BRS update from AVweb

From AVweb (http://www.avweb.com/newswire/news0209a.html#1http://www.avweb.com/newswire/news0209a.html#1), dated Monday 2/25/2002:

Ballistic Recovery Systems (BRS), which makes the parachutes installed in Cirrus airplanes, said Saturday it has discovered that the parachute could fail to activate in an emergency, and Cirrus recommended that operators of SR20s and SR22s not fly until a field repair is completed. The fix should be available starting this week, according to BRS. The problem was discovered during routine testing, BRS said in a news release. “As we were completing work for a new system for the Cessna 172 Skyhawk, we discovered a condition involving the BRS activation handle that the pilot uses to deploy the emergency parachute,” the news release said. The problem affects only the activation cable and does not affect the parachute or the rocket, BRS said, and does not affect any other BRS chutes in any aircraft other than the Cirrus models.

Yesterday, BRS President and CEO Mark Thomas told AVweb that the field repair should take only 10 to 15 minutes and can be completed by any aircraft mechanic. “We know how to fix it, and we have the replacement part ready,” he said. He hopes the FAA will officially approve the fix by end of business today. BRS will provide the replacement part to owners starting this week, he said, and more information will be forthcoming from BRS and Cirrus this week as well. Cirrus Design has already issued an Owner Service Advisory, and Service Bulletins are in the works. Owners of SR20 and SR22 aircraft are advised to monitor the Cirrus Design Web site for additional information and notification of release of the field repairs. “We understand that issuing a Service Advisory presents an inconvenience to owners of SR20 and SR22 aircraft as well as Cirrus Design,” Thomas said, “but we wanted to notify them as soon as possible. It’s the right thing to do.” BRS can be reached at 651-457-7491.

Maybe BRS discovered it Saturday, but CIRRUS has grounded ALL of the grey airplanes from flying to the paint factory Friday 2-22 morning. They issued the Service Bulletin Friday afternoon before 5:00 P.M. local. So CIRRUS has known about the problem at least ONE DAY EARLIER than BRS has discovered the problem. This shows how much CIRRUS is on top of things! I’m a little upset about this whole situation. If they knew this Friday morning, and grounded their own grey planes, why did they let us fly an obviously unsafe plane to home. If it was NOT obviously unsafe, why the Service Bulletin. So my conclusion is they let us fly out of the a factory an unsafe plane, that potentially will not active a life safety feature that is part of the type certificate, and notified us and everybody else after the attorneys got into the action! Phew, I hate it! I’m waiting riveted (using correct gauge and strength rivets mind you !!!) to my seat how soon they will fix the plane. Hangar fees, insurance fees, transportation, and other expenses are ticking by the day. Will they take care of it? Tune in next week for the interesting saga of N427MC

Cirrus Customer Service notified me this morning that they are working on a part to remedy the problem and that it will take a few days before they have something to ship. This is contrary to CIRRUS’s earlier position that they have a fix ready and seeking FAA approval. So the wait is ON.

Michael,

The news article just says that BRS sent out a press release on Saturday 2/23. Clearly they discovered the problem and notified Cirrus before then, since the Service Advisory was sent out on Friday 2/22.

Please let us know what you learn from Cirrus about the chronology of events.

Cheers,
Roger

In reply to:


This is contrary to CIRRUS’s earlier position that they have a fix ready and seeking FAA approval.


Michael,

I may be wrong, but I believe that this position stated by BRS, not Cirrus.

Mike.

Michael,

Sorry to hear about your continuing plight. One thing that confuses me is why your CFI ws called home — after all, there’s no flying to be done in Duluth. What’s more, I’m sure your CFI would have been perfectly happy to be stuck in Arizona in February rather than northern Minnesota in February…[:)]

Hope you and your airplane both get home soon.

Cheers,
Roger