specnaz007

Any answer yet?

Sounds more and more it was not accidently.

True. But this brings us back to the question How did this AAD end up in TANDEM?

True I just mean someone should have noticed. (I did not mean or want to point any fingers)

So this means that Solly and his packer did not check this parachute for 14 jumps and did not notice the word TANDEM on the display?

My point is that not all Cypres fires are 2 canopies out. 4 of the 5 vigil saves in the whole world are. Maybe coincidence, maybe not garik

5 Vigil "saves" 4 had 2 canopies out. Garik

Hi Kim, It really bothers me that all info concerning testing has disappeared from the new Vigil website. With the history and some problems (some very serious) I would like to know what tests have been carried out on the new designs (vigil 2). Can you inform me about that? Thank you, Garik

Yeah, like no FAQs anymore or testresults. What's was wrong with those? Garik

This does not correspond with your new slogan that is suddenly put on the Vigil site: GUARDIAN ANGELS NEED NO SCHEDULED MAINTENANCE Was: GUARDIAN ANGELS NEED NO MAINTENANCE This looks like a careful approach towards imposing a mandatory maintenance check in the near future. Garik

Last week Friday I saw on the new Vigil website under downloads some videos of dummy droptests. Now these are replaced by a skydive of Deland Majik. Has anyone any idea why? Garik

Why this sudden question? Anything happened? Garik

The units do not only erroring out in Holland but at many DZ's around sea level. The units were sold as water resistant (Swooping? NO PROBLEM) It turned out to be a problem and Vigil changed this by just changing the handbook. They are having version D!!! In less than one year (The A version was replaced by the B version (the recall of April). Meanwhile there has been a C version (what was wrong with the B? (which by the way most skydivers still have) If you want to be able to jump everywhere you had to send back your Vigil already twice this year. (No maintanance??) Look at the problems since april (just check this forum and under them are Vigil users) Put this with the concerns of most technicians here about aging etc and I conclude that Femke has a point

Vigil had this year one recall and recommends the Vigil Owners to send their Vigil back for reprogramming. (Next to a ban in Germany, Austria and Sweden, a changed manual with restrictions and so on and so on.) Shipping and repack is at your own expense. Even Bill Booth does not guarantee they will not impose a service: However, I wouldn't be surprised, with the passage of time, that something might come up that would require that you return your unit for service. Hell, it already has. (Nov 7, 2004, 6:48 PM) Are you sure the Vigil will be cheaper if time goes by??? Garik

I agree and there are many things that should not go unnoticed like the reprogramming of the Vigil (on which grounds they have permission to be used in Germany again). I checked by riggers and Vigil users. They are not aware (i.e. informed by Vigil) about this! Mandatory or not it sounds to me like a recall (at least as you want your Vigil to switch on at sea level and without adjusting it with 50 meters (160 feet)... Garik PS shipping and repack is for your own expense...

I do understand your point. However, the Vigil is sold as a multimode device. That should be than multimode all the way. This means that if programmed in: Pro, you don't have to switch it off if you go down with the plane. Tandem, you don't have to switch it off if you go down with the plane. Student, you have to switch it off if you go down with the plane. This seems not to be possible by the Vigil. Wherever in programmed (Student Pro or Tandem) and you have to go down with the plane you have to switch it off. This is very inconveniant. Garik

Or worse having to deal with an unwilling AFF Student or having a tandempassenger on your belly! Garik

Do they? All the Vigils model B en C can be reprogrammed from 1035mbar to 1090mbar free of charge I checked this and it is true. ALL VIGILS PRODUCED BEFORE OCTOBER 1 2004 (B and Cmodel) can be reprogrammed. If your Dropzone is around sea level this is even very much recommended. This to avoid that your Vigil will not switch on and you have to adjust it 50 meter (160 feet or so) and was one of the conditions to be allowed in Germany again. This is actually a recall. Not mandatory but it makes us (again also Vigil users) wonder Why does this only come up after the Germans made it a point? Why is there no service bulletin but do we have to find it out via Dropzone.com? (thank you skydiverton) And more There have been at least two misfires due to (water)swoop landings. We do remember that the Vigil could handle that. Swoopin and a waterlanding was no problem was said. Now it turns out not and have vigils fired 10 minutes after the landing. How did Vigil solved this???????????? They changed the manual!!!!!!!!!! Garik PS only the reprogramming is free of charge. The repack and shipping is at your own cost!!! When calling today I saw on their website: Guardian Angels need no Maintenance

Are these facts? Is it advised to have your Vigil reprogrammed? Is there a service bulletin of this? We know nothing (and under them are Vigil owners!!!)

By you or by the owner of Vigil Garik

I did, already the safety-bulletins with recommendations as: Bypassing the loop..., A vigil is safe it will only fire on the ground (ask a pilot’s opinion...) A vigil is safe it will only fire on the ground (and 3 days later an in air misfire in Australia...) A Vigil doesn’t switch on at sea level? Just adjust it with 50 meters (160 feet)... Says by my opinion enough about the company’s reliability. Are you sure???? Does for example, after the meeting with the German Chairman of the DFV, a Vigil not anymore to be adjusted with 50 meters (160 feet) with good weather, at sea level and switch on without any problem? I would expect of a device of the 21st century not to have the same (well known) bugs of the early nineties of the 20th century. Garik

No but I sure do hope he has enough knowledge about driving that he knows that when the airbag he developed activates, while driving and with no apparent reason, this will cause an extremely dangerous situation. Cars needed maintenance 10 years ago, cars need maintenance today. Furthermore, in Europe a car has to be inspected once every 1 or 2 years (depends upon age). This inspection is mandatory and it doesn’t matter if the vehicle drove in that period 50.000 miles or 100 or not at all. What is good for my car is surely good for a lifesaving device as an AAD. So far Vigil only had to replace cutters for free due to misfires of their device. So far the Vigil created quite a list of serious misfires (especially when you realize the limited number of devices in the field (around 1000 towards 60.000 Cypres) By the way: I read here somewhere that on those 1000 devices around 20.000 skydives were made. That is an average of 20 per AAD (a well proven device???) Garik

Earlier in this thread Speedy wrote: I can assure you that the translation is more or less correct. Dave (Speedy) Speedy lives and is skydiving in Germany If you don’t believe him please feel free to contact the German Parachute Association about this matter: Deutscher Fallschirmsport Verband e.V. Comotorstr. 5 66802 Überherrn Tel: 06836 – 92306 Fax: 06836 – 92308 [email protected] Or contact the composer of the document direct: Chriss Buss: DFV Referat Technik [email protected] Garik

Oops... However, still too much tolerance for me. Garik

True Peter but also: Many of the world’s best known DZs are at or below sea level. See earlier discussion in this forum Put this on top of a 50 meter (60 feet) adjustment. This could mean an activation of 130 meter (320 feet) above the activation altitude of 270 meter (890 feet). This is a tolerance of 48%! Bear in mind that I did not even took into consideration that the tolerance of 80 meter might be even more (according to the Swedes). Garik