TheSR20 light aircraftfromCirrus Designscan land safely, even froma full spin, bypopping outa built-in emergency parachute. It's the f irst airplane designed to make a parachute landing that has been licensed by the US Federal Aviation Administration.

When the pilot pulls a lever in the cockpit, a rocket shoots out of the rear of the plane, trailing the parachute. To prevent thechutefromripping to shredsif the plane is moving at a high speed, a cloth slider moves down the cables, opening the parachute slowly.

Once the parachute is open, the plane settles to the ground at about 17 miles per hour (27 kph). When it touches down, thelanding gearis destroyed, punching up through the wing, but the people in the plane will not be injured.