Actually, you can be fairly certain that if you deploy the chute, you will live, and most likely won't be injured at all.

There have been 30 deployments to date, and with the exception of the guy who deployed in a vertical dive above Vne (way above the design limits), the burn-up incident mentioned above, and a couple of very low level deployments (again, well below design limits) everyone else lived, and most received no injuries. I only wish the odds were that good in the ordinary forced landings.

http://www.cirruspilots.org/Content/CAPSHistory.aspx

Maybe so in a Cirrus, but an airplane chute still seems odd to me.

I thought it was an expletive...

Chute, I hate it when that happens!

thank you for correcting my innacurate information. as for the 2nd video with the crash and fire, HOLY CRAP!!!!

Yes, the second video is no chute, it was a stall or stall/spin. I wanted to show everyone what happens with a Cirrus on smack down.

I have discovered 4 use cases for the chute:

1. incapacitation of the pilot - there have been saves by the non pilots
2. Engine failure over terrain that isn't suitable to glide the plane down
3. Disorientation which result in the aircraft being put into an unusual attitude
4. Midair

I would say all but incapacitation can be dealt with and risk managed through good ongoing training and appropriate decision making.

There have been saves down to ~800' AGL. In general though it won't save your bacon at pattern altitude and it comes back to good training and using the tools available in the plane e.g. autopilots.

As for chute costs: The original Cirrus G1's are expensive because they have to pop/cut the fiberglass, reseal, and repaint. G2's and on will be less because it can be done through the cabin. There was also a non compete between Cirrus and BRS. This has expired and BRS will start repacks which will run in the $4-5k by estimates.

All said, the chute has opened the door to more people to fly with me, whether there is any gained safety or not. As many on the Cirrus board have said, the chute is to keep the wife quiet.