Federal Aviation Administration 

National Part 139 CertAlert 

**Advisory**Cautionary**Non-Directive**Advisory**Cautionary**Non-Directive**Advisory**Cautionary**Non-Directive**

Date: 7/29/2013 No. 13-04

To: Part 139 Airport Operators, All Aircraft Rescue and Fire Fighting 

(ARFF) Departments

Subject: Additional Precautions for Approaching Aircraft with Ballistic 

Parachutes, Ejection Seats, and Airbags

Point of Contact: Marc Tonnacliff, AAS-310, (202) 267-8732, or 

Email: marc.tonnacliff@faa.gov

1. Purpose. This CertAlert notifies airport management and ARFF personnel about the additional

precautions necessary to safely deal with unfired rocket-deployed emergency parachute systems,

sometimes called ballistic parachutes; aircraft equipped with explosive ejection seats; and airbag systems

located in General Aviation aircraft.

2. Cancellation. This CertAlert cancels CertAlert 04-13, Rocket-Deployed Emergency Parachute

Systems, dated October 28, 2004.

3. Recommended Actions.

a. The FAA recommends that airport operators review this updated information and provide it to the

ARFF departments and other first responders involved in mutual aid operations with the airport. 

b. The FAA recommends that airport operators include the information below in their ARFF

department and other first responders’ comprehensive annual training plan. 

Rocket-Deployed Emergency Parachute Systems 

While there are several manufacturers of ballistic parachute systems on the market, the BRS Inc. 

system is common. Other common brands are Pioneer, Second Chantz, Advanced Ballistic 

Systems, Galaxy, and GQ Security. 

The BRS whole aircraft recovery system is designed for pilots who believe that in some 

circumstances, safe landings may be difficult if not impossible. Even with these systems, 

however, the pilot does not always have the opportunity to deploy them before impact. If the 

impact is notably violent, the system will likely fire as a result of airframe breakup or distortion, 

but this does not always occur. If crash forces do not activate the parachute system, the system’s 

rocket remains very much alive and is capable of being fired. 
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A keen eye and training can help the first responder identify the presence of a BRS system and 

then carefully render it harmless if necessary. The FAA makes available several resources about 

these systems for first responders: 

 BRS Ballistic Parachutes: Information for Emergency Personnel. Emergency personnel

can refer to this document (originally published with CertAlert 04-13 and attached below)

at the scene of an aviation incident.

 Accident Scene Safety with Rocket-Deployed Emergency Parachute. Provided by BRS,

this overview describes how best to manage BRS systems. It is available on the FAA’s

ARFF web page at

http://www.faa.gov/airports/airport_safety/aircraft_rescue_fire_fighting/.

 Module 4: Ballistic Parachute System Familiarization. This video is available on the

FAA’s First Responder Safety at a Small Aircraft or Helicopter Accident web page at

http://www.faa.gov/aircraft/gen_av/first_responders/ and on

http://www.faa.gov/airports/airport_safety/aircraft_rescue_fire_fighting/.

Explosive Ejection Seats 

You can use the following resources to learn more about explosive ejection seats: 

 U.S. Navy Global Customer Support Team Lead

Phone: (301) 757-0187

Email: airworthiness@navy.mil

 U.S. Air Force Technical Order 00-105E-9, Aerospace Emergency Rescue and Mishap

Response Information (Emergency Services). See https://docslib.org/doc/9501141/

to-00-105e-9-technical-manual-aerospace-emergency-rescue-and-mishap-responseinformation-emergency-services.

 Tom Stemphoski

Phone: (850) 283-6150

Email: tom.stemphoski@tyndall.af.mil

HQ AFCESA/CEXF

139 Barnes Drive, Suite 1

Tyndall AFB, FL 32403-5319

General Aviation Airbag Systems 

You can view information on airbag systems used in general aviation aircraft on the 

FAA’s website. See “Module 5: Systems and Material Hazards for Rescuers” at 

http://www.faa.gov/aircraft/gen_av/first_responders/ or 

http://www.faa.gov/airports/airport_safety/aircraft_rescue_fire_fighting/.
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4. Availability. You can access this CertAlert and related information on the FAA’s ARFF web page 

under the CertAlert and First Responder sections at 

http://www.faa.gov/airports/airport_safety/aircraft_rescue_fire_fighting/. 

