I haven't had the fitting experience - but I have been investigating one for my trike.
My instructor has told me that their have been more deaths and injuries from accidental deployments and 'over-use', than lives saved by them being needed. i.e. re the 'over-use' he means deliberate deployments when there where other options to recover from the incident.. leading to crash landings into objects, water, etc.
So, if this is true, it becomes a bit of a disincentive to considering ballistics.
Also,theimporters (into Oz)of each of the two main brands no longer stock them - only bring them in to order; so you have to assume that the take-up rate is very low..
Having said that, I spent 2 years flying ultralights (trikes) in theU.S. -and EVERYONE has them. It seems that they have a lot more issues with mountain generated rotors and other strange climatic things in parts of the U.S. - But it's still interesting that it has been become an almost mandatory thing over there...
Any thoughts or views from others on the pros and cons??
Chris bushpilot