gowlerk

Cool. That POV makes me wonder if you ever considered commissioning a "Bobble Head Brian" doll. Always remember the brave children who died defending your right to bear arms. Freedom is not free.

I think what you are getting at is this. Although riggers will always tell you that the only correct answer is to follow the manual, and they are right, there is another factor. Many older but still airworthy and in service reserve canopies have manuals that only show a flat pack. Many container manuals simply say to follow the canopy manufacturers instructions for flaking and folding. Even if the container maker does include flaking instructions they will usually state to follow the canopy makers instructions if they conflict. In spite of this I know of no rigger who does not pro pack all square reserves into all modern containers. Pro packs are more likely to open on heading, and much easier to distribute the bulk evenly. In other words, just because the pro pack was not yet developed when the manual was printed does not mean that it won't be used anyway. I've always been a little uncomfortable with this, and I welcome all informed comment from qualified riggers. Ken Edited to add, by pro pack I mean nose to the floor with the material divided into half the cells on one side half on the other. Whether done on the floor or not. But flat pack, I mean side pack. Always remember the brave children who died defending your right to bear arms. Freedom is not free.

The word that most comes to mind here: sanctimonious [sangk-tuh-moh-nee-uhs] Part of Speech: adjective Definition: self-righteous Synonyms: Pecksniffian, bigoted, canting, deceiving, false, goody-goody, holier-than-thou, hypocritical, insincere, pharisaical, pietistic, pious, preachy, self-satisfied, smug, stuffy, unctuous Antonyms: humble, meek, modest I agree. It fits your, and some other, posts well. Got anything that adds value to the conversation? In other words " I know you are but what am I?" What's next Pops? "Nnanananana I can't hear you?" You and Chris both need to grow up and learn to respect others. Always remember the brave children who died defending your right to bear arms. Freedom is not free.

The word that most comes to mind here: sanctimonious [sangk-tuh-moh-nee-uhs] Part of Speech: adjective Definition: self-righteous Synonyms: Pecksniffian, bigoted, canting, deceiving, false, goody-goody, holier-than-thou, hypocritical, insincere, pharisaical, pietistic, pious, preachy, self-satisfied, smug, stuffy, unctuous Antonyms: humble, meek, modest Always remember the brave children who died defending your right to bear arms. Freedom is not free.

I know I should just let this go because it will inevitably lead to a discussion on the meaning of statistics and how they are calculated. But I will point out two things. Firstly, Wendy disagreed with this in her OP, and as far as I have seen she is always correct. (Wendy, if you are getting tired of me saying this let me know and I will stop. But I do truly mean it.) Secondly I would simply ask you how many jumpers do you personally know who have been killed or injured driving to the DZ versus those who have come to misfortune as the result of a skydive gone wrong? I also currently jump with no AAD or RSL in my personal gear. And I drive a truck long distance for a living, about 70 hours every 2 weeks. I am under no illusions which of these activities is more likely to lead to my death. Always remember the brave children who died defending your right to bear arms. Freedom is not free.

Yes Chris I suppose it must be so. Because if you acted in person like you do on this forum you would soon find yourself not welcome anywhere. I do not understand and I never want to understand why rude, disrespectful, boorish behavior is alright from behind a keyboard. It will never be alright with me to mistreat people like that. Always remember the brave children who died defending your right to bear arms. Freedom is not free.

I can't believe the general level of disrespect shown over this small matter. It's like a bunch of internet sharks pouncing to correct the faulty questioner. I'm guessing not one of these people would act that way in person, but somehow it's just fine to talk like that on forum like this one. It's all good to act out your frustrations from the safety of your keyboard. What a lesson you have delivered, you should be soooo proud of your skills, you really showed just what you are made of here. Always remember the brave children who died defending your right to bear arms. Freedom is not free.

I don't really have an accurate answer for that exact question. But the 20 years of storage should not be an issue. I pack 25 year old reserve parachutes on a regular basis. My guess is that no one can really answer the question you pose directly. Ken Always remember the brave children who died defending your right to bear arms. Freedom is not free.

Yup, there are a lot of people that hang out here who are eager to criticize. It`s easier and somehow more fulfilling than being helpful. There is a trend for newer jumpers to take advantage of the marketing of jumping and getting trained to jump quickly without going through the slow and more balanced learning process that used to be the norm. A lot of the grief you are getting here is the result of frustration about this. People used to accumulate much more gear knowledge than they need to now, and it`s not a good thing. I agree that you have been trashed here and all you were doing was seeking knowledge. Ive seen it before, you aren`t the first victim of this. The best place to learn is at the DZ. Try to learn as much as you can from the people you jump with. FWIW I know lots of people with many jumps and limited gear skills. They pay packers and riggers and never learn very much. Always remember the brave children who died defending your right to bear arms. Freedom is not free.