___________________________ 

Brian Rushforth, Manager 

Airport Safety and Operations Division, AAS-300 
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SUMMARY... But Please Read the Entire Article

The following summary provides the minimum steps to disarm a BRS rocket motor:

1. Locate the BRS parachute system by finding the parachute pack (see photo of container 

types). NOTE: Keep in mind that a badly broken apart airplane may have already put the 

activating housing into a stretched state that may be close to firing.

2. Identify the rocket motor launch tube (photos inside). Note where the activating 

housing attaches to the base of the launch tube.

3. Cut the activating housing at the base of the launch tube using a Felco-brand cutter 

(identified within) or equivalent.

4. Remove the still-live rocket motor to a secure place and contact BRS for further 

directions about permanently disabling the rocket motor.

BRS Ballistic Parachutes: 

Information for Emergency Personnel 

Airplane crashes are rather rare events, thankfully. This helps illustrate that aircraft, 

whether commercial airliners, general aviation aircraft or recreational sport planes, are 

generally quite safe when flown by competent pilots. 

However, the rare nature of these crashes also means that those who arrive first at the 

scene of an accident (rescue workers, investigating officers, fire fighters, and other safety 

personnel) may be overwhelmed or not recognize the parts of the aircraft particularly well. 

One potential hazard rescue workers may encounter is an unfired rocket-deployed 

emergency parachute system (sometimes called a ballistic parachute). While these 

devices are intended to save lives, they have the potential to cause injuries or even death to 

rescue workers. 

An emergency call takes you to the scene of an aircraft accident. Victims inside may be 

injured. You want to act quickly but people at the scene warn you about a rocket-deployed 

parachute installed on this airplane. The pilot did not activate the safety device and now you 

may find yourself working on or near the airplane with its ballistic device still ready to fire. 

You want to help the victims, but you don't want to harm yourself or others around you. 

Perhaps the occupants escaped without serious injury and may be out of the plane. But the 

wreckage must be dealt with and a damaged aircraft with a ballistically-deployed parachute 

can be lethal. What do you do? 

In the hope of preventing a secondary tragedy, this article attempts to answer the questions 

facing emergency personnel. 
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What Does "Ballistic" Mean?

The term ballistic in this context has nothing to do with guns or ammunition. Instead it 

refers to a means of extracting a parachute. For Ballistic Recovery Systems (BRS) today, 

this means a rocket-deployed emergency parachute system. 

Used as intended, these BRS-brand 

emergency parachute systems have saved 

over 165 lives. More correctly stated - 

they save lives if used. However, the pilot 

must elect to deploy the system, 

completely different than, say, an airbag 

which deploys automatically when certain 

conditions develop. Because the pilot (or 

his passenger) must pull the activating 

handle, sometimes the units are not used. 

The pilot may have felt he could rescue 

the plane from its predicament. Or he may have been unable to deploy for physical or other 

reasons, such as being at very low altitude. Regardless of why a ballistic parachute was not 

used, the fact remains for safety personnel that when handling an accident where a BRS 

unit was not deployed, a potentially dangerous device now confronts them. 

How Dangerous Are They? 

The rocket motors are ignited by pulling 

an activation handle in the cockpit. They 

then accelerate to over 100 mph in the 

first tenth of a second after ignition. While 

the total firing period is only one second, 

someone in the path of an escaping rocket 

could be seriously injured or killed. These 

are powerful rockets (about 11⁄2-2 inches 

diameter and 8-10 inches long) that work 

very efficiently. At left is a test of a Cirrus 

system showing the 55 pound parachute 

pack being pulled by the rocket motor. 

