It can be done
triguyinla said:
Hi, I am a new owner of an RV6. I am wondering if I will wear a parachute when performing aerobatic maneuvers. People have told me it will be virtually impossible to open the canopy in flight. I have a slide out canopy. Does anybody know if the canopy can be opened in flight or not? Thanks Steve
As suggested check archives with search. You can set up the slider to come off the rails if needed.
As far as safety chutes and needing sky diving training, not true. However I highly highly recommend you check out Allen Silver's site. He is the Guru for safety sport pilot chute's. Here are the emergency bail out procedures from Silver's site:
http://www.pia.com/silver/articlesarchive/emergen.htm
HINTS:
http://www.pia.com/silver/hints.htm
Here is the post I wrote on chutes.
http://www.vansairforce.com/community/showpost.php?p=10704&postcount=3
Lets put it this way, if on fire or you have control jam/separating getting out will save your life. I have a SOFTIE parachute, Mini I bought from Paraphernalia. Glider pilots wear chutes. Last weekend a glider pilot was lost when the wings folded, no chute. A RV'er was lost in Oregon years ago when his RV-8 had a massive engine failure and fire. He bailed out, without a chute on and was lost.
You can poo-poo sport chutes, but I call it 14 lbs of confidence.
KEEP IN MIND: These are ROUND safety chutes not little rectangular flying sport chutes. YOU DO NEED TRAINING FOR THE RECTANGULAR SPORT RIGS.
Short course on SAFETY CHUTES
Who ever said something about getting tangled up in lines and all kind of crazy stuff.......naaaaa. That is fear mongering, not based on facts. You open planes canopy, unbuckle (in that order), bail, clear the plane (fraction of second), grab "D" ring with both hands pull straight out. NO THINKING JUST JUMP AND PULL. Know where the "D" ring is by feel with some ground practice. It does not matter what "attitude" you are in or if tumbling. The key is GET IT OPEN ASAP, time is altitude. Forget what you see on TV and in movies, with Pro free fall jumpers. A big spring pops the pilot-chute out and will open the main chute in about 3-5 seconds and you'll be hanging under it. Look for steer handles, try to land INTO the wind. When you land plan on getting out of the rig fast, chest first. Good idea to have a cel phone in pocket, so if in a tree you can call for a Pizza, while you wait for the fire dept to get you down. Its not rocket science, its an emergency chute for use by pilots, not pro jumpers. You don't want to waste time trying to stabilize in a free fall, that's why you do need some instructions, but not jump training. If you are at Oshkosh Allen Silver gives a seminar usually. Well worth it. He sells "Rigs" as well. Give him a call and tell him "RV George" sent you.
Practice on the ground getting into and out of your plane with the chute on. Not recommended leaving chute in plane all the time. Protect it and find a nice piece of hard luggage to store it in, dry, temp controlled environment. When you have it repacked, ask to pull the "D" ring. Put it on and give it a tug. Its kind of nice feel what its like. I'm sure if you are bailing for real, you'll have no problem finding strength pulling the "D" ring.