It's Official: Cirrus Accident Rate Plummets And Flying Magazine Reveals Why

[peppy]

From the article:


So my question is this: Is their actual accident rate down or just their fatal accident rate?

I tend to care more about fatal accident rate. What do you care about? Somehow death bothers me more than a bent prop or collapsed gear.

 

[flyersfan31]

I would argue that it is the standardized training that is making the difference, not the chute. Cirri have ALWAYS had the chute. It is in the past few years, however, that COPA (and I assume the factory) have taken a much more aggresive pro-training stance. This is reminiscent of the reaction of the MU-2 community to its previously-ugly accident rate and commensurately-high insurance costs.

I have no facts to support my internet assertion, but I would postulate that in past years more Cirrus pilots were, effectively, tossed the keys, told 'yeah looks just like your Porsche from the inside, but you just grab the handle if you have a problem' and sent on their merry way. Full credit to COPA for addressing the problem.

 

[red4golf]

I did an approach to Big Bear (7000' MSL) several months ago that looked exactly like this. On my flare, I realized I was looking at a sheet of ice, not asphalt. Try steering a Cirrus on ice with a crosswind. Good luck. I applied full power and diverted.

Reminds me of flying in Alaska. Even in Anchorage at Merrill Field (PAMR) we couldn't see pavement through the ice and snow from November until March. You learn to deal with it even though it might not be fun. Oh, I was less than 100 hours back then.

 

[Jaybird180]

From the article:


So my question is this: Is their actual accident rate down or just their fatal accident rate? To me the fact that there are less fatal accidents due to increased use of CAPS does not equate to a lower overall accident rate. After all, you pop the chute the damage that you cause to the airframe puts it into the accident category, does it not?

Or has their new training decreased the overall accident rate as well?

Please understand that I am not questioning any pilot's use of CAPS but am only questioning the use of the phrase "Cirrus Accident Rates Plummets" in the thread title.

This is my question as well. I, like James331 think that if you care for the box the contents will be safe.

 

[Jaybird180]

The sim sessions were the real eye-openers. They transformed emergencies, such as engine failure in IMC and loss of control due to severe icing, from potentially deadly events into controlled descents under the BRS parachute canopy after pulling the big red handle in the ceiling.

What happens to a BRS deployed in icing conditions?

 

[SixPapaCharlie]

What happens to a BRS deployed in icing conditions?

Icing is one of the reasons given to pull so hopefully non event. I mean aside form the fact that you are parachuting in an airplane that has become disabled due to icing conditions and all that jazz.