Comment

Comment by Patrick Hoyt on January 9, 2013 at 11:10am

Front attachments are on the upper engine mount brackets (these brackets came from the factory).

I fabricated the rear attachments from .050 mild steel sheet, and they are located at the intersection of the baggage compartment floor and the 6B5-6 Upright Channels (ie, they're behind the seats).

Routing of the actual kevlar straps is internal, along the sides of the fuselage.  Painted (and fiberglass) airplanes typically route them externally.  I covered the straps with shrink wrap tube, and then attached velcro, which in turn attaches the straps to the interior side of the longeron doublers 6B16-4 (and allows for them to be removable).

Practically speaking, if I ever had to deploy the BRS it would rip the entire canopy off, and it is possible that the straps would also take my head off (the passenger is in a safer position as far as the routing of the straps go).  It would have be be a very serious situation for me to deploy the BRS.

I too was under pressure from my family to install this.  If I were ever to deploy it, it would be a true life or death situation.  My wife's concern was what she would do if we were ever flying together and I had a heart attack.  The plan there is "steer towards where there is people, and then pull the red handle".  She's not a pilot, and realistically is unlikely to be proficient enough to do everything needed to find an airport, and land the airplane in any kind of emergency situation.

Will be happy to show it to you.  You fly out of Lake Elmo, right?  That's outside my Phase 1 area, but I'd be happy to fly up there when I'm completed with Phase 1.  Or else you could visit one of the EAA Chapter 25 meetings (next one is Wednesday, Jan 16th) at Lakeville.  My airplane is in the EAA hanger and you could get a good look at anything you want, and I'd be there to answer any questions.

Comment by Rebecca Anne Shipman on January 9, 2013 at 9:30am

I like your BRS location.  My family is pushing for me to install one, and I have a 650b w/ Corvair as well.  May I ask where you made the BRS strap attachment points?

Comment by Steven Ward on February 17, 2012 at 11:06pm

Very nice!  Thats an interesting place for the BRS, I've seen it placed on the rear luggage back before. Thats a good piece of mind!