Ballistic Recovery Systems Take The Fear Out Of Flying

Ballistic Recovery Systems used to be called Ballistic Airframe Parachutes, but the acronym BAPS, most likely drove the manufacturers to rename them. When I designed the Ikeler4000, I knew my clients would want this system as a standard feature in the aircraft. It was an easy decision for me, so it is. For those of you new to airframe parachutes, these systems allow you to deploy a full sized parachute for the airplane, so you can land safely, or at least softly, in any emergency where the airplane or pilot are compromised.
If BRS devices were in all small aircraft, the safety rate for private airplanes would probably make it higher than for cars. Small aircraft are currently as safe as riding a motorcycle. Okay, but for my vehicles, I know we can do a lot better. Commercial Airlines are the safest form of travel per passenger mile and only seem dangerous because when they do crash, many people perish with them as a group. Trains and boats are the next safest form of travel, followed by cars, and then motorcycles and private airplanes.
In this new era of air travel we are creating, danger needs to be dramatically reduced. It can and will be with BRS systems, as well as collision avoidance devices in the cockpit. Being up in the air is safer than being down on the highways, so with a little more technology, safety and fun will rise dramatically.
Dr. Doug Ikeler http://www.ikeler4000.com/