This is a fraction of a second after ignition. 

 

The danger to safety personnel may now 

be more obvious. A rescue worker who disregards the position of the ballistic parachute 

system, or who moves the aircraft without determining the existence of a ballistic parachute 

system may put him or herself in considerable jeopardy. BRS has worked with NTSB and 

FAA personnel, as well as rescue personnel throughout the country and around the world. 

We have assembled this information for safety personnel to disarm these systems, but 

caution is required. 
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COMPONENT DESCRIPTION/INSTALLATION DIAGRAMS

A BRS unit is comprised of four major elements: Activation Handle, Activation Cable or 

Housing, Rocket Motor Assembly and Parachute Container.

The first thing emergency people will see may be a red firing handle. This will usually be 

located near the seats, as it must be close to the pilot. The red firing handle will connect to 

the activation housing, the flexible cable that links the firing handle to the igniter. 

In the picture below, see that each handle is secured with a safety pin. This is to remain 

with the handle until the aircraft departs for flight. The pilot should then remove the pin. A 

first step for first responders is to place some type of 3/16 inch pin or rod into the 

handle holder. This provides some measure of security as you proceed to further disarm 

the system. 
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PARACHUTE CONTAINERS 

The parachute may be housed in a fabric covering called a softpack, in a fiberglass box 

called a VLS (vertical launch system), or a white aluminum canister. Each of the various 

container types may be mounted in a variety of locations, according to aircraft design.

At right is the BRS Canister system, 

very commonly used in a wide 

variety of ultralight, experimental 

and sport aircraft. They come in 

sizes for aircraft ranging from 500 to 

1200 pounds GTW. Below are the 

softpack and VLS systems. 

CIRRUS

The photo at left shows the Cirrus

parachute installed into its stowage 

area, located just behind the baggage 

compartment. It is normally covered 

by a sheet metal panel and interior 

trim. The rocket motor is mostly 

hidden behind the aluminum beam; 

the igniter is visible in the upper right 

center as a black cylinder. The Cirrus 

parachute is contained within a heavy 

nylon bag, so it is a softpack by 

definition. 
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CIRRUS 

This illustration shows the routing 

of the activation cable in a Cirrus 

SR20 or SR22 aircraft. 

Unfortunately, it is covered 

entirely by headliner panels. The 

best place to expose the cable is 

just aft of the baggage door, near 

the upper right corner. 

Cessna 172 

 Top View Interior View Activating Cable 

The above three photos show the location of the parachute canister and rocket in the 

Cessna 172. The aluminum parachute canister (large box) is in the left rear of the baggage 

area, as viewed from the front seats. The rocket is on the left of the parachute canister; the 
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activation cable runs down to the floorboard, under a 

cover, then forward to the activation handle, located near 

the fuel selector. 

At left, the C172 rocket and igniter with the plastic cover 

having been removed. Inside the launch tube resides the 

rocket motor, shown below. The rocket motor is secured 

to the igniter base by three 10-32 nylon screws which 

fracture at firing. 

Here is another perspective of the C172 rocket with 

cover removed. It is just a few inches below the rear 

window, which it will readily break through when fired. 

This is a close up of the BRS 900 rocket motor, 

common to both Cessna and Cirrus installations. 

It produces roughly 225 pounds of thrust over a 

1.2 second burn time and must be respected. It 

burns solid propellant derived from military 

formulations and is very resistant to accidental 

initiation. 

Cessna 182 

Top View, thru window Top View, inside Handle Box 
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Many of the design elements of the newer, 

C182 ballistic parachute system are very 

similar to its predecessor, the C172. The 

canister is rotated 90 degrees and the 

rocket is located aft of the canister, 

however, the activation cable is still 

relatively accessible prior to being covered 

on the floorboard. The best way to reach 

the cable would be through the left side 

baggage door, if possible. As shown here, 

the rocket motor and igniter are covered by 

the upper and lower rocket shields, which 

are intended to protect the components 

from bumping. To gain access to the cable, 

perform the following steps: 

1. Using a Phillips screwdriver, remove 

the two 8-32 screws securing the left 

side of the lower rocket shield 

2. Place force on the shield in an effort 

to move it away from the parachute 

canister. Even though there are two 

more screws on the right side, it 

should fracture and may then be 

pushed out of the way. 

