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gowlerk

Value of an Argus?

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Many people would say zero. We've all seen them for sale at various asking prices. I'm not looking for one or selling one, but I am curious to know if there is any market for them at all.

I've seen a couple on ebay at fixed prices, but someone just put one up for auction. The result of that may give us an idea what they can sell for.

Ken
Always remember the brave children who died defending your right to bear arms. Freedom is not free.

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Many people would say zero. We've all seen them for sale at various asking prices. I'm not looking for one or selling one, but I am curious to know if there is any market for them at all.

I've seen a couple on ebay at fixed prices, but someone just put one up for auction. The result of that may give us an idea what they can sell for.

Ken



[urlhttp://www.dropzone.com/cgi-bin/safety/detail_page.cgi?ID=761[/url]

I would say $0. I would also say those selling them are taking a liability risk, but I am not a lawyer.

Matt
An Instructors first concern is student safety.
So, start being safe, first!!!

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The range has been wide for sure lately. We've recently sold used Argus units on our site for around $900, and I've shipped some out for international customers that they've found from other drop zones for around $500 each.

Some countries don't have any restrictions on AAD type/use. And many containers in the U.S. allow the Argus.

We currently have new units from the last batch made by Aviacom that are selling for $1150 and were manufactured in May 2011. Owners of Mirage, Wings, Infinity, Basik, Racer and Dolphin rigs have still been buying new or used Argus units. These aren't selling as frequently as Cypres2 or Vigil II units, but they are still selling for more than $0 and being used by skydivers.

http://www.chutingstar.com/newgear_en/argus-aad.html

We've also just had our busiest month for servicing Argus units last month with 30+ units serviced in November and 6 more to do next week. So the Argus is not dead or worthless by any means.

Mike
ChutingStar.com

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I can't imagine paying anywhere near full price for one of these. Even if it's allowed, and you believe it is effective, which are both in at least some question. It is an orphan, with very limited support, a dwindling supply of cutters, and only the most simple basic testing available.

Anyone buying one of these at anywhere near retail is being taken advantage of. Buyer beware. I must say that I'm very disappointed by the failure of this unit to succeed. It just goes to show the difficulty of launching and sustaining such a critical product in such a small market.
Always remember the brave children who died defending your right to bear arms. Freedom is not free.

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The support and service is continuing to remain the same as for the U.S. most of the servicing is coming from Para-Concepts and ChutingStar. Anything we can't handle is forwarded to Aviacom. The same level of testing that applied a few years ago, applies today.

As for parts, that is not known as far as how long those will be available and/or if Aviacom will continue to make these parts available for many years to come. I know the company wants to, but what it is able to do may be different.

Pricing will vary depending on the level of available service, parts, etc. Anywho, it is what it is for now...

Mike
ChutingStar.com

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Selling an AAD not approved for all containers and for all countries to a user without knowing where it will end up, just not worth it in my opinion, of course the sellers are holding onto a $1300~ paperweight. In the US any way, "the land of litigation", I think one could open to liability.

Matt
An Instructors first concern is student safety.
So, start being safe, first!!!

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Anything we can't handle is forwarded to Aviacom.



I'm glad there is some support. What you have said does clear up some of the questions in my mind. However, I'm wondering about the continued existence of Aviacom. I must confess, I know nothing about this company. Perhaps they have other products and other reasons to exist. But a Google search turned up nothing at all about Aviacom except references to "supplier of skydiver information systems"

Given it's history, I find it unlikely that the principles will be able or willing to provide much in the way of support. And I can see no good prospect for this company to continue to function. Perhaps someone will swoop in and salvage something from the wreckage, but wreckage is all I see at the moment.

Ken
Always remember the brave children who died defending your right to bear arms. Freedom is not free.

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Many people would say zero. We've all seen them for sale at various asking prices. I'm not looking for one or selling one, but I am curious to know if there is any market for them at all.

I've seen a couple on ebay at fixed prices, but someone just put one up for auction. The result of that may give us an idea what they can sell for.

Ken



I will do a quickk and simple field test. I still have 2 for sale (DOM 2009). Anyone?

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FYI, 2007 Argus just sold on ebay for $159.50. It was a 7 day auction, 6 bidders and 16 total bids. Pretty cheap, but the unit is due for service. Not definitive by any means, but it does give an idea of what the market place values them at.

Ken
Always remember the brave children who died defending your right to bear arms. Freedom is not free.

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I find it funny that Argus has now been put out of business due to a "problem w/ the cutter" which has been proved to have been human error not mechanical. At the same time how many problems have there been with Vigil yet nothing comes of it. Vigil forgot to insert cutters all together! Argus had an issue with their cutter in the past and put a recall out and fixed the problem. The recent problem was not their fault. It has been released that it was not their fault. So why have they been attacked but Vigil gets away with it? As with Cypres, they have said that the Cypres 1 had not met it's safety and structural standards so shouldn't those be banned as well? I have an Argus and it's a shame that there's a few DZ's I can no longer jump at because they have banned Argus. I could swear that a licensed jumper is NOT OBLIGATED to use an AAD. It's all politics. An AAD is a safety unit that is meant as a last resort. If you wouldn't jump without an AAD, then don't jump. You should not be relying on it to safe your life. That is your job! Keep the jumps safe, Pull at a safe altitude and know your hard deck and emergency procedures.
Respect comes with experience, not the size of your gear

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Packrat,
Aviacom is no longer able to produce the Argus because their cutter supplier will no longer supply them. That is the bottom line.

Ken
Always remember the brave children who died defending your right to bear arms. Freedom is not free.

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Very true. That still doesn't explain why Cypres and Vigil have received no hassles. I think it's ridiculous that DZ's are banning rigs with Argus' in them. The problem was found and cleared of no mechanical error. There is no reason for the ban.
Respect comes with experience, not the size of your gear

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Very true. That still doesn't explain why Cypres and Vigil have received no hassles. I think it's ridiculous that DZ's are banning rigs with Argus' in them. The problem was found and cleared of no mechanical error. There is no reason for the ban.



As I understand it, part of the "reasoning" was Aviacom's response to an apparent problem. Rubbed people the wrong way.
My reality and yours are quite different.
I think we're all Bozos on this bus.
Falcon5232, SCS8170, SCSA353, POPS9398, DS239

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