eastmeg2

Can anyone confirm that a ballistic chute was deployed?

I also carry a GRS450 on my trike which, being the trike type is designed for quick deployement and inflation, less than 2 seconds. The assumption is made that a trike with a crumpled wing won't fall faster than 140km/h and the trike type GRS chute is design for deployments up to 160km/h airspeed.

However for faster 3 axis aircraft like a Sting ar predicted to be able to fall faster than 160km/h with a strctural failure the ballistic chutes are designed to open more slowly in air speeds up to 240km/h (from memory) with sliding rings moving gradually up the lines to prevent the chute from fully opening too quickly, to keep the G-Forces down to a surviveable level and not tear the aircraft completely apart by opening too quickly. Apparently they can take up to 6 seconds to fully open and this may have made the critical difference.

I happen to have a set of those leather microphone mufs from Peter. I suppose you probably have yours by now too, but though it was worth saying how much they really do cut down the wind noise coming through the mike into the intercom in my trike, especially if you cover the little hole with your lip like Peter recommends.

Well since this thread has gone on for so long, it seems the longest I've come across on this site so far. Here's my 2 cents worth.

Have been flying trikes for 6 years now and riding road bikes for 10 years next month.

Started off with a GPX250 -> CBR600 -> ZX9R -> ER5 (Commuting) -> Currently riding a 2004 Honda CB900 (Best comprimise between the ZX9R and the ER5). The ZX9R will never be forgoten. It could do 125km/h in 1st gear after about 4 seconds, but hard to tell as space and time were warped by then. The only machine that ever pulled away from it was a GSXR1000 down the main straight at Eastern Creek the one time I took it to a track day, oh and a Subaru WRX off the lights in the middle of Sydney CBD but have to admit I didn't try as it simply was not the place to be doing that kind of thing.

Anyone going to see the Philip Island World Superbikes in March? I haven't been there on the bike since Nov 2002 and looks like my old group and I may be going again.