3. You will then see the igniter and the 

activation cable, as at left. 

4. Using the Felco cutter, or equivalent, 

proceed to cut the cable 1” – 2” from 

the end. 

5. The rocket has now been rendered 

safe, and it may be removed for 

disposal or safe storage. 

Note: This photo shows the routing of the 

activation cable between the front seats in 

either C172 or C182 installs. It is partially 

protected by aluminum channel, as you see 

in the right of the photo. Aluminum tape is 

also used to secure the cable to the floor. 

For any reason, should you be unable to 

access the cable near the igniter, this is a 

secondary point of access. 
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HISTORICAL NOTES: 

ROCKET OR DROGUE GUN? 

In 1987, a determination was made that a solid propellant rocket motor was the best 

choice to extract the parachute. It is, therefore, increasingly unlikely that emergency 

personnel will encounter the older systems which employed a device called a drogue gun. 

The drogue gun is basically a small cannon which fires a heavy weight using a propellant 

charge. Both systems, however, will be located very near the parachute; and both are 

disarmed using these techniques. 

CHANGES TO THE ACTIVATION HOUSING (CABLE) 

 

The activation housing on BRS units has changed over the years. The material formerly was 

a flexible, spiral-wound, bright silver stainless tube of about a half inch diameter. Later this 

became a braided material similar in appearance and size. The newest models use a black 

plastic exterior that resembles a bicycle brake cable. 

AT THE SCENE

Rescue personnel should first determine the existence of a BRS-brand unit. You can scan 

for a company logo, often placed on the outside of the aircraft. Or you can look for the unit 

itself. The containers, which hold the parachute canopy, will always have a company logo on 

them. A few other brands exist, but overwhelmingly, you will encounter the BRS product. 

Locate the parachute container, rocket, activation cable (housing) assembly and activation 

handle.

The activation housing, again, joins the firing handle on one end to the rocket motor on the 

other. Pulling either end away from one another can fire the unit. Normally the 

handle and the parachute unit will be mounted securely, but as stated above, in an 

accident, positions may change. Rescue workers, police officers, and fire fighters should 

initially exercise extreme care when working around these systems, especially if the airplane 

is severely broken up or the activation cable appears to be tightly stretched. 

 

Examine the parachute container. Alongside the parachute container will be a 2-inch 

diameter black, silver or white tube about 10 inches in length. This is called the launch 

tube and it contains the rocket motor. In Cessna installations, the rocket is further covered 

by a rectangular plastic or fiberglass cover. 

A rocket motor assembly consists of 

two principle parts: The launch body, 

which will leave the launch tube when 

fired; and the igniter, which remains in 

the launch tube after ignition. The 

launch tube on newer units is covered 

with a plastic cap while on certain 

older models it remained open. 
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Cirrus/Cessna Rocket Sport Launch Tube Sport Launch Body 

HAS THE ROCKET FIRED? 

If the airframe has experienced significant breakup, there is a very good chance that the 

rocket motor has been initiated. Telltale signs of this would be the parachute canopy 

extracted from it’s container, the rocket motor no longer in the launch tube, a burned 

appearance on the lanyards joining the rocket motor to the parachute or being unable to 

locate the rocket motor at all. A rocket motor that has separated from the igniter poses no 

significant hazard, unless it is exposed to fire. Experience has shown that a rocket motor 

subjected to high temperatures will not ignite in a normal manner and launch. Rather, they 

have been observed to burst in a relatively non-threatening display. 

After a determination is made that the rocket is live, under no circumstances 

should rescue personnel place any part of their person in front of the launch tube. 

