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Use of the BRS (ballistic recovery system) unit is for emergency situations only. Such use may subject you to mishap, injury, and even death. Since BRS cannot govern use of the unit, BRS hereby disclaims all liability. Modification of any component part of the BRS unit, or failure to...
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Preparing Your System for Repack/Return ..........41 Disassembly and removal of rocket ............41 Switching your BRS system to another aircraft ..........45 Information for Emergency Personnel BRS™-6 System Parameters BRS Document: BRS™-6 Owner’s Manual - Model 600 thru 1800 Page 3 of 55 020000-01...
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Congratulations on the purchase of your new BRS-6 Emergency Parachute System. You have chosen what we believe to be the highest quality, most innovative product of its kind. With worldwide sales exceeding 20,000 units and over 180 saved lives to its credit, BRS has the most successful and popular systems available.
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If you have any questions or are unsure of any portion of this manual, please call or write before proceeding in error. BRS wishes for you to fully understand the proper use of the BRS system for your safety and that of your passengers.
Title to any BRS Unit(s) purchased under these terms and conditions shall remain with BRS until receipt of full payment by Buyer. Risk of loss of the BRS Unit(s) shall pass to Buyer at the time of delivery of such Unit(s) to a common carrier or Buyer’s delivery agent at the FOB (or ex-works) shipping point, which shall...
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Minnesota shall be the exclusive forum for any such actions or legal proceedings. In the event BRS is required to institute any action or legal proceeding to enforce any of the terms and conditions herein, BRS shall be entitled to recover all of its court costs and reasonable attorneys’ fees and other related costs, expenses and disbursements arising out of such legal proceedings in which BRS prevails.
Some aircraft owners may independently choose the parachute system they will buy. The BRS factory may not even be directly involved in the purchase of a unit, especially those obtained through dealers or second-hand from previous customers. The only way for customers to gain factory advice on the correct unit for a given aircraft is to consult the factory before accepting delivery.
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You can contact the BRS factory with the unit serial number at any time to find out what was originally shipped with the unit, when it was built, when it is due for service, etc. You may also find out if it is the correct parachute for your aircraft.
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Never point the BRS unit toward anyone—including you—at any time! Treat the BRS unit as a loaded gun! • Do not tamper with or attempt to modify or repair the BRS unit at any time. • Do not under any circumstances replace any missing items with materials obtained from another source unless approved by BRS.
BRS with your information so our customer database can be updated. BRS wants to help you get the most from your new BRS unit. One way the company can do so is to supply valuable information about upgrades and new safety features that are available.
While it is likely that using a BRS unit could indeed save your life (in some situations), it is not at all guaranteed to save you from injury or death, nor your airplane from damage.
The precise geometry of the canopy shape, positioning of the structural reinforcement and choice of materials are all adjusted for each particular application, striking a balance between opening characteristics, strength, stability and rate of descent. BRS Document: BRS™-6 Owner’s Manual - Model 600 thru 1800 Page 14 of 55 020000-01...
The Rocket Assembly All current BRS rocket motors use stored chemical energy in the form of a solid propellant to provide the thrust forces necessary to rapidly remove any enclosure cover and extract the parachute from its container. These rocket motors use a composite propellant, a heterogeneous mixture of ammonium perchlorate (AP) and aluminum powder (Al), the oxidizer and fuel.
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Figure 3: BRS-600/900 Rocket Diagram Rocket Motor Forward Igniter Bulkhead Aft Bulkhead Propellant Grains Motor Case Nozzle (3 for BRS-460) Figure 4: BRS-300/460 Rocket Diagram BRS Document: BRS™-6 Owner’s Manual - Model 600 thru 1800 Page 18 of 55 020000-01...
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Plunger Primers (2) Activation Cable Primary Ball Bearings Spring Boosters Igniter Body Normal Position Armed Position (Spring in compression) Firing Figure 5: Igniter Activation Diagram BRS Document: BRS™-6 Owner’s Manual - Model 600 thru 1800 Page 19 of 55 020000-01...
However, this means that a rocket shipped from BRS to a customer need never be returned to the factory for service, eliminating any owner difficulty in shipping hazardous goods.
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Proper installation of the activating housing and handle is imperative to proper operation. BRS owners should never tamper with the activation housing and handle assembly. The design intent of the assembly must be maintained for it to work properly. Any misassembled components could lead to serious injury or death.
The Bridles and Harnesses Bridle is a term that BRS uses in two ways. In some cases (ultralights only), it describes a single section of webbing between the riser (previously mentioned) and an attachment point on the aircraft. In all other cases, it describes a single section of webbing attaching the riser to a set of 2-4 harnesses, which are attached directly to multiple points on the aircraft.
In trying to streamline our production processes, BRS has chosen to deliver all canisters with the rocket at the 12 0’clock or top position (opposite modular mounting plate) and all softpacks with the rocket positioned horizontally.
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It is designed to recover the aircraft in life- threatening emergency situations, bringing the aircraft and occupants to the ground safely. Your BRS-6 system is activated by pulling on a T-shaped handle mounted within reach of the pilot and/or passengers.
NORMAL PROCEDURES Installation of a BRS system does not change the normal procedures necessary for safe operation of your aircraft. The following preflight procedures should be added to the normal aircraft preflight and all items should receive as much attention as any other part of your...
These scenarios do not represent all possible situations nor do they represent situations in which activation of the BRS system is the only option.
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If control can be recovered before the aircraft is in danger of ground impact, the pilot should do so and not deploy the BRS. If the airplane cannot be controlled, the pilot should activate the BRS system immediately.
