Parachute

My understanding is that as long as you are the sole occupant a parachute is not required for any aerobatics.

Correct. Although some would say that *flight testing* without a parachute is folly to begin with.

Bowing down to the cost of a parachute

I have looked in to renting a parachute but the rental costs are awful. I did not want to spend the money to have a parachute just for flight testing but I would always have it in the future in case I needed it again and then it would be just a matter of having it inspected and re-packed.
Like another pilot wrote, "if you're asking the question you already know the answer". Oh well Aircraft Spruce needs to stay in bussiness too. Thank you for the replies..

RV3bpilot said:

I have looked in to renting a parachute but the rental costs are awful. I did not want to spend the money to have a parachute just for flight testing but I would always have it in the future in case I needed it again and then it would be just a matter of having it inspected and re-packed.
Like another pilot wrote, "if you're asking the question you already know the answer". Oh well Aircraft Spruce needs to stay in bussiness too. Thank you for the replies..

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You can probably get a better deal from a place that sells skydiving equipment- those guys are dealers for outfits like Strong and others, and -may- be better to advise you on a rig.

You might get better use out of a tail chute and spin education.

Is it even possible to jump from any RV model? Maybe the three and four with lay over canopy's ?

Pending Charge on Credit Card

I already purchased a parachute from Aircraft Spruce. I made a lot of phone calls before buying one.
Yes I have spin training and the aircraft I got the training in does not handle as good as the RV.
I can easly get out of my RV3, just tip up the canopy and leap out. The canopy is designed to tear off when opened in flight, several others have found this out by accident. However no one in a RV aircraft has had to use their chute to date.
Robin

RV3bpilot said:

Do you need a parachute to flight test my aircraft when doing spins or is it just recomended?
Robin

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Need and want are different things, of course. Especially with a parachute - it's a "want" until it turns abruptly and suddenly into a "need"

I used a chute for the entirety of my phase one activities in my -6A. Some might question whether the canopy could be jettisoned in flight or not; while I think it could (slider w/pins on the rollers) I know for a fact that without a chute the point of whether the slider could open or not would only be an interesting thing to ponder for the few remaining moments before impact.