DATE: 10/28/2004No. 04-13TO: Airport Operators, FAA Airport Certification Safety InspectorsTOPIC: Rocket-Deployed Emergency Parachute Systems
This CERTALERT is to provide ARFF personnel with the information required to safely deal with the discovery of an unfired rocket-deployed emergency parachute system (sometimes called a ballistic parachute) at the scene of an aircraft accident. While these devices are intended to save lives, they have the potential to cause injuries or even death to rescue workers.
While there are several manufacturers of ballistic parachute systems on the market, the BRS Inc. is a prevalent system found in the industry. In addition to BRS ballistic parachute, there are several other brands called Pioneer, Second Chantz, Advanced Ballistic Systems, Galaxy, or GQ Security.
The BRS whole aircraft recovery system is intended as an option for pilots that have concluded that a safe landing may be difficult if not impossible. However, in certain instances, there may have been no opportunity to deploy the system prior to impact. In those cases where the impact was notably violent, it is quite likely the system will have fired as a result of airframe breakup or distortion. This leaves the final scenario, one in which the parachute system has not been activated due to crash forces, and the system’s rocket is still very much alive and capable of being fired.
A keen eye and training can help the first responder to first identify the presence of a BRS system and then carefully render it completely harmless. We have attached a BRS document that is intended to provide information to emergency personnel, which may be referenced at the scene of an aviation incident. The company has also provided a power point presentation that provides an overview of how best to accomplish these tasks. This power point presentation can be found on the web at
