Which AAD best?

[skydive51 0]

Hey there,
What's your opinion as to the best new AAD to buy?
Safe Dives, skydive51

[darkwing 4]

Probably do a search, and you will find any answer you want. I say cypres 2, others will say vigil, and others will say something else.

Just wanted to get in my 2 cents before the mods lock this.

-- Jeff
My Skydiving History

[skydive51 0]

Thanks Darkwing. My head spins as I try to decide which to buy. They all have their pros/cons. Just wanted to pick better brains than mine! :) skydive51

[Samurai136 0]

Cypres2

All the major brands have owners manuals available on-line. Read them and pick the one you like best.

"Buttons aren't toys." - Trillian
Ken

[skydive51 0]

Good advice. Thanks!

[KNewman 0]

OHH-OHH-OHH

Put my vote in for Vigil!!! (HA-HA)

I have had both, and both are fine products. I currently have a Vigil, (I sold my old rig with my Cypres) I was in the right place at the right time and got a very-very good deal. I have confidence in it and that it will work if it needs to........HOWEVER....... I do not rely on it for anything! It is just there. I rely on my training and my ability to save myself, AAD's are backup devices to you and your ability to save yourself!

Have fun and be safe!!

Kevin

Blue Skies and Stand-up Landings!!!!!!

[pilotdave 0]

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I do not rely on it for anything!

You rely on it to do exactly nothing when it's not supposed to be doing anything. Unfortunately the older vigils have proven to not be so great at that. The new ones may have fixed the bugs, but a lot of people that used to believe they were superior are now sitting back and waiting for the beta testers to make sure. Especially people that have witnessed a misfire first hand. (Always strange the way skydivers need to see something with their own eyes to learn a lesson...)

Dave

[RM1 0]

I just installed my first vigil 2 last week and i asked the guy if he was nervous about it firing accidently and i loved his reply. "The first planes made didnt fly to far either"

[chrismgtis 0]

Just buy what you think is prettier. That would be the easiest way to decide.

Rodriguez Brother #1614, Muff Brother #4033
Jumped: Twin Otter, Cessna 182, CASA, Helicopter, Caravan

[badlock 0]

Quote

Hey there,
What's your opinion as to the best new AAD to buy?
Safe Dives, skydive51

Define "best"...!!!

Don't be a Lutz!

[skydive51 0]

Define "Best"...
1. True cost of ownership over the life of the unit? My last Cypress 1 killed me with batteries and manditory 4 and 8 year check-ups.
2. Rumors of pre-mature firings on certain brands.
3. Maintenance issues/costs/batteries.
4. Real-life experiences with the various brands/customer support, etc.
5. Ultimately - reliability. Did one save your life or a friend's?

[badlock 0]

Quote

Define "Best"...
1. True cost of ownership over the life of the unit? My last Cypress 1 killed me with batteries and manditory 4 and 8 year check-ups.
2. Rumors of pre-mature firings on certain brands.
3. Maintenance issues/costs/batteries.
4. Real-life experiences with the various brands/customer support, etc.
5. Ultimately - reliability. Did one save your life or a friend's?

Maybe, and maybe another jumpers have different orders in that list....

.....so every jumper should ask and read alot about AADs and the different products and then set his/her priorities.

Don't be a Lutz!

[tr027 0]

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Hey there,
What's your opinion as to the best new AAD to buy?
Safe Dives, skydive51

FXC Astra.

"The evil of the world is made possible by nothing but the sanction you give it. " -John Galt from Atlas Shrugged, 1957

[pinkfairy 0]

Get a Cypres, both 1 and 2 are good and do what they should.

I've talked to two people who had two out scenarios, I've heard about one who had a premature canopy deployment, and read the incident report of one who had a main/reserve entanglement. In all those cases the Cypres was involved, and in none it misfired.

Oh, yeah, I've heard about people who were saved by it, I've seen it on video, scary, scary stuff, it looks like they run out of altitude even with the wide angle lens on the video camera.

I don't know much about the other AADs on the market, I just know that Cypres works very well. Everyone here uses Cypres anyway. but I wouldn't want an AAD with too much functionality. The graph for bugs (or errors) in a computer program grows exponentially with the number of lines in that program. And I wouldn't want too many modes to switch between either, student mode wouln't be much fun.

But learn about them all, and talk to other jumpers at your DZ about what they recommend.

