Is there a weak link on the chute? In theory there should be although just the idea probably doesn't play well with the Cirrus market. Wonder what breaks first on overspeed chute deployments? With a weak link at least you'd be left with an intact airframe that perhaps could be flown to safety...
The Cirrus engineering folks are really, really interested in this issue.
What breaks at high speed? So far, not much, even at airspeeds way above the demonstrated deployment speed of 133 KIAS.
In the Norden, CA, investigation, the parachute separated between the kevlar risers and the white suspension lines. Also, some gore panels separated. Airspeed was estimated at over 300 KIAS.
From anecdotal information from investigators, only a couple of other high-speed deployments have damaged the parachute and only in the earliest deployments. In the Haverstraw, NY, investigation, apparently, a couple of seams were ripped, but then again, that parachute was dragged in the water during recovery. And in the Horton, UK, investigation, where the chute was deployed at 187 KIAS, apparently a gore panel ripped.
Otherwise, the Cirrus parachute system has worked at 168, 171, 187, 190 KIAS and separated at over 300 KIAS.
Cheers
Rick