Is a Cirrus' parachute system marketing fluff? ... So what do I mean by that provocative question... It can't be used during takeoff or landing... so when would it be usable, in normal flight. But then why would it be needed vice attempting a glide landing? Is a Cirrus inherently unstable enough to be unflyable without power? or is there something else that causes a parachute system to be needed?

@CGCampbell Imagine the only places in glide distance are inhospitable rocky, mountainous, or tree covered terrain. Or, imagine you get in a mid-air collision and lose a wing. Or, imagine it's night time and you can't really even see the ground to make a good decision about where to land. Even a landing in what you might consider a suitable emergency landing site is likely to flip the plane and cause injuries. There are lots of reasons to use it, and lots of reasons people have used it.

I would also note that a Cirrus has thin laminar flow wings that don't generate a ton of lift. It has a pretty high best-glide speed for a small plane (around 95 knots), which translates to less time to make decisions.

@BretCopeland ahh, thank you