Relax, you can die if you mess up, but it will probably not be by bullet.

I'm a BIG, TOUGH BIGWAY FORMATION SKYDIVER! What are you?

[pinkfairy 0]

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Just wanted to get in my 2 cents before the mods lock this.

Why would the mods lock this thread? it's a discussion of gear, and it belongs in the Gear and rigging forum, where it is.

Relax, you can die if you mess up, but it will probably not be by bullet.

I'm a BIG, TOUGH BIGWAY FORMATION SKYDIVER! What are you?

[dragon2 2]

Because this exact same question pops up once a month.

ciel bleu,
Saskia

[koppel 4]

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Everyone here uses Cypres anyway.

Rubbish.

I use an Argus and would not use anything else now. Others use a Vigil and would not use anything else. I know people that swear by an Astra (OK these people are really weird!!)

So do your research and choose the one that you can justify to yourself.

Everyone has different thoughts but the fact is that ALL of them can fail to function as the manual states they will. I work in a loft where the head Honcho is a Vigil dealer but also has a Cypres Dealership and I am an Argus dealer. We see them all fail at times.

At the end of the day they are just a piece of electronica and they are built and they can fail.

research is your friend and dont purchase anything that you cannot accept may fail.

I like my canopy...


...it lets me down.

[pinkfairy 0]

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Everyone here uses Cypres anyway.

Rubbish.

Actually no. Look at my profile, I filled out where I live. For a long time, Cypres and FXC were the only AADs approved by the norwegian parachute association. Argus was approved this year. No one got FXC for experienced jumpers, so that left Cypres.

I also said that he should do his research and talk to people who uses other AADs, but I thought I'd contribute my reasons for choosing Cypres.

Relax, you can die if you mess up, but it will probably not be by bullet.

I'm a BIG, TOUGH BIGWAY FORMATION SKYDIVER! What are you?

[koppel 4]

Peace

I like my canopy...


...it lets me down.

[meatbomb 0]

Quote

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I do not rely on it for anything!

You rely on it to do exactly nothing when it's not supposed to be doing anything. Unfortunately the older vigils have proven to not be so great at that.

As opposed to newer Cypres 2 units...

---
Swoopert, CS-Aiiiiiii!
Piccies

[pilotdave 0]

Yeah, that's scary. But at least they are throwing an error at startup (but then unfortunately pretending to be shut off). The real difference to me is how the companies handle the issues.

Dave

[USPA 0]

Yeah, but what if you mis the error?

I personally think, this issue is treated way to lightly. In fact, so far as I can tell, this bulletin means. If a rig has a cypres, and it doesn't say "0". You can't trust that rig.

Talking about handling the issues. Airtec basically says "live with it".

I'm a little bit passionate about this, but this is caused by the downplaying, of what I think, is a serious issue. (And Airtec has downplayed another serieus issue in the past, which has cost 1 (well known) life).

I must say I jump another AAD, so I am probably biased.

The trouble with skydiving; If you stink at it and continue to jump, you'll die. If you're good at it and continue to jump, you'll see a lot of friends die...

[JohnDeere 0]

They clearlly state watch self test untill unit says 0. What do you want them to do, do a maditory recall???
They also clearlly state if this happens then contact them before the next jump. I dont recall them basically saying "live with it" they say contact them before next jump. What in the world would you expect them to do?????

Nothing opens like a Deere!

You ignorant fool! Checks are for workers!

[USPA 0]

Fix the problem and then, yes then offer a recall. Just like AAD (Vigil) did for all their problems. And Argus did for their cutter, when they found out they had (1) frayed loop in their evaluation program.

This is the second time in recent years Airtec has a problem, in which they tell you "Hey, you can't see, if the cypres is on or not, but just jump it anyway" To make things even worse, this time you can get misfires, when you think it's off!

My problem is, that if you pick up a rig, from now on, if it has a cypres it has to either on (0), or you can't jump that rig anymore.

The trouble with skydiving; If you stink at it and continue to jump, you'll die. If you're good at it and continue to jump, you'll see a lot of friends die...

[Unstable 9]

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FXC Astra.

I think the FXC Astra, once they updated their software, is one of the most under-rated good skydiving products you'll probably never buy. I'd feel safe jumping one, but unfortunatly there are many other AAD's on the market that are a better value.

=========Shaun ==========