Balu

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Given that Cypres' were on the market in about 1991, it suggests that Airtec did change components when something better came along.

Yes, that is part of their maintenance program and it is all included in the maintenance fee. Without extra costs you always have a Cypres that is as modern as it can be from the technological point of view.

I did a factory tour in Stans, Switzerland, last year and got some first hand knowledge. They have a Skydive Conversion available, with the door sliding on rails inside the cabin towards the front. With this and all the aforementioned it would be a perfect jump plane, if only the $$$ weren't such a problem. 4 Million Euro is a lot, even if you have real quick turnarounds. A PC12 could load up to 16 skydivers for 3,5 lifts per hour.

I started on a Cayenne, and after 100 jumps moved on to a Spectre. I should have started with it. Great openings, great flare, docile flying characteristics but also fun to turn on the front risers. And very suitable to camera and Birdman-jumps.

With a Spectre you will do nothing wrong. About the size talk to your instructor.

About CYPRES Maintenance: Unlike other AAD manufacturers Airtec gives a 12,5 year full-warranty for their product, assumed that the 4-year checks are done. That means, whatever happens to your Cypres they will fix it for free. With other manufacturers you only have one year warranty. Of course, if you damage it intentionally, like driving your truck over it, you will be charged for the repair. The maintenance is done at a fixed cost, which is only slightly changed by the fee for the riggers service. In Germany it will be between 170 and 200 Euros. It is done at the manufacturer because only there the quality control can be guaranteed 100%. Testing can be done by SSK in the USA, but if repairs are necessary they will send the unit to Germany.

Maintenance items:
all wear and tear is taken care of
everything is checked and calibrated:
-temperature stability check and adjustment
-precision of pressure check and adjustment
-precision of altitude check and adjustment
-power consumption check and analysis
-capability to fire is checked
-functionality of the cutter is checked
-shielding check and adjustment
-waterproofness check and adjustment
-condition of measurement technique and analysis
-replacement of battery
-replacement of filter
all necessary repairs are done
hard and software are updated
all applicable improvements (discovered in the last 4 years) are installed
adjustments to changed environmental conditions are done

To explain the last point: A construction can only be done to the known circumstances at the time of the design. Years later, things can change or new things can turn up which alter the environment of the device. In case the device can not cope with the new situation, it has to be adjusted. It would be fatal if not. For example, during the existence of the Cypres, cell phones were developed. The original shielding protected the Cypres from radar, radios, GPS signals, but not from cell phones which showed up later. Airtec developed a new shielding which was installed to all units that came in for service. And of course, the cost was included in the fixed service price.

I don't know what AAD and Aviacom do, but I hope that helps.

By the way: The idea of providing service at a fixed cost came up because in the old time AADs hat to be serviced every six months, and nobody knew about the cost in advance. That was one reason why AADs have not been very popular at the good old times. With Vigil and Argus we are moving back into that direction. That might be not a big deal to most of us, but it is point to consider before choosing an AAD.

Please take the last part of this post as pure information, and don't turn this thread into a Cypres-/Vigil-/Argus-bashing thread. Just jump what you think is the best AAD.

Are necessary repairs included in the 125$?

Fun. If you prepared it well enough.

First of all, make sure that your exit is really 100%, which means always on the desired heading, with the wings fully collapsed. Keep the several tailstrikes of the recent years in mind. The rest will be quite eays and what might happen when it comes to the pull was described before. On my Blade 2 I can even fell the pressure in the wings when I collapse them on earth. Not a big deal if you are prepared for it.

I never tried a Mach 1, but several other big suits, and from that experience I fully agree to the other statements.

Thanks for the explanation Jarno. I found out it was a Ghost 2, so I take your statement as from the manufacturer.

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In Reply To
What I like about the zipper design at the Blade II is, that the zipper goes down completely to the bottom end of the pillow, which prevents the pillow from being sucked into the suit, as it is possible on some other designs.

Such as? Which modern design suits have this "problem?"

I saw it on a suit when I was on the BMI course. I can't remember the model for sure, and I do not want to spread any rumours here. Therefore I will find out the model and talk to the manufacturer about it. Then I, or better the manufacturer himself maybe, will give you a statement on this.

Back from the desert all I can say is that the new BLADE flies really good. Easy to control, with a slow vertical and high horizontal speed. It is my first high performance suit, and I did 140 jumps with GTI and Firebird before. It is a big step for me, but only a small step for mankind.