Let me be clear Mr. Anonymous. Airtec makes a good product, and have contributed an enormous amount to our sport. That does not excuse them for the poor handling of the recent defect. The problem they are facing is known, and has a known solution. The only thing missing is the will to spend the money to make it right in a timely fashion. And it does not change the fact that the product they are selling represents less value for the money for their customers. People here often state that only a CYPRES will do. That`s fine if you want to believe their marketing. As PT Barnum said, there`s one born every minute. This will be the last time I reply to any posts on this matter from anyone who is anonymous. Except to point out that you are not willing to state your opinion openly. Always remember the brave children who died defending your right to bear arms. Freedom is not free.

Please stop talking....just stop. Nope, I won't. AADs do not cause fatalities. Although a mis-fire potentially could. The skydiving world has been well served by the AADs available. Any of the current ones are good despite scaremongers who pounce on every problem they have had. No device will ever be 100% guaranteed. I just checked your profile...blank. I'm assuming you are a regular here with a second ID for anonymous comment. As such I will take your opinion for what you consider it to be worth.... NOTHING. Always remember the brave children who died defending your right to bear arms. Freedom is not free.

You might think so. But the truth is that I don't own one. My 1990 Talon one is not even AAD ready. I buy them and sell them and install them and advise customers about them. But unless I'm doing a tandem I don't wear one. Always remember the brave children who died defending your right to bear arms. Freedom is not free.

All of these units are good. None of them have caused any fatalities. You are safe with any of them, but nothing is 100% guaranteed. If you need that give up skydiving. These are absolute worst case backup devices. Don't spend too much time worrying about your AAD. Worry about getting a canopy over your head in time. Although there have been problems with AADs the rate is very small and not statistically significant. Anyone who is so safety oriented that they need to split hairs on the effectiveness of AAD brands has no business skydiving. Arguing about which one is best is like arguing about which church will get you into heaven. I'm only talking about value for money here. Always remember the brave children who died defending your right to bear arms. Freedom is not free.

Have you read the Airtec SB? It states that their problem started when a component could no longer be obtained because it was no longer being produced. In other words, it became obsolete. I'm not sure when it was designed, but far enough back that it was left behind. And then they failed to do enough testing on the redesign. I did not make this up. It's right on their website. Along with a bunch of spin about "only a button push" while they make excuses why they can't repair the defect, except at the customer's expense and Airtec's convenience. Airtec has done a lot for skydiving. All the competition they have is largely based on form and function copied from the original Cypres. I'm grateful for what they have done. But not so grateful that I'm willing to pay them hundreds of dollars per device extra while they rest on their laurels and get overtaken by more modern designs. Their time has come and gone, unless they move forward. Always remember the brave children who died defending your right to bear arms. Freedom is not free.

That is why I'm going by what the manufacturers say. I'm trying to be objective here, but all you seem to have is an emotional response about what you'd want when you are on your back unconscious. That is just fear mongering. Airtec also engages in fear mongering in it's advertising, so you fit right into the marketing plan. My opinions are indeed mine. I'm basing them on what the makers who do the testing say, and on the track record in the market. What are you basing yours on? Your favorite flavor of koolaid? Always remember the brave children who died defending your right to bear arms. Freedom is not free.

Vigils are now getting to be nearly 10 years old. No problems so far, touch wood. I know you suggested at least 5 times that I try to deliberately damage the CYPRES, but that's not how I roll. There are thousands of Vigils out there for many years now. Your fears may turn out to be unfounded. But suit yourself, buy a CYPRES. The self test has been discussed and some of the "experts" here do seem to think that only Airtec's system is good enough. So far Airtec is the only company with failing electronics. So I guess it's a good thing they have 4 year checks! There are some knowledgeable people who post here, but none of them have access to the manufacturer's test data. So guess what? I'll go with the opinion of the real experts and the track record of the companies involved. Based on that I would say Vigil is the clear winner. Airtec does not even trust their own product. And they have an SB out telling their customers not to either. Why would I go by your judgement? Always remember the brave children who died defending your right to bear arms. Freedom is not free.