Clear a 90 degree area in front of the rocket motor, extending 100 feet out, if 

possible. 

THE IGNITER ASSEMBLY 

The rocket motor igniter is NOT an armed, hair-trigger device. It requires a deliberate pull 

of about 30-40 pounds to cock and fire the system. Both cocking and firing are 

accomplished by one pull of the handle. Because of the design, the handle will come free of 

the handle holder and travel roughly two inches unimpeded. Then, the compressing of the 

spring commences. At that point, the system needs only about one-half inch of 

additional movement to ignite.

Under certain circumstances, crash forces may physically separate the rocket from the 

igniter. This separation alone greatly reduces risks. The igniter contains two shotgun 

primers and a small amount of black powder/magnesium mix and the output is a loud 

report and a flash of flame. This could cause minor injury, but it is not particularly 

dangerous. Should one encounter this scenario, cutting the activating cable is still desirable. 

SEVERING THE ACTIVATION CABLE 

BRS STRONGLY RECOMMENDS using a Felco-brand C.16 cutter (part number 39601-63-

00). This can be obtained from various sources, including Sanlo Manufacturing Co. (219-

879-0241). Greenlee Company, Div. of Textron, manufactures similar products made 

specifically for cutting cables, which can be viewed on line at:

https://www.greenlee.com. Greenlee offers several catalog numbers that would work well, 

including 704,705,706,718 or 727.
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This photo shows the Felco cutter being used to 

sever one of the older style stainless steel cable 

assemblies. 

NOTE: DO NOT ATTEMPT TO CUT THE 

ACTIVATION HOUSING WITH AN 

ORDINARLY BOLT CUTTER! A bolt cutter is 

NOT effective at cutting the cable housing. The 

Felco or Greenlee brand cutters gather the 

cable and work with surprising ease. Care must 

be taken, however, not to twist the housing 

while cutting it. This cutter makes a worthy addition to any rescue organization's standard 

tool box. It has also proven useful for cutting fences, steel cables, and other obstacles which 

may prevent workers from reaching the scene of an accident or freeing occupants. 

Using the diagrams and information presented here, locate a point in the activation cable 

located near the igniter, then cut it using the Felco or Greenlee cutter. Once the housing is 

severed, the system is rendered relatively harmless and rescue workers should face no 

further danger handling the accident victims or aircraft wreckage. 

ATTACHMENT TO THE AIRFRAME 

Worth mentioning are the mounting hardware components and attachment bridles which 

connect parachute to aircraft. Made from nylon or Kevlar, the bridles connect the canopy to 

designated points on the fuselage. Conceivably, it may be necessary to remove the bridles 

to gain access to components or injured parties. A sharp knife, or your Felco cutter, may be 

used to sever them if required. 

DISPOSTION OF ROCKET MOTOR 

Later, after immediate concerns have been addressed, emergency workers are advised to 

remove the rocket motor and to completely disarm it by removing the rocket fuel, and firing 

the igniter. BRS will provide assistance for this effort, which can be obtained by calling 651-

457-7491 during business hours, CST. Alone, separated from the igniter, the rocket poses 

very little danger, but it should be stored in a secure location. 

ALTERNATIVES 

Some agencies that BRS have communicated with take a very conservative position 

regarding how best to handle an unfired rocket. They feel that this is work best left to the 

local bomb squad. We leave such decisions entirely up to the individuals in charge at the 

scene. However, if the above steps are followed and normal precautions observed, we feel 

that disarming the system can be safely accomplished by emergency personnel without 

undue risk. 

A CAUTION AND DISCLAIMER 

While the advice above should prevent problems for safety personnel in most situations, the 

instructions given apply to BRS brand products only. BRS dominates the U.S. market, so 

encountering other systems is unlikely. However other brands called Pioneer, Second 

Chantz, Advanced Ballistic Systems, Galaxy, or GQ Security have been sold in the past. 

While these systems are similar, they are not identical. BRS can provide no information on 

how to disarm these systems.