ASTRA Anyone

[propblast 0]

Do any of you use the ASTRA? I have heard that they are extremely rugged and reliable. About the only complaint I heard was from a rigger that said he didnt care for the external on/off switch. I havent used this AAD but am looking for info on it.

-e

Propblast

[skygod7777 0]

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Do any of you use the ASTRA? I have heard that they are extremely rugged and reliable. About the only complaint I heard was from a rigger that said he didnt care for the external on/off switch. I havent used this AAD but am looking for info on it.

well i haven't found anything wrong with them other than if you forget to turn it off at the end of the day, it wears out the battery really quickly.

and i heard from someone at PIA, that FXC had changed the place of the on/off switch. like the same place as a cypress window is. but i don't know this for a fact, i didn't ever go over to the booth to find out. maybe someone that did will clear this up.

later

[Kirils 1]

Actually, I PREFER the ASTRA to the Cypres. That external off/on switch can be used under canopy to help prevent 2 canopy's out. The batteries can be purchased at most stores (I get mine from Target)
Look at the savings on batteries and maintenance and you will see the real value of the ASTRA. I have gotten rid of both my Cypres units and replaced them with ASTRA's.

[propblast 0]

Do you have there web site handy.

Propblast

[skygod7777 0]

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Do you have there web site handy.

here it is:

http://www.pia.com/fxc/

later

[sundevil777 93]

If only the Cypres was as rugged as the Astra, we would have the best of both worlds.

Don't do it. I wish the Astra lived up to its promises, but it doesn't (even with the switch cover). A guy had a misfire at my DZ last year at about 10K, and yes it did have the latest updates.

If you do a search at rec.skydiving (remember they came out in the '80's (edit-mid 90's), you will read of many first hand and witness accounts of misfires, and other problems. I know this because I also hoped that it was a viable alternative to the Cypress when I bought new gear last summer-I quickly realized why they actually do have a bad reputation.

Consider this, the unit can be reset/recalibrated at whatever altitude that an intermittent circuit (power)/glitch/whatever happens. However the Cypress will shut itself off if it had an interruption of power-you have to go through all the button pushes to turn it back on, and then it would fail/not calibrate itself while climbing.

The Astra is a relatively very crude device that is much more prone to being "fooled". I have a lot of respect for FXC and the hardware they supply our armed forces, but you don't want to be wondering how acurate it is when you pull near 2K

Like I said, I only wish the Cypres was as rugged/in a real housing like the Astra.

Don't do it!

People are sick and tired of being told that ordinary and decent people are fed up in this country with being sick and tired. I’m certainly not, and I’m sick and tired of being told that I am

[propblast 0]

Ok so that answered my question on moisture proof. I see that the rate of decent to fire is 115fps how does that compare to the Cypres? Anyone ever had one go off?

-e

Propblast

[propblast 0]

I had heard grumblings of this too. Thats why im trying to make an informed decision when i do get a new rig. Has the ASTRA really been around that long or are you refering to the FXC 12000 which ive seen people use as well. Either way I appreciate the info. I wish their website was more up to date.

-e

Propblast

[skygod7777 0]

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Ok so that answered my question on moisture proof. I see that the rate of decent to fire is 115fps how does that compare to the Cypres?

well, how ever many ft/sec 78 mph is the comparison.

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Anyone ever had one go off?

r u talking about a cypress, or a astra. but i haven't seen either one go off prematurely. so i couldn't tell ya

later

[skygod7777 0]

i think your thinking of a fxc 12000. the astra didn't come out until the mid 90's.

and they are pretty acurrate. the fxc 12000 isn't.

i think you may be confused.

later

[propblast 0]

The ASTRA.

Propblast

[propblast 0]

Kelly i think you and I are thinking along the same lines. Ive seen the 12000 and its 80's tech. Hear is one more ? for you. Its my understanding that you can leave it on all day and it stays calibrated. If you turn it off under canopy you have to recalibrate it. I think the big misconception that a few people i talked to had was that you had to recalibrate it for every jump.

-e

Propblast

[propblast 0]

tried to edit for the question which is

which is true?

Propblast

[sundevil777 93]

I was only mistaken in the introduction timing-it was the mid 90's.

However I am not confusing the Astra and the FXC12000. The mechanism (not counting cutter) is very close to identical. Perhaps others can confirm this.

I too wanted to believe that the Astra was competitive with the Cypress, but I had to admit to myself that it was not.

Also, an FXC or Astra being checked in a pressure chamber is not nearly the confirmation of function that the Cypress goes through every 4 years. I will be in a bad mood in 3 years when mine is due, but please don't look to the Astra to fix that.

I bought mine from Aerostore for $850 last year and it was only 1 month old.

People are sick and tired of being told that ordinary and decent people are fed up in this country with being sick and tired. I’m certainly not, and I’m sick and tired of being told that I am

[skygod7777 0]

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Its my understanding that you can leave it on all day and it stays calibrated. If you turn it off under canopy you have to recalibrate it. I think the big misconception that a few people i talked to had was that you had to recalibrate it for every jump.

to tell ya the truth, i really don't know. i haven't ever jumped with on, or have every seen one jumped by someone at me dz that i would be able to ask.

sorry

later

[skygod7777 0]

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However I am not confusing the Astra and the FXC12000. The mechanism (not counting cutter) is very close to identical. Perhaps others can confirm this.

well, i don't know about this. i have never heard them being nearly as un-accurate as the fxc 12000. and they can't be too similar. the fxc 12000 is mechanical, and the astra is all electric (battery). and it is proven that a mechanical system is less reliable (or accurate) than a electric system.

