How does the aircraft descend after the parachute is activated? What attitude?
A. When the rocket is first activated, the system is designed to sharply pitch up the aircraft. Doing so uses the aircraft’s wings and fuselage to aid in slowing the forward motion. It also reduces loads applied to both airframe and parachute canopy. In a very short time, the aircraft will cease any swinging and stabilize under the now fully opened canopy at zero-forward airspeed. Once stabilized, the aircraft will descend in a flight level attitude with the nose slightly lower than the tail. On reaching the ground, the nosewheel generally will touch down first.
