CYPRES Service Bulletin C2 0113 FAQ - Updated
April 17, 2013
Note: this FAQ will be updated on a
regular basis, please check:
If you have a specific question which is
not addressed please email it to:
1)
Which units are
affected by the CYPRES Service Bulletin?
All units
with a date of manufacture from 02/09 through 12/12.
2)
I don’t know my
CYPRES date of manufacture, what methods are there to find it?
a)
Check your reserve packing data card – some riggers
record this information there.
b)
Check your CYPRES 2 Test Certificate (received with
your new CYPRES 2)
c)
Calculate the DOM from the next maintenance due date
by accessing the unit information (see page 25 of the 2013
CYPRES 2 User's Guide).
d)
Check the S/N label on the CYPRES processing unit
(“black box”).
e)
If you are
still not sure, just email us your CYPRES 2 serial number (which can also be
accessed via the unit information procedure on page 25).
3)
How can I tell if
a CYPRES in the affected date range has been updated, and it is no longer
necessary to perform the red button test?
Part of the
update includes a simpler way to access the Meter/Feet selection (reference
section 4.4.5, page 24 of the 2013
edition of the CYPRES 2 User's Guide).
If the Meter/Feet selection can be accessed via the following method,
the CYPRES has been updated and the Service Bulletin no longer applies:
a)
Switch on the unit, as soon as the self-test has
reached “0” press and hold the button
b)
The flight counter will be displayed
c)
The serial number will be displayed
d)
The next maintenance date will be displayed
e)
The current selection (Feet or Meter) is displayed
f)
Let go of the button
If the Feet
or Meter selection is NOT displayed after the next maintenance date, the
01-2013 update has not been applied to this CYPRES.
4)
My CYPRES is in
the affected date range but is still responding. Can I send it in for the
update now?
No, at this
time please do not send in a CYPRES that does NOT fail the pre-boarding test
unless it is time for the 4-year maintenance.
As soon as we
are caught up with the backlog of maintenance units that was created during the
investigation phase of the service bulletin, we will accept CYPRES 2 units
manufactured in December 2012 (date of mfg. 12/12).
Please note
that:
a)
An early update (prior to maintenance due date) is not
required, and you are encouraged to continue to use the “red light test”.
b)
“Send it in” means: open reserve, remove the CYPRES
from the rig, ship it to Airtec or SSK, not have the CYPRES available for use
for an undefined (unknown) period of time, ship back to owner, re-install into
rig, repack reserve.
c)
This early update will be performed at no cost.
However, if performed prior to the maintenance due date, the owner is
responsible for all shipping, insurance, duty, taxes, etc. (both to and from
Airtec/SSK).
d)
Because of the unknown rate of units that will be sent
for the update, we are not able to confirm or guarantee a specific turn-around
time.
e)
As soon as the returned December 2012 date of
manufacture units are updated, we will announce that November 2012 DOM units
are being accepted for the early update.
This will continue month by month until we reach the units that are due
for 4-year maintenance.
5)
If my CYPRES 2
fails the red light test, can I go ahead and continue to jump with it?
Yes,
however there is no benefit to continue jumping with a “non-responsive” CYPRES,
as it will not save your life if needed.
6)
What happens if I
forget to do the check before I board the aircraft?
Since this phenomenon is extremely
rare, the vast majority of “affected units” have absolutely NO problem. In the
event that your CYPRES is “non-responsive” and you do not catch it, it is the same risk as
if you forgot to switch it on prior to jumping.
7)
How was this
problem discovered?
As a
result of user reports of CYPRES units that could not be switched off and
stayed on for “days”.
8)
If my CYPRES
becomes non-responsive, then what?
Contact
Airtec or SSK and we will organize the immediate repair or replacement of your
CYPRES and ship a loaner if necessary. Shipping and repack costs will also be
covered.
9)
If this condition
were to occur with my CYPRES, can I just switch it off and try it again?
No,
if the unit is non-responsive, it is NOT possible to switch it off manually and
it will also NOT automatically switch off after 14 hours.
10)
My CYPRES unit is
currently at SSK for the 4-year, will it get the “update” even though it is a
2008 date of manufacture?
Yes, standard
procedure is to apply ALL applicable updates during the maintenance. This is one of a number of the advantages to
having a mandatory scheduled maintenance program. See the CYPRES Maintenance Information brochure for further details.
11)
Why haven’t I
received my CYPRES 2 back from maintenance that I sent to you in December yet?
As a safety precaution, CYPRES Production &
Maintenance was temporarily put on hold during the investigation of the
issue. Maintenance has started again,
but as you might imagine, there is a large backlog at this time.
