"Mark James Boyd" wrote in message
news:402d3ccf$1@darkstar...
Perhaps a lot of this is moot, because they're
probably almost impossible to retrofit, and with
most new gliders being motorgliders, the space isn't
there, but for a new "pure" glider (sparrowhawk, AC-4,
etc), it loks good on paper at least...

Actually, a motor and a BRS are apparently not an impossible
combination because the Alpin TST1 glider that was saved by the BRS system
happened to be a motor glider. All aircraft are a bunch of compromises
flying in close formation. If the soaring world demanded motorgliders with
BRS systems, manufacturers would find a way to make them. I agree that
retrofit is a whole different deal.

The below is from the BRS site about that incident:

Flying his Czech-built Alpin TST1 ultralight motorglider, the pilot
could not exit a spin which went inverted. Though G forces were high, the
pilot successfully deployed his parachute to a satisfactory conclusion.

"I turned off the engine, slowly pulled back on the stick, and kicked
in left rudder. My plane went into the spin for the practice I wanted, but
it went inverted and I could not exit. At 2,000 feet I launched the chute
and I am alive. Thank you and you can chalk up another one, BRS!"



Vaughn