brs systems.

[stevfire2]

what is your policy on brs systems, in particular if there are P.O.B. and the system has not been deployed, but the airframe is damaged, and the brs may be ready to fire ?

[fearless firefighter fred from fife]

Very Good Question Posted by stevfire2

There was some banter on here before on a thread labelled Balistic Parachutes

I have done a lot of research into these hazards and "Our Airport Policy" is to try to stablise, snatch and run

We have the equipment to cut the firing cable if we can get inside the damb thing

Local Authority protocol is to leave it well alone and call for us to come along and have a look at it

All well and good until it is on the side of a mountain an hour away from the airport!!

[stevfire2]

thanks fred,
               as we have no training in disarming the system, our policy is that  we will not enter the aircraft if we believe it has sustained  damage that may mean  the brs could fire. we would place the area from wingtip to wingtip, to 200 feet rearwards, out of bounds,and have to call in cirrus. 

[Chunty]

We do train in disarming the BRS system and have procured the correct tool for cutting the cable and are able to perform the function of dismantling the primer housing to completely remove the cable if necessary. I also attended a session with Mike Busch from the Cirrus Corp. who showed us how he completely dismantles and disposes of the reefing line cutters, shotgun primer and solid propellant (thermite) in the field. However we haven't trained to do this ourselves and don't have the equipment to do so.

We do have an inert version of the system to train with and can install this in training rigs for exercise purposes, and I think it only a matter of time until we progress on to complete removal/disposal. Mike Busch will attend any incident worldwide to dispose of these items and we have direct dial dedicated numbers for contacting this department of the Cirrus Corp. in such cases, but I wouldn't think they would accept any responsibility for doing so at an incident that didn't involve a Cirrus aircraft. There are a couple of DVD's produced by Cirrus for the information of emergency responders but to be honest neither of them go deep enough and when questioned about this Mike explained to me that this is deliberate so that Cirrus do not expose themselves to any liability were an individual attempt to duplicate technical advice and get hurt in the process.

I was also under the impression that within the UK, Ron Parry of BAA is the only person certified by Cirrus to perform this function and I know he has done one at Goodwood (I think) in the last eighteen months.

What should be born in mind is that BRS is a company name not a product specification and they are not the only manufacturer of these types of equipment and each type differs in set up and hazard potential but may be labelled with a different or misleading title.

We have covered this in detail since our airfield became host to the UK's first final assembly and distribution plant for the Cirrus range almost three years ago, but we haven't had need to use it operationally so far.

If anyone needs further info don't hesitate to contact me at a1fireaviation@btinternet.com, I am SAFO at both the Isle of Wight's airports and also serve as RDS in IOW Fire & Rescue Service and have provided information and awareness training to local brigade crews on this issue because it should never be under-estimated and I am sure these devices shall become more widely used and more varied in type and operation, all of which multiplies both the possibility of and the potential for such a device to catch one of us out someday.