12)
Are there any
2013 units available at this time?
Production was put on hold as a safety precaution, and all available resources were focused on the investigation, the resolution, and extensive testing of both the interim procedure described in the Service Bulletin and the production/maintenance update. As of this date, production is up and running again, but please be aware that there are hundred’s of back-orders.
13)
Does the part get
replaced with the older version during the update?
No, the “old
version” part is no longer available.
14)
What does the
update consist of?
The update
consists of both a hardware and a software portion.
15)
If a CYPRES can
activate on the ground due to static, why not in the airplane on the carpeted
floor?
a)
During boarding, hand contact with the aircraft
discharges any built-up static charge
b)
While moving about in the aircraft, hand contact with
the aircraft discharges any built-up static charge
c)
While in the aircraft, the main canopy is packed and
is not in contact with the carpeted floor
16)
Can my CYPRES
have the problem (become non-responsive) in the airplane?
No, see the
answer to # 15 above.
17)
Can my CYPRES
become non-responsive while in freefall or during opening because of static?
CYPRES is in
a different operating mode while in the air which changes things. The
“non-responsive” situation has not occurred while in the aircraft, during
freefall, or under canopy. It has only occurred while on the ground, and from
our knowledge, in the packing area.
18)
If a non-responsive
CYPRES can activate on the ground, isn’t it also more likely to activate during
a jump?
No, the risk
of an inadvertent activation with a “non-responsive” unit while in the air is
actually less than that with a functional CYPRES (for the same reason that it
is more likely to have an inadvertent reserve deployment while using any AAD as
compared to not using an AAD).
19)
Why is the risk
lower if I click the button if my unit is already non-responsive?
Because you now know the status of
your AAD.
20)
What happens
when the button of a “non-responsive” unit is clicked?
Nothing.
21)
Why doesn’t this
occur on CYPRES manufactured before Feb 2009?
The
manufacturer-changed part was first used in production on February 2009.
22)
How many times
has this occurred?
Seventeen
units have become “non-responsive” out of the 32,000 produced during this date
range, one of which activated after landing while on a packing mat.
23)
Why don’t you
just “do the right thing” and recall of these CYPRES units?
Respectfully,
we feel we are doing the right thing, by keeping safety first. Although the field test prior to each jump is
an inconvenience to many skydivers, because of the nature of the “problem” and
how it occurs, it is actually significantly more dangerous to be jumping
without an AAD during the extended downtime that would occur of all were to be
updated now, rather than performing the update in a controlled manner which
includes our standard procedure of applying all applicable updates during the
scheduled maintenance. If all CYPRES in
the affected date range were updated now, it would take months and months which
would result in a huge number of skydiver’s being without an AAD during this
time which is an enormous risk potential.
In addition, take into consideration the logistics, expense, and delays
of tens of thousands of extra reserve repacks, extra shipping, and for many
international owners the shipping and customs hassles and expenses. The alternative is a simple click of the
button during gear check. We feel taking
all of this into consideration, together with the low occurrence rate of the
non-responsive situation, that this is the safest solution for now.
24)
Will my battery
life be affected by all of this extra button clicking
and flashing of the LED?
No.
25)
Will I wear my push-button
out if I click it before every jump?
No.
26)
My CYPRES is in
the affected date range – what about all of the high-power “rare earth” magnets
now being used on rigs (riser covers) and accessories (SkySystem’s “SkyTie”,
etc.) - will these affect my CYPRES since electric and magnetic fields are
related?
No, CYPRES is
not affected by magnetic fields, and the units included in the Service Bulletin
have no extra sensitivity.
27)
Do I have to do
the test if I just switched my CYPRES on and it passes self-test just before I
put my rig on?
No.
28)
I jump at a DZ
where the landing area and airstrip are at different elevations, so I have to
do an altitude adjustment each time prior to boarding. Do I also need to do this test?
No.
29)
What if I perform
the test, and the LED does not flash (unit is “non-responsive”), but it still
switches off after 14 hours?
Make sure that you “click” the
button. If the button is “pressed” for a
second or more on any CYPRES, the LED will not flash (try it!). The key, as stated in the Service Bulletin is
to “click” the button (meaning: press it for a very short time).
30)
Can a
“non-responsive” CYPRES become responsive again on its own, or by continued
clicking?
No.
31)
Are Military
CYPRES units in the date range also affected?
Yes,
all versions and models of CYPRES 2 units with date of manufacture 02-2009
through 12-2012 are affected. Contact us or see the Military web site for
further details.