The zippers work fine, and will be good for people who often change rigs, or have only one rig and do not always jump with a wingsuit. For me it is not a big difference. What I like about the zipper design at the Blade II is, that the zipper goes down completely to the bottom end of the pillow, which prevents the pillow from being sucked into the suit, as it is possible on some other designs.

Got mine a few days ago. I will fly it tomorrow at Birds over Namibia for the first time. Can't wait for it!

Congratulations Elias! I will be back in Hoevenen at the last weekend in October. Let 's fly together!

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Which, also made you forget everything other than the moment you were in....

This happens frequently when I am doing solos. Mostly I am doing two- or threeways, but from time to time I just want to feel the sensation of human flight. Then I go for a solo, and the magic feeling starts right after the exit, when I spread my wings and feel the lift growing. Those flights are pure pleasure, and always ending to soon. Even if I could get five minutes out of 13.000 feet it would be to short.

The best suits I know come from Rainbow. Real german high class workmanship that lasts for a very long time. My instructor now put over 2000 jumps on his suit, and there are no tears and the booties are still alright. I have one myself, and I think I will never need another suit. Customer service is outstanding. The freefly pants of my wife did not fit. When she realized it the winter was over, and it was almost six months after the purchase. No matter, they fixed it for free.

Hanging Exit from a Skyvan

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Just to be clear, nobody is talking about using "the cheapest wal-mart crap".

The manual specifically calls out Energizer as a preferred brand.

Which does not mean it is the only brand to be used. Some people might handle it the one way, some might handle it the other way.

I also can't understand why it is so hard for Aviacom to give a clear statement on that question, or at least to say "Thanks for the input, we are working on it. Please be patient." That would be the way to show the customers, that they are taken serious.

Congratulations for the successful completion af your project!

I will never build my own, but it 's cool to see other people doing it.

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If "something" happens to someone and in the course of the investigation, the Argus is opened up and the batteries inside are labeled CR123 instead of CR123A, will you get in trouble, or, will Argus support you because the batteries are interchangeable?

Don't care about that. If your ARGUS fails because of the battery, you will be dead anyway. No courtyard will bring you back to life. For me it is a clear reason not to use this AAD. A modern AAD is a piece of high-tech, which should be run on absolutely reliable high-tech batteries. Instead people want to use the cheapest wal-mart crap, just to save a few dollars per year.

However, as the warning labels say: Skydiving is a high-risk activity...

Everyone can judge his own risk.

Nice picture, next time when I am there I would love to join you!

Once again Tim, thank you for letting me try the BLADE.

Hi Folks,

I will be in Namibia later in 2009 and want to jump there. For some reason the guys from Skydive Swakopmund do not answer my mails. Is anybody here, who was there already and can answer some questions? Or does anybody know a working contact?

Any help is appreciated, thank you!
Sebastian

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Why'd you bring up a thread from over a year ago?!

Because my answer wasn't given, and there might possibly be one more first flight wingsuiter somewhere in the future who is seeking advice here.

The U-pattern is what Rolf taught me on my FFC. So i suppose it is the best for first-time-fliers, even if it might not be the best for experienced wingsuiters and flockers.

Don 't think too much about distances to fly back to the aerodrome. Take a close spot and if you are stable fly a U-pattern. The first leg leads away from the jump run, the second leg is opposite to the jump run and the third leg leads back to it. By doing this you can balance height versus distance to fly, by varying the length and heading of the tracks. And if even if you get instable and losse some altitude you won't be far out when you open your chute.

And talk to the pilot. Tell him in which direction you want to fly. He shall turn to the other side. Otherwise there is a high risk of getting to close to the plane. Also talk to other wingsuiters one board. If one goes left, the other one goes right.

Enjoy!

Rolf Brombach made his 12000th last year in Eloy.

RW suit and freefly pants. Almost every jumper spends some time on his belly, and freefly pants are good for freefly of course, and for funjumps on belly as well. So

The more important question to ask is: Where do I get most for my money? Rather spend a bit more money but get a suit with a long lifetime.

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I don't see any reason to consider Carl more important than potential victims of an attack.

But it is so simple. Carl is living under the rule of law, as everybody else in a free country does. If you start cutting people's rights, you are violating their constitutional rights. Our society claims the freedom of every individual person, other than for example communist societies do. If you see it from the point of philospohy of law, importance does not matter, as everybody has the same rights.

I have only pilot experience with it, but i would surely not recommend it for skydiving. The tail is to close and to low. No doubt the exit would be fun, but it would be even to dangerous.