ECN-22193
A close-up photo of the spin chute mounted on the rear fuselage of the Advanced Fighter Technology Integration (AFTI) F-16, a safety device designed to prevent the loss of aircraft in spin conditions. Under some circumstances, pilots cannot recover from spins using normal controls. It these instances, the spin chute is deployed, thus “breaking” the spin and enabling the pilot to recover. The spin chute was held in a metal cylinder attached to the AFTI F-16 by four tubes, a structure strong enough to withstand the shock of the spin chute opening. Unlike the air probe in the last photo, spin chutes were not standard equipment on research or prototype aircraft but are commonly attached expressly for actual spin tests.December 22, 1982NASA Photo / › F-16 AFTI Project Description