KILL THE ENGINE It is very important to stop the engine before firing the BRS. While on some aircraft (tractor-mounted engines for example), engine shut-down is not mandatory, it is a valuable practice.
The first movement of the handle “arms” the system. The BRS unit is not an explosive waiting to go off. It must first be armed—or “cocked”— to put the system in readiness for detonation. Though you should feel no difference in handle pressures, the second action created by a generous pull of the handle is to release the hammer which will cause the rocket motor to ignite.
BRS canopy has very little directional control. As you will probably have very little chance to choose when to deploy your BRS, the combination of a unplanned deployment and lack of directional control will take you “wherever the wind blows you.”...
Once the aircraft has contacted the ground, and after you’ve checked for injuries that might be worsened by moving, plan to extricate yourself as quickly as possible. In some BRS Document: BRS™-6 Owner’s Manual - Model 600 thru 1800 Page 32 of 55...
5. Other Safety Item Suggestions As a company specializing in safety products for airplanes, BRS would be remiss in not also advising the use of related safety products. Three devices come to mind in conjunction with the BRS unit.
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Use added care to inform passengers to be careful around the activation handle. Do not “experiment” with your BRS system or fire it on the ground just to see if it works. People may be injured, property damaged, and thousands of dollars of expense will be incurred to repack the parachute and replace the rocket.
You are encouraged to contact the factory for any additional problems. If possible, BRS will assist you over the phone. If BRS cannot be sure of the required action, you may be asked to return your unit to the factory.
Planning ahead to remove and send in your unit during the months above can relieve frustration, have you better prepared as the flying season starts, get your unit back quicker, and save you money. Call BRS for the latest repack and service information.
If you believe you have moisture intrusion and possible damage, you should call the BRS factory. If you have a sealed canister or VLS unit, it was weighed before it left the factory and the weight is imprinted on a data plate and also within the cover of this manual.
BRS units (including rockets) are fabricated from either stainless steel or anodized aluminum. If you have a concern about corrosion, you should consult the BRS factory. It is very possible that factory personnel will request that you first send photos of the affected parts.
A hangar or other aircraft storage is optimal, but a simple opaque aircraft cover would be a wise investment. Any covering of the BRS unit must be removed before flight, or the unit may fail to perform properly (see “BRS Pre-Flight Checklist”).
Preparing Your System for Repack/Return For all BRS systems due for repack, it is no longer possible (or necessary) to return the rocket motor for service as customers do not have the proper authority to ship rockets and/or igniters. Current models all offer a user-removable rocket motor, so that once it is shipped from BRS as new, it should never be returned to the factory.
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Figure 9: Removal of BRS Activation Assembly from Rocket BRS Document: BRS™-6 Owner’s Manual - Model 600 thru 1800 Page 42 of 55 020000-01...
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Figure 10: Removal of Rocket Lanyards from Softpacks Figure 11: Removal of Rocket Lanyards from VLS or Canister BRS Document: BRS™-6 Owner’s Manual - Model 600 thru 1800 Page 43 of 55 020000-01...
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“U.S. Goods, Returned ” If you fail to do this, BRS may be assessed a duty charge, and if this cost cannot be reversed, BRS will have to pass this charge along to you the customer. If you have any...
Switching your BRS system to another aircraft One of many benefits of your BRS system is its generic adaptability to various aircraft. It is possible to switch your unit to another aircraft if you pay attention to two important details.
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SUMMARY... But Please Read the Entire Section The following summary provides the minimum steps to disarm a BRS rocket motor: 1. Locate the BRS parachute system by finding the RED activation handle and tracing it to the parachute pack. Note presence or absence of safety pin.
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The first thing emergency people may see is a red activation handle. This will be located near the seats, as it obviously must be close to the pilot. The red handle on BRS units will connect to a stainless steel activation cable which is routed inside of a thin, black, flexible housing that links the handle to the igniter.
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For larger systems (BRS-1350HS and larger), it is combination of a 3” diameter x 6 ½” long tube around the rocket and a 1 ¼” diameter x 4 ¼” long adapter tube where the activation cable connects.
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(BRS-300/460) are black in color. The rocket body for the larger rocket (BRS-600) is red in color. In either case, the activation cable/housing will lead right into a threaded nipple at the bottom of the launch tube and attach to the igniter.
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Now that you know a little more about what you are dealing with, the quickest and safest method of disabling the BRS systems is by severing the activation cable, preferably as close to the rocket launch tube as possible. Care must be taken, however, not to twist the housing while cutting it.
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Alone, separated from the igniter, the rocket poses very little danger, but it should be stored in a secure location. BRS will provide assistance for this effort, which can be obtained by calling 651-457-7491 during business hours, CST.
(1) All weights are approximate and include appropriate rocket. Overall system weights will increase with inclusion of activation assembly, mounting hardware, and attachment bridles. (2) All dimensions are approximate and do not include appropriate rocket, frame (softpack only), and rocket mount. BRS Document: BRS™-6 Owner’s Manual - Model 600 thru 1800 Page 53 of 55 020000-01...
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BRS Pre-Flight Checklist Remove any and all protective covers from the BRS unit i.e. plastic or other wrapping that may protect the unit from moisture between flights. Check service dates on data label for expiration Check security of airframe connections Inspect nylon tie wraps for UV damage.
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Ballistic Recovery Systems 300 Airport Road South St. Paul, MN 55075 Ph: (651) 457-7491 Fax: (651) 457-8651 Web: www.BRSparachutes.com...
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