RIGGERS: Suggested training for Vigil customers

[riggerpaul 1]

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Yes, thank you.

I'd like to see a reference to that offset right there to highlight that. For example, "Note: If the take-off and landing points are different altitudes, you'll need to program an offset. See Page X."

Agreed.

I think we can all agree that writing manuals is a tricky thing to do well. If the manuals I see for common everyday devices are as poor as they seem to be, it is no wonder that the manual for a device as sophisticated as a modern AAD is easily as difficult to write well.

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Additionally, why would it be "armed" according to your take-off point rather than your landing point?

That question goes more to their design philosophy.

Apparently, they believe an AAD should be ready to "help" you in many cases where other AADs are still asleep.

I don't like lots of things about their design philosophy. This is certainly one of the points with which I'll take issue. To me, it leads directly to the misfires in aircraft that have been reported. If the device arms during the climb through the firing window, well, it could decide to fire until you have climbed above that firing window.

This whole question of design philosophy comes down to one's expectations from an AAD, which in itself may be an indicator of how the sport is changing.

I believe an AAD should not fire unless it is extremely clear that you are low and fast and without a parachute.

One might say that my AAD philosophy is "Don't fire if you can find a reason not to."

The Vigil's designers seem to take a different position - that the AAD should try to save you under many circumstances that are far less clear than I like.

One might say that their AAD philosophy is "If you can find a reason to fire, do."

That's really what the whole fuss is about, isn't it?

That some of us agree with they way they are thinking, while others do not?

Me? I'm "old school". I'd rather people are sad that my AAD didn't save me, than have them sad that it brought down an aircraft full of people.

[popsjumper 2]

I was a technical writer at one point in my past...I tend to pick up on things like that and I agree...quality tech writing these days seems to be a shrinking field.

My reality and yours are quite different.
I think we're all Bozos on this bus.
Falcon5232, SCS8170, SCSA353, POPS9398, DS239

[Jenn83 0]

I understand completely that this can be a bit of a confusing topic. I'm attaching a summary sheet that includes some information on the automatic shutdown feature (as well as some other info).

Hopefully it will help

[parachutist 1]

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I understand completely that this can be a bit of a confusing topic. I'm attaching a summary sheet that includes some information on the automatic shutdown feature (as well as some other info).

Hopefully it will help

I like that. It's getting printed and posted on the wall at the DZ here :)
[edit to add] Could you provide a higher version of that image, possibly PDF? This one's a bit fuzzy at 8.5 x 11"

thanks!

[tdog 0]

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>If the Vigil is airborne due to a difference in pressure equivalent to more
>than ±150ft (±46m) compared to the “ground zero” reference (pressure),
>it is highly recommended to switch off your Vigil® after your last jump of
>the day.

OK. Since most people are not airborne at the end of the day, that would seem not to apply.

>Be aware that your Vigil® will not switch off as long as its “ground zero”
>reference altitude is not measured again (at ±150ft or ± 46m) by the
>Vigil®."

So it will not switch off if its "ground zero" altitude is measured again and is different by 150 feet. How often is its "ground zero" altitude measured? If it's only measured when it's turned on, or when its offset is changed, then it's not an issue, and should shut down normally.

Basically - I have had my Vigil stay on for over a week. I know someone who had theirs stay on for over a month. YOU NEED TO TURN IT OFF AT THE END OF THE DAY... Fixes all concerns.

My loft, specifically my sofa, is 140 feet higher than the dropzone. (I actually had a survey person onsite for other reasons and had them give me altitude to the nearest 1/4 inch of the concrete below my balcony and then I dropped a tape measure... For the DZ I used the published FAA specs of the runway.)

Only once (I intentionally leave it on and then inspect the next day just to see what happens just for my own curious mind) have had the Vigil stay on "forever". There was a weather front that came thru that day and that was all it took to confuse it enough to think my sofa was airborne since my sofa is already feet below airborne anyway. Note - the car ride home does go over 150 ft in altitude over the landing area, so there are many factors.

Never the less, your comment OK. Since most people are not airborne at the end of the day, that would seem not to apply.
Read out of context, would confuse someone to think, they don't have to turn off the Vigil. No matter what the manual says, turning it off fixes all chances of staying on and future misfires due to staying on going to a different DZ.

[riggerpaul 1]

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>If the Vigil is airborne due to a difference in pressure equivalent to more
>than ±150ft (±46m) compared to the “ground zero” reference (pressure),
>it is highly recommended to switch off your Vigil® after your last jump of
>the day.

OK. Since most people are not airborne at the end of the day, that would seem not to apply.

>Be aware that your Vigil® will not switch off as long as its “ground zero”
>reference altitude is not measured again (at ±150ft or ± 46m) by the
>Vigil®."

So it will not switch off if its "ground zero" altitude is measured again and is different by 150 feet. How often is its "ground zero" altitude measured? If it's only measured when it's turned on, or when its offset is changed, then it's not an issue, and should shut down normally.

Basically - I have had my Vigil stay on for over a week. I know someone who had theirs stay on for over a month. YOU NEED TO TURN IT OFF AT THE END OF THE DAY... Fixes all concerns.

My loft, specifically my sofa, is 140 feet higher than the dropzone. (I actually had a survey person onsite for other reasons and had them give me altitude to the nearest 1/4 inch of the concrete below my balcony and then I dropped a tape measure... For the DZ I used the published FAA specs of the runway.)

Only once (I intentionally leave it on and then inspect the next day just to see what happens just for my own curious mind) have had the Vigil stay on "forever". There was a weather front that came thru that day and that was all it took to confuse it enough to think my sofa was airborne since my sofa is already feet below airborne anyway. Note - the car ride home does go over 150 ft in altitude over the landing area, so there are many factors.

Never the less, your comment OK. Since most people are not airborne at the end of the day, that would seem not to apply.
Read out of context, would confuse someone to think, they don't have to turn off the Vigil. No matter what the manual says, turning it off fixes all chances of staying on and future misfires due to staying on going to a different DZ.

It seems that most of this confusion relates to the use of the word "airborne".

Whether truly airborne or not, the Vigil "thinks" it is airborne if it is 150' or more above the "ground reference" altitude.

Since that 150' is the arming altitude, it is clear to me that once the Vigil has armed itself, it will not turn off until it has determined that it is no longer "airborne".

I don't know what is the "native" language of the Vigil manual. But I would not be at all surprised if it was not English, and that some of the problem is introduced in the translation process. Imagine, if the original authors of the manual are not fluent in English, maybe they wouldn't notice how the meaning of their manual got confusing in the translation process.

Since we now live in a global society, maybe we should always try to remember that linguistic problem can easily creep into things like manuals.

Trying to focus on the word "airborne" to the exclusion of all other contextual information can lead to misinterpretation.

The way I read those manual paragraphs that are quotes is that you should turn off your Vigil at the end of the day if there is a chance that it would arm itself by virtual of the 150' altitude difference. Otherwise, it will not turn off by itself.

It is probably also important to state that finding that your Vigil is "on" at the beginning of a day should be considered suspicious. Don't just say, "okay, it is already on". Turn it off, and turn it on again, so there is no chance that the "ground reference" is not properly calibrated.

[billvon 2,400]

>Read out of context, would confuse someone to think, they don't have to
>turn off the Vigil. No matter what the manual says, turning it off fixes all chances
>of staying on and future misfires due to staying on going to a different DZ.

Agreed. And it sounds like that's the important message to get out there - _always_ turn off a Vigil at the end of the day.

[Jenn83 0]

Here is the pdf. file :)