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A ballistic parachute, ballistic reserve parachute, or emergency ballistic reserve parachute is a parachute ejected from the casing via a small explosion, much like that used in an ejection seat. The advantage of the ballistic parachute over a conventional parachute is that it ejects the parachute canopy causing it to open rapidly, this makes it ideal for attaching to small aircraft, hang-gliders and microlights where an emergency situation may occur in close proximity to the ground. In such a situation a conventional parachute would not open quickly enough.
In 1982 Comco Ikarus developed the FRS rocket-launched parachute system for its ultralight and hanglider aircraft. In 1998 Cirrus Aircraft provided the first ballistic parachutes as standard equipment on their line of type certified aircraft, the Cirrus SR20.