CIRRUS AIRCRAFT PILOT EXPERIENCES PARACHUTE ‘SAVE’ CAPS

Deployment a Success During Medical Emergency DULUTH, MINN. (July 13, 2005)

– “Don’t buy a single-engine airplane that isn’t equipped with a parachute – that’s why I bought a CIRRUS in the first place.” These words came from relieved CIRRUS aircraft pilot and owner Ilan Reich after his successful parachute deployment on June 30th near Haverstraw, New York. Reich, 50, suffered an in-flight seizure and experienced a brief loss of consciousness (later found to be the result of an undiagnosed benign brain tumor) before making the decision to use the innovative safety feature called CAPS. CAPS or CIRRUS Airframe Parachute System is a unique whole-airframe parachute device that comes installed as a standard feature with every CIRRUS airplane.

“We’re just very happy,” said CIRRUS co-founder and executive vice-president Dale Klapmeier, “that the parachute recovery system did its job and that Mr. Reich was able to safely recover from a very serious and potentially life-threatening situation.

” Alan Klapmeier, CIRRUS co-founder and CEO, said; “Sometimes people see the parachute recovery system as a last-ditch option to use in case the pilot makes a mistake. What Ilan Reich’s deployment illustrates is that even the chance freak occurrence can happen to any pilot – so why not have that ultimate safety option available to you?” In October of 2002, CIRRUS made aviation history with the first successful deployment of any FAA certified airplane using a ballistic recovery system or CAPS. In the nearly three years since the first CAPS deployment, the device has been credited with saving the lives of nine CIRRUS pilots and passengers.

Ballistic Recovery Systems (BRS) is the manufacturer of the rocket-propelled CIRRUS parachute – the innovative safety device that launches and opens in less than one second. Worldwide, BRS parachute systems are credited with saving the lives of 179 people.

ABOUT CIRRUS Cirrus Design Corporation manufactures and markets composite personal aviation aircraft, incorporating advanced technologies that result in high levels of performance, safety and comfort. Cirrus Design Corporation based in Duluth, Minnesota, has an additional manufacturing facility in Grand Forks, North Dakota, 12 Regional Offices in the United States and sales agents strategically located throughout the world.