How does BRS increase useful load?

Gary F

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Gary F
Install a BRS in a C182 and you get a 160 lb increase in useful load, net 65 to 75 lb improvement after allowing for the weight of the device. How does that work?

Cessna 182Q owners who install a ballistic recovery system (BRS) in their airplanes will now get an added bonus — 160 pounds of extra gross weight.
According to an announcement made by BRS Aerospace this week, that 160 pounds of gross weight will translate into a net increase of 65 to 75 pounds of useful load after the parachute has been installed. Best of all, no extra modifications or hardware are needed to get the extra carrying capacity.
Read more at http://www.flyingmag.com/aircraft/m...-load-increase-cessna-182#3FuVF0OCK8gj8y1L.99

 
By integrating another unrelated STC that increases useful load independent of the BRS.
 
A company called TrollTune did the work to take the testing information from the restart 182 and apply it to the Q and P models. You can get a 160 pound useful load increase with paperwork only, no mod to the plane. If I recall the STC is 750.00 by itself.
 
By integrating another unrelated STC that increases useful load independent of the BRS.
Then two more questions. How does the unrelated STC work and why can't somebody get it without the BRS?
 
Once you install BRS ,do you start to fly the 182 like a circus?
 
Once you install BRS ,do you start to fly the 182 like a circus?

Yes, and your 182 erupts into a flaming fireball at the slightest off-runway excursion as well.
 
Then two more questions. How does the unrelated STC work and why can't somebody get it without the BRS?

I'm pretty sure you can buy the gross weight STC as a stand alone, at least you could a few months ago. They probably are including it to help sell BRS systems, that way you don't lose useful load. Good marketing. ;) If you already have the GW STC, you lose useful load with the weight of the BRS. :D
 
It's a good question, like how do baffles increase useful on a Bonanza. These STC's are just a way to legalize flying over weight for a price IMO. I wonder if the availability of a $750 piece of paper would have changed some of the responses on the over weight 152 thread?
 
Other times I have seen an increase in gross weight usually has to do with the initial rating of the plane. For example, if you look at when they put tip tanks on a Bonanza you get a gross weight increase. If you look more closely the STC derates the plane from utility to standard rating. With that derating you get the gross increase. I would think something similar is happening here.
 
Then two more questions. How does the unrelated STC work and why can't somebody get it without the BRS?

My club just did a GW increase STC on a 182Q. Google it. There is also an easy HP increase they did at the same time.
 
It is the "Fresh Pick" STC

http://www.182stc.com/

It increases your takeoff weight from 2950 to 3100 lbs, but LANDING weight must still be under the 2950 gross for the 182. Basically allows you to carry 25 gallons extra fuel that you plan on burning off.

By offering that with the BRS system and saying that you gain usefull load is a bit misleading...you LOOSE non fuel usefull load as you are increasing your landing weight by adding that hardware.

With the STC, they basically said "Hey, the restarts are certified for 3100lbs gross and there was no design change from the legacy planes"...so they created the Fresh Pick STC to take advantage of the certification done at 3100lbs.

Haven't added it yet but plan on as soon as all these other stupid sqwaks stop popping up!
 
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It's a good question, like how do baffles increase useful on a Bonanza. These STC's are just a way to legalize flying over weight for a price IMO. I wonder if the availability of a $750 piece of paper would have changed some of the responses on the over weight 152 thread?
Yup. Didn't AK have some sort of overgross permission? 10% more free iirc. But that is only safe in the controlled environment of AK general aviation.:D
 
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