Thanks for the letters of support/encouragement....
After quite a lot of to-ing and fro-ing, we seem to have come up with a
workable installation scheme... at least, I think so. It will add about 45
lbs to the empty weight, and will involve a different fuselage top molding
-basically the addition of parachute harness channels down the sides in line
with the aft cockpit bulkhead, and across the roof to the windshield.
This does mean that it won't be retrofittable -you will need to build the
fuselage with the BRS top half if you want to fit one.
The front harness will be attached to the engine/landing gear mount, and
possibly as a consequence (a decision yet to be made) the windshield will
break out when the BRS is deployed. It is being assumed that the airframe
will be written off when you deploy the parachute, but given the right
conditions, it might well survive to fly another day. At any rate, it it
doesn't, you will.
The next stage is refining the details and performing stress analyses on the
mounting points (each must withstand 8250 lbs...) and looking at the
consequences of molding in channels and holes. Final decision to go/ not go
is about 4 weeks away.
The possibility of offering a BRS/Europa is realistically at least a year away.
All the best,
Miles
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