CIRRUS TEST DRONE

Guest Discussion
1

Ive watched the Cirrus promo. movie many

times and have always wondered what the

test drone looked like after the controlled

crash (CAPS).Has anyone ever seen any film
or pictures of the aftermath of the parachute

landing.They sure would be interesting to

study.

2

Ive watched the Cirrus promo. movie many

times and have always wondered what the

test drone looked like after the controlled

crash (CAPS).Has anyone ever seen any film
or pictures of the aftermath of the parachute

landing.They sure would be interesting to

study.

My understanding of this test is that the chute was cut away (which is NOT possible on production aircraft) and that the same airplane was used for multiple tests. I’m not completely sure that one has actually made it to terra ferma under the chute. I would bet that the gear/seat piece was tested via drop tests.

Anyone else have info?

3

Ive watched the Cirrus promo. movie many

times and have always wondered what the

test drone looked like after the controlled

crash (CAPS).Has anyone ever seen any film
or pictures of the aftermath of the parachute

landing.They sure would be interesting to

study.

My understanding of this test is that the chute was cut away (which is NOT possible on production aircraft) and that the same airplane was used for multiple tests. I’m not completely sure that one has actually made it to terra ferma under the chute. I would bet that the gear/seat piece was tested via drop tests.

Anyone else have info?

That’s exactly right…

All in air deployments were cut away, and then drop tests were done on the airframe to simulate the speed of descent under a chute…

4

That’s exactly right…

All in air deployments were cut away, and then drop tests were done on the airframe to simulate the speed of descent under a chute…

N200CD was living out its retirement in the factory when I visited in March of '99. It looked a little worse for wear, with all the chute test stuff sticking out of it, and the empennage had lots of rocket exhaust burns. They did have a little parachute decal for each test drop stuck on the airframe (like the little iron crosses for shoot-downs in WWII). I’ve got a picture somewhere that I’ll have to dig up.