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I too wanted to believe that the Astra was competitive with the Cypress, but I had to admit to myself that it was not.

you right, i really don't think the astra is any comparison to a cypress, i would prefere a cypress any day over a astra. i just really would prefure something that would be checked every 4 years, compared to an astra, you never have to send it back to get checked.

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Also, an FXC or Astra being checked in a pressure chamber is not nearly the confirmation of function that the Cypress goes through every 4 years. I will be in a bad mood in 3 years when mine is due, but please don't look to the Astra to fix that.

i didn't know the astra's had to be chamber checked. i know the fxc 12000 does, but i didn't know the astra was.

later

[sundevil777 93]

How are you judging the relative accuracy? Are you certain of the differences in the sensing mechanism? I don't claim to know all, but remember that I wanted to believe that the Astra was competitive, but in the end I could not support that judgement.

Seriously, last year I spent hours reading posts about Astra misfires and other problems on the rec.

Of course they could all be wrong, however I could not make that conclusion.

People are sick and tired of being told that ordinary and decent people are fed up in this country with being sick and tired. I’m certainly not, and I’m sick and tired of being told that I am

[sundevil777 93]

I don't think the Astra has to be chamber checked, however FXC uses this convenience as a selling point, and of course most people would want it to be checked.

It may be that the most of what is electrical is related to the cutter. I hope someone else can shed more light on this.

People are sick and tired of being told that ordinary and decent people are fed up in this country with being sick and tired. I’m certainly not, and I’m sick and tired of being told that I am

[skygod7777 0]

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How are you judging the relative accuracy? Are you certain of the differences in the sensing mechanism? I don't claim to know all, but remember that I wanted to believe that the Astra was competitive, but in the end I could not support that judgement.

well, i am going off of what i have heard. i have never seen one fired. and i have seen some people pull somewhat low with them (ie like around 2000 letting go of pilot chute, where your getting were you wouldnt' want to be with a fxc 12000)

and again, i am not certain of the differences of sensing, but i can only assume there is a difference. i am going to send a e-mail to them about this tommorow, and see what i get back.

later

[skycat 0]

From the Astra website it is recommended that it is tested.

http://www.pia.com/fxc/astrindx.htm

8.0 FUNCTIONAL TEST.


8.1 During every repack of the parachute , a functional test is recommended on the ASTRA, using the Cutter-Test-Probe and the Portable Altitude Test Chamber .

Although this is interesting.

10)Will hook turning or fast spiral descents cause the Astra to fire?

No. We had a very small number of incidents when the units were first released with a rate of descent setting of 90 feet per second. After investigation and further testing we increased the rate of descent to 130 feet per second as well as redesigning the filtering software. We designated that upgrade as the Mod 3. We have had no incidents of Astras with the Mod 3 upgrade firing inappropriatly.

Fly it like you stole it!

[sundevil777 93]

I simply don't believe (actually I know it is not true) FXC's claim of no inappropriate misfires when the latest mod is installed. The descent rate issue they countermeasured is not the only failure mode, but there I go sounding like an engineer.

I really do wish there was a viable competitor to the Cypress.

People are sick and tired of being told that ordinary and decent people are fed up in this country with being sick and tired. I’m certainly not, and I’m sick and tired of being told that I am

[skycat 0]

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I simply don't believe (actually I know it is not true) FXC's claim of no inappropriate misfires when the latest mod is installed. The descent rate issue they countermeasured is not the only failure mode, but there I go sounding like an engineer.

I really do wish there was a viable competitor to the Cypress.

That quote was from their web page, they said they had some misfires before they changed the decent altitude to 130 feet per sec.

I'm not for them or against them, I was just reading thier "manual", and thought that was interesting since the reason Derek can't jump a cypress is cause he will cause it to fire under canopy.

Fly it like you stole it!

[sundevil777 93]

78 mph times 5280ft/mile divided by 3600sec/hr=114.4 ft/sec.

Maybe a good issue for another thread...What descent rates are the newest napkin canopies able to achieve? Have you hot swoopers now overtaken the Cypres' or Astra's firing speed?

People are sick and tired of being told that ordinary and decent people are fed up in this country with being sick and tired. I’m certainly not, and I’m sick and tired of being told that I am

[skygod7777 0]

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78 mph times 5280ft/mile divided by 3600sec/hr=114.4 ft/sec.

Maybe a good issue for another thread...What descent rates are the newest napkin canopies able to achieve? Have you hot swoopers now overtaken the Cypres' or Astra's firing speed?

well, i don't think i have.

but as said above derek, or hooknswoop, has. under his vx 60 loaded at 3 to 1 (or something like that, maybe 3.1) it would be too much. i don't think i do under my 85 since i've done 720's and 1 1080 (i usally will do a 270 or a 360) hook and haven't had my cypress fire
later

[skycat 0]

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78 mph times 5280ft/mile divided by 3600sec/hr=114.4 ft/sec.

Maybe a good issue for another thread...What descent rates are the newest napkin canopies able to achieve? Have you hot swoopers now overtaken the Cypres' or Astra's firing speed?

Derek jumps a VX60 a 3.1:1 and starts his hook anywhere from ~800-1000 ft. On like his 10th jump on the canopy (at sea level) he was clocked at 90 MPH in the dive and 78 MPH planed out across the ground. We now live jump at 5400ft so I know he is going much fast. He did talk to Airtec about the possibility of a mis-fire and they said that they couldn't be possitive it wouldn't happen, so out came the cypres.

Fly it like you stole it!