.
I still see folks with no shoulder harnesses in their aircraft, these run say $600. Your facial surgery co-pays will be far more than that.
A parachute is a no-brainer. Folks say they weigh too much. Well, take out your seat belts, they just add to the weight too.
Everyone owes themselves and any persons that fly with them, a safe flight from take off to landing. Pilots spend lots of money on Garmin stuff, auto pilots, all kinds of stuff, little of which helps it be a safe flight.
A BRS chute for a Cessna 172 is $30,000 or so, lot of money to put into a $60,000 airplane. If you needed it, it would be the best investment you ever made in your life regardless what your buddies thought when you installed it.

 

[PilotRPI]

Real men wear their parachutes. Even tougher dudes have it hanging in their compartment and when they get shot down, have to put it on before jumping out the belly hatch! Well done Ron P.

 

[asgcpa]

Real men wear their parachutes. Even tougher dudes have it hanging in their compartment and when they get shot down, have to put it on before jumping out the belly hatch! Well done Ron P.

Real men 100+ years ago in the west used to have gunfights on the drop of a hat. I'd much rather be a wimp and live with a chute on my plane, than die trying to be macho. But that's just me.

"Chute Happens.....Live With It"

 

[asgcpa]

Let's see now, you take one of your loved ones for a sight seeing flight, say your youngest son, in your non-parachute equipped aircraft. Flying along you feel a tremendous jolt from the rear of the plane and now you are spinning out of control from about 4000' altitude. You never saw any other plane or anything. You do know the outcome of this scenario don't you?
Your widow cannot bury her husband and her youngest son for $15,000.
I still see folks with no shoulder harnesses in their aircraft, these run say $600. Your facial surgery co-pays will be far more than that.
A parachute is a no-brainer. Folks say they weigh too much. Well, take out your seat belts, they just add to the weight too.
Everyone owes themselves and any persons that fly with them, a safe flight from take off to landing. Pilots spend lots of money on Garmin stuff, auto pilots, all kinds of stuff, little of which helps it be a safe flight.
A BRS chute for a Cessna 172 is $30,000 or so, lot of money to put into a $60,000 airplane. If you needed it, it would be the best investment you ever made in your life regardless what your buddies thought when you installed it.

 

[Sundancer]

Everyone owes themselves and any persons that fly with them, a safe flight from take off to landing. Pilots spend lots of money on Garmin stuff, auto pilots, all kinds of stuff, little of which helps it be a safe flight.
A BRS chute for a Cessna 172 is $30,000 or so, lot of money to put into a $60,000 airplane. If you needed it, it would be the best investment you ever made in your life regardless what your buddies thought when you installed it.

You can't give anyone a safe flight, not in the literal sense. You know where I'm going with this - you mitigate as much risk as it takes for you to feel good about the flight. Still leaves plenty of (remote) possibilities for sudden violent death, chute, no chute, great avionics, whatever.

If I had to chose between a chute or an autopilot, I'd go with the autopilot; in my subjective judgement, the value is greater, both operationally and for improved safety. Far more bang for the buck. Not knocking your chute, and it's value to you for peace of mind - just that, in my opinion, it has very marginal utility.

 

[EminiTrader]

My Cirrus annuals
Pre-buy - $4000 converted to annual
Annual $3400

Yes we that own Cirrus budget 1500 a year on the chute. Until I move up to a turbine I'm keeping a parachute - wife won't have it any other way.

Oh no... That must mean I'm not a real pilot.. YIKES! But I did just pass my commercial written - but that wont matter much around here

Cheers guys!

 

[pigpenracing]

So I also hear if you deploy the chute it totals the airplane. Is that true?

 

[Bravo]

My jeppesen, garmin and xm subscriptions combined will cost more than that over 10 years. It costs money to have all of this stuff that helps us stay safe. With that said, I think the cost of the repacks needs to get under control. It has been rising every year. It shouldn't cost $15k+.

 

[SixPapaCharlie]

So I also hear if you deploy the chute it totals the airplane. Is that true?

Most of the time yes as you tend to end up wherever the wind takes you.
A handful, have been returned to service.

 

[Bravo]

So I also hear if you deploy the chute it totals the airplane. Is that true?

Not always. There have been a hand full that were repaired and flying again. I cant remember exactly how many.

 

[SixPapaCharlie]

My jeppesen, garmin and xm subscriptions combined will cost more than that over 10 years. It costs money to have all of this stuff that helps us stay safe. With that said, I think the cost of the repacks needs to get under control. It has been rising every year. It shouldn't cost $15k+.

Totally agree
The one I fly has no access door. So they have to cut into the hull, repack, and rebuild / paint that portion of the hull.

Newer models have a hatch, That should have cut the cost WAY down but nope.

Also need to be able to add these things to more planes.
Right now, Cirrus, some experimentals, 172s 1974 and newer and 182s.

very limited at this point.

 

[jesse]

$104/month is way too much money for a rocket parachute thing strapped to my airplane. I don't care if the airplane costs half a million and that's a drop in the bucket compared to that cost. Every dollar counts, and that's too many for the benefit.

