RE: Plane saving device
We had a guy at my local club try this a few years ago but the chute was too small so it sort of acted like an airbrake. No idea if it's a workable idea in the light of day but it's interesting fom a theoretical point of view. I think the biggest mechanical challenge will be finding a single point on your plane somewhere near the CoG that's strong enough to hold stop plane without ripping itself out.