Full frame sensor Canon and Nikon bodies are now under $2000. I love my Nikon D600. But wear it on my head to skydive? No thanks. It weighs nearly 2.5 times as much as my DX sensor D5000 and full frame ultra wide lenses are huge. The image quality is great on DX, the camera is small and the smaller format makes it easier to have more in focus. Don't wait for the larger sensor for skydiving, but FX is fabulous for portraits with a long fast lens. Always remember the brave children who died defending your right to bear arms. Freedom is not free.

I actually trust all three of the current AADs. I don't really have any reason to think any is better than the others. That being said, I see no reason to pay more for one than the other. Even the Argus would be fine as far as I know except for the cutter issue. But how long the battery lasts is most likely a function of more modern less power hungry components. I do know that only one has an SB out with thousands of units affected, caused by insufficient testing. That alone would make it my last choice. The price is just the icing on the cake. I predict that within the next 2 years Airtec will come up with an updated product that doesn't need a 4 year check and has ten year batteries. If they don't they will slowly go out of business. I'm guessing their sales this year will drop at least 30% from last year. In my local market they are being outsold about 10 to 1 lately. Always remember the brave children who died defending your right to bear arms. Freedom is not free.

Now there's a logical well thought out argument. And probably the best one you can come up with. Cypres belief is like a religion! No use trying to reason with a believer. Always remember the brave children who died defending your right to bear arms. Freedom is not free.

So what? Our standard of living here is different to either Canada or the USofA, that has ZERO to do with our sports governing body. Fuel alone here is more than 2x that of the USofA. Do you work for your National Association? Always remember the brave children who died defending your right to bear arms. Freedom is not free.

I can't tell for sure, but it looks like an older original Talon, possibly with the updated tuck tab riser cover. I wouldn't go blaming RI design here. I'd say that it's better than just about any rig made in this era. Always remember the brave children who died defending your right to bear arms. Freedom is not free.

Here we go. As far as I can see, Cypres is 90's technology and can't be trusted without a 4 year check up. Vigils are a later design. The batteries last much longer and the device is reliable enough that the self test is considered adequate. The M2 is newer yet, and is even less power hungry. It does no have any leds flashing at turn on, possibly allowing the battery to last longer. AADs are basically small electronic computers connected to a cutter. I'd rather have a 2011 designed circuits than 1992 circuitry. Cypres is the only one currently having problems with faulty electronics. But skydivers are a conservative bunch and many believe that the older nearly obsolete design that can't be trusted more than 4 years is somehow better. Maybe because the total cost of ownership is nearly twice as much. Must be twice as good right? Airtec spends a lot of money on advertising, some of it has been downright nasty toward the competition. They can afford this because of the high price they have been able to charge for many years on a product they haven't updated much in years. And when they do update components they have been known to fail to do enough testing. They currently have thousands of known defective units in the field and are asking their customers to be patient while they take 4 years to fix them. At the customer's expense no less. Why would anyone choose a CYPRES? Always remember the brave children who died defending your right to bear arms. Freedom is not free.

Ok, but still twice as much as the $85 CDN that I give to CSPA. ( includes 1 million 3rd party liability insurance) Glad to hear that plain blokes can afford to jump down under! But I would note that your$170 AUD would buy you about 5 jump tickets in Canada and 7 in the USA. Always remember the brave children who died defending your right to bear arms. Freedom is not free.

Australia and most of Europe are the Nanny States. This happens where governments allow parachute associations to be regulatory agencies. Just say no to Nanny States. So far both USPA and CSPA have no regulatory functions. You don't need to belong or follow their rules to open a DZ. You can keep your coherent enforcement. The only people who benefit are bureaucrats who get jobs paid for by exorbitant membership fees that are mandatory in those countries. And costs that keep skydiving pretty much an upper middle class activity. Always remember the brave children who died defending your right to bear arms. Freedom is not free.

I don't know how your name became known. I do know that skydiving is a small world. You didn't really think you could carry on here in the manner that you have and remain anonymous did you? Although this is an electronic forum it's not like the gamer culture you come from. It's real people who really skydive and really know what they are talking about. Your identity will become known and people at DZs will be watching for you. So you better be able to walk the walk like you talk the talk. I guess it doesn't really matter what your name is. You are here and trying to be controversial which I also like to do. Like you I sometimes find hypocrisy in some people's over reliance on arbitrary jump numbers. But I can't take you too seriously when you don't fill in your profile accurately and don't use your name. If you can't stand behind your opinions publicly they don't matter much. This is the real world. Stand up for yourself like a man. Don't hide like a boy trying to play in a grown ups world. Always remember the brave children who died defending your right to bear arms. Freedom is not free.