On Jun 13, 11:26 am, Thomas Borchert
wrote:
a) parachute equipped airplane pilots tend to assume greater
risk ("all I have to do is to pull the handle")

Any kind of factual support for that statement? Even a hint would
surprise me.

No surpises, on hints, no support for this "theory" whatsoever. My
statement is only based on my belief, which in turn is based on
accident reports I have read. For example, the guy who got into ice
at 16,000 ft. with a Cirrus, lost control, and either didn't pull or
pulled at a speed too high (chute ripped to pieces) - I forgot.
Perhaps the Lidle crash in NYC formed my belief, as did two or three
accident discussions from the Flying magazine.
The OP of the infested thread kinda went the same way - as if mountain
flying was somehow safer with a ballistic parachute. This will not
prevent one box canyon accident, for example. I have a hard time
believing that a pilot will pull the chute if he gets in a serious
downdraft in the mountains.

Gerd