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STATUS OF VIGIL AAD in RI PRODUCTS

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From RI Website:

As of this date, Rigging Innovations DOES NOT approve the installation and/or use of the Vigil AAD in any RI product.
The manufacturer of the Vigil AAD has taken upon themselves to authorize the installation of the Vigil AAD in any Cypres ready or approved harness and container system. This is in opposition to the FAA and the harness and container manufacturer. In accordance with AC105-2C, the AAD installation must be approved by the FAA as part of the harness and container TSO data package. There are certain technical issues that have been identified and need to be resolved before RI can authorize the use of the Vigil in any RI product.

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RI is correct: it is up to the h/c manufacturers to approve AAD installations, not the AAD manufacturers. There are still unresolved issues, even in rigs approved for Vigil installation, so RI is well within its rights to withhold approval.

The recent Vigil cutter SB illustrates one such issue; Vigil's cutter redesign should fix that problem, but that's in the future, not now.

A second issue has to do with the vinyl control unit pockets. The pockets supplied free of charge by Airtec to h/c manufacturers are too small for the velcro to mate around the cable to the slightly larger Vigil control unit, even on RWS rigs (and even though there is a very close relationship between Vigil-USA and RWS).

Finally, there is an ethical/moral issue. Airtec has supplied Cypres installation kits free of charge to the h/c manufacturers (agreed: it was also good marketing), and has gone to considerable expense to ensure proper functioning and safety of each particular installation. Vigil is a free rider on that testing, and is a free rider on use of Cypres pockets, cable housings/routings/sleeves, cutter holders, and control unit pockets. Argus will be, too. (I hope these issues can be resolved; when a customer changes from Vigil to Cypres or vice versa, I don't want to be replacing pockets with identical pockets except for different logo.)

Mark

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Sounds like RI doesn't much like the Vigil, or the company. Wonder how they feel about the Argus.



I don't believe it's a kind of "They don't like the vigil" or "they do like it". It's just safety! If something will happen with the vigil-cutter on a RI-Container (see last Vigil-SBB|), People will not only look to the AAD!


RI start to make the approval-Tests for the Argus this month. We will get an answer this summer! ;)

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Without defending Vigil, I ask, did RI withold the same approval when Airtec had issues with the Cypres 1 unit?



I'm guessing you are referring to the accidental Cypres firings because of radio frequency interference.

As you know, the answer is "no, RI did not."

I suppose an argument could be made that the accidental Cypres fires were comparable to the unintended Vigil cutter plastic insert cracking and cutting closing loops (though a better comparison would be RF Cypres fires and static electricity Vigil fires, and the response of each company to those situations was similar).

That still leaves the technical issue of control unit fit, and the ethical issue of riding on someone else's intellectual effort.

Mark

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That still leaves the technical issue of control unit fit, and the ethical issue of riding on someone else's intellectual effort.

Mark



>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Plagarism is rampant in the skydiving industry.
For example - 15 years ago - Rigging Innovations was the only factory building harnesses with hip rings. Now I challenge you to name a factory that does not offer hip rings.

Hee!
Hee!

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Just curious, how was the issue of using Cypres pouch's addressed when the Astra came out?

Or was that the Astra didn't offer the same competition to the cypres that the Vigil does.

Also, did the Astra seek approval like the vigil is being asked to do? Is the astra affected by this? I have some Astras on the DZ, maybe a call to the manufacturers is in order.
I would rather be a superb meteor, every atom of me in magnificent glow, than a sleepy and permanent planet.

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Sounds like RI doesn't much like the Vigil, or the company. Wonder how they feel about the Argus.



Don't know about RI, but Karel, the owner of Argus, was at the Wings factory with units for fitting and testing not too long back to ensure there were no problems with his units in regard to installation in Wings containers. As far as I am aware, there were no issues to prevent their installation.

I expect that if he's done that for us, then he'll repeat that effort with the other manufacturers.

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Without defending Vigil, I ask, did RI withold the same approval when Airtec had issues with the Cypres 1 unit?



RI had issues with Airtec over the placement of the battery/ processer pack. Sandy was adament that the unit be placed on the pack tray and Helmut was equally adament that it be placed on the reserve vertical wall. They went round and round on this issue for months, Sandy's position was (correctly) that the H/C mfg had jurisdiction over how the AAD would be installed in their product. Eventually they resolved their respective issues, as far as witholding approval I don't think there was ever any official stand on that issue. Remember the CYPRES was the only AAD of it's type during this period so everything was new and unproven about it.


Mick.

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Without defending Vigil, I ask, did RI withold the same approval when Airtec had issues with the Cypres 1 unit?



Thats not really a fair comparison, since the AAD market was different back then. As I understand it, even with the teething problems, the Cypres was clearly the safest AAD available. The same is not true with the Vigil - it offers no clear safety benefits over a Cypres, yet it is having teething troubles that could reflect badly on RI.

In response to the people who are saying that Vigil and Argus are taking advantage of Airtec's goodwill with free pouches etc, Airtec had a near monopoly on the market for over a decade - I'm sure they can afford to pay for those pouches with the money made over that period.

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Then show me an example of a RI or another manufacturer refusing to allow a reserve or main that has had issues to be used in their container.

On that note, does their lack of aproval simply give them a defense? Does it really prevent the use of the Vigil in their system? What about the provision for a rigger to determine compatability?
----------------------------------------------
You're not as good as you think you are. Seriously.

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Without defending Vigil, I ask, did RI withold the same approval when Airtec had issues with the Cypres 1 unit?



I had much the same question about why Mirage has not approved Vigil so I wrote them and asked.

The answer came back...

"All Mirage rigs come Cypres ready. AirTec and Mirage has done extensive factory testing with Cypres units to insure proper compatibility. To this date, the manufacturer of Vigil AADs has not responded to our requests for similar testing to be done with Vigil AADs, therefore we can not approve the installation. This being said, there are many Mirage containers in the field with Vigils in them with no reported incidents."

Perhaps the same is true with RI
"Where troubles melt like lemon drops, away above the chimney tops, that's where you'll find me" Dorothy

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Then show me an example of a RI or another manufacturer refusing to allow a reserve or main that has had issues to be used in their container.

On that note, does their lack of aproval simply give them a defense? Does it really prevent the use of the Vigil in their system? What about the provision for a rigger to determine compatability?



If you have a look on the AS8015/B paragraph 5.1 you can read that manufacturer is in charge of the assembly testings. So, any manufacturer has the right to not approved the use of any kind of components if these testings are not made.
Jérôme Bunker
Basik Air Concept
www.basik.fr
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Le-Luc-France/BASIK-AIR-CONCEPT/172133350468

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