Hi everyone,
I’m hoping to learn from folks who are familiar with Cirrus, CAPS, and Cessna 172s.
I’ll soon be purchasing an older Cessna 172 (first plane), and I’m debating whether to add a BRS chute to it.
I’m a big believer in CAPS as it pertains to the SR20 and SR22. However, I can’t tell whether BRS is as compelling in a 172. Quantitatively, there isn’t much to go on – the Cessna BRS fleet is small, and its results are not published like the Cirrus ones are. Qualitatively, I understand the 172 to be less likely to spin than an SR20 or SR22, as well as to be easier to land in a field and at slower speeds. On the flip side, in the terrible event of a midair collision or an unforeseeable structural failure, I’d give anything to have that handle next to me.
I’d appreciate your collective thoughts on the following questions:
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Is my thinking (facts and assumptions) as I have laid it out above correct?
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What proportion of good-judgment BRS deployments in a Cirrus would also be good-judgment deployments in a Cessna?
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Aside from cost and useful load, do you see any downsides to putting a BRS in an older 172?
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Is there anything you think I should consider in this decision that I haven’t touched on?
Many thanks in advance!