When to get a parachute?

On Tuesday, January 16, 2018 at 5:35:15 PM UTC-7, wrote:
I see your point there son of flubber, but no offense, if I am in the front seat of a two place glider and someguy midairs us and takes off a wing or elevator and I have a chute and altitude, I am outta there and the guy in the back seat is on his own! Lol

Hmm, not sure that is the right attitude to have. Assess the situation first.

1) Gliders that have been involved in mid-air collisions that caused significant damage to wings and horizontal stabilizers have been known to be flown safely to the ground.
a. ASG-29 in Uvalde, Lost half elevator and horizontal stabilizer, landed in a field, pilot didnt know what he had lost until walking around the aircraft.
b. Cant remember the aircraft types, but believe it was Parowan, two aircraft collided in a thermal, came back and landed with significant damage.

I am not saying don't jump out. I am saying that not every incident of swapping paint and fiberglass (or metal, or carbon fiber) has to result in an immediate bailout. We are aviators and are capable of handling emergencies in a safe and effective manner.

2) Not sure why one person would wear a chute but the other wouldn't. In your scenario of leaving the guy in the back seat behind, you are likely the cause of his death, not the hypothetical mid-air. If the aircraft were still flyable but you immediately jumped out from the front seat, the CG would likely exceed aft limits and become uncontrollable. With you in the front seat the aircraft may still be controllable.

Parachutes are not always the answer to a problem or emergency. This is the main reason I dislike the Cirrus SR-20/SR-22. (I used to teach in these.) Pilots become reliant upon the fact that they have a parachute and substitute good judgement and planning for it.

Parachutes are an absolute last resort. That is not to say you shouldn't use it when you need it, however if the situation permits, take a moment to assess what you still have and what you have lost.

Fly the plane first!!!

I had two friends who should have jumped - but didn't or left it too late

Sierra Wiskey, re read my quote "take off a wing or clip an elevator".... these are from personal experience. My brother had his elevator clipped in a ventus by a guy who was careless in a gaggle. The ventus elevator was jammed in the full up position and I watched from the ground as my bro's ship started a series of very high speed loops at very low altitude. If jim had hessitated in any way, he would be dead now. As it was, he had a very hard time exiting due to the high G's. He got out, popped chute, the chute had just enough time to fully expand before my bro contacted the ground. My bro was all cut up from having to kick out the plexiglass as the G's were holding the plexiglass from departing and as he kicked it out the shards slammed into his face.

I agree with you, "aviate" first, if you have some semblance of control, fly the plane, but you better make that determination FAST depending on altitude. That is not the time for dottling or indecision.

Yes, it would be a rare situation where one guy has a chute and one doesn't in a two place ship, but if one guy is wearing a chute, its up to the other guy to insure his own survival. If I saw a guy wearing a chute, I think I would go and find one myself before I jumped in the back seat.
Dan