IMO owners should have the option to not repack or remove the damn thing if they want. Then it wouldn't bother me.

 

[KyleT]

The piper sport/Czech sport has BRS too IIRC.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[NoHeat]

So I also hear if you deploy the chute it totals the airplane. Is that true?

And the insurance company is delighted to pay for it.

Really.

Because airframes are much cheaper than humans.

 

[Checkout_my_Six]

IMO owners should have the option to not repack or remove the damn thing if they want. Then it wouldn't bother me.

regardless of why.....the FAA has deemed it to be "required equipment".


I'm sure it has nothing to do with it's spin handling/characteristics....but, just say'n it's an ingenious marketing feature.

.....the insurance is probably cheaper by $1,500/year....hasta be.

 

[rocketflyer84]

I fly an older model Cirrus. First annual was ~3k including new brakes. Chute was repacked the year before we got it. I doubt we're going to have the plane for 9 more years so not too worried about that expense

You're going to eat that expense one way or another. Either you pay to replace it or the next buyer is going to deduct that amount from the purchase price. Either way that's money out of your pocket.

 

[JCranford]

Actually 14,200-14,400 for a repack. $1,500 a year approximately for peace of mind or safety is well worth it.

Maybe for you. I'd rather spend $1500 more a year on 100LL or additional training and fly more and therefore be more current and consequently safer.

Its a lot like guys spending $3000 on a new rifle to 'make them a better shooter'. Better to spend $1000 on a rifle and $2000 on ammo and be a better shooter.

And geez, I only spend $75 bucks every 6 months for MY parachute repacks!

 

[dell30rb]

IMO owners should have the option to not repack or remove the damn thing if they want. Then it wouldn't bother me.

Agreed, but if I had a Cirrus I would pay to keep the chute. It's great technology, and the plane still has interior room and useful load.

 

[JCranford]

So I also hear if you deploy the chute it totals the airplane. Is that true?

You have to 'deploy the chute' to repack it, so I doubt just the deployment totals the airplane. Its the semi-controlled descent into the building that totals the airplane

 

[steingar]

Phooey! If I wanted a parachute that bad I'd wear one. I bet repacking those things doesn't run $15K, either.

 

[paflyer]

I met a Cirrus pilot today.... He told me that he can drop $35,000 easy on maintenance and extra costs A YEAR!

I don't think so. It's not a King Air.

 

[JCranford]

Phooey! If I wanted a parachute that bad I'd wear one. I bet repacking those things doesn't run $15K, either.

6 bucks for the main (if you hire a packer) and $75 for the reserve every 6 months.

 

[paflyer]

Quote:
Originally Posted by Geico266 View Post
RV-10 is much cheaper than a brand new Cirrus or Mooney.
FTFY.

--------------------------


If you don't count the value if the builder's time.

 

[James331]

I met a Cirrus pilot today and he told me that he just dropped $15,000 for the 10 year parachute repack. He told me that you have to do it every 10 years because spin recovery is non existent in a Cirrus This is on top of all the maintenance it needs and the engine work. My apologies if this has been spoken about before. I just couldn't find it on this website.

I know owning an airplane is an expensive hobby but are there airplanes with comparable performance, (Or a little less) that has less expensive maintenance? He told me that he can drop $35,000 easy on maintenance and extra costs A YEAR!

35k in mx a year is just stupid money for a ill' 4 seat piston pounder, especially when I know turbine caravans who don't even pay that much.


Reason 132 why I don't own a Cirrus

Actually 14,200-14,400 for a repack. $1,500 a year approximately for peace of mind or safety is well worth it.

Lol, and you're a CPA?


How about a STOL plane with tundras, you could easily put it down nearly anywhere without even scratching the paint, of course this requires more skill than pulling a handle and Bluetooth calling your insurance agent



Or if you're a really crummy/scared pilot, and can't even fly straight and level without a parachute, learn to jump and buy a sport rig.

Bought my rig for right around 3k and I pay 50ish bucks for a repack, if your pax don't feel comfortable getting into the plane with a pilot wearing a rig, well that just makes a Cirrus a pig in makeup doesn't it

 

[James331]

You can't give anyone a safe flight, not in the literal sense. You know where I'm going with this - you mitigate as much risk as it takes for you to feel good about the flight. Still leaves plenty of (remote) possibilities for sudden violent death, chute, no chute, great avionics, whatever.

If I had to chose between a chute or an autopilot, I'd go with the autopilot; in my subjective judgement, the value is greater, both operationally and for improved safety. Far more bang for the buck. Not knocking your chute, and it's value to you for peace of mind - just that, in my opinion, it has very marginal utility.

Well said.

Also on the professional side of aviation, single pilot IFR ops require a autopilot, I have yet to see any 135/121 operation which requires a BRS. There is a reason.

 

[FastEddieB]

Point is, any plane can get really expensive and the $10k Cirrus annual is a myth.

It may not be the norm, but it's happened often enough - as reported on COPA - to raise itself above the "mythical".

Scarily, at least a couple have exceeded the $20k mark.