How does the Cirrus Parachute System Work? Inside the fuselage of the Cirrus is an 80 foot diameter parachute. In the event of an engine failure over water or high ground where you can’t guarantee a safe landing, you pull a red handle in the cockpit ceiling. It fires a rocket which punches-out a panel in the fuselage. The rocket pulls the parachute outside of the aeroplane and it opens up in a staged deployment. It’ll essentially hold the aircraft in a cradle of straps, one of which goes back in