SSK Industries, Inc.

CYPRES and CRW

rumor, fact and fiction...

April, 1995 - Cliff Schmucker, SSK Industries, Inc.

The following is from a September 1993 response to a letter in Parachutist Magazine. Additional information concerning CRW and CYPRES is also provided to help CYPRES Owners and Riggers understand more about some of the specifics involved, and is based on typical questions that have been received by us.

As far as the concerns raised in the May 1993 issue of Parachutist about Canopy Relative Work and AAD compatibility, realize that most of the prior and existing AAD technology has been around for years before CRW became mainstream. The CYPRES AAD addresses this aspect of our sport, and is compatible with CRW. Specifically, in the case of the Expert CYPRES, it would activate under canopy when the vertical velocity (regardless of the horizontal component) equals or exceeds 35 meters / second (115 feet / sec., 78 MPH) at about 1000 feet AGL. (The activation altitude while in freefall is 750 feet.) However, velocities of this magnitude are virtually impossible to obtain under any sort of partially deployed, open, or even malfunctioned main canopy. Airtec chose this particular activation velocity in part so that the Expert CYPRES would activate at typical pilotchute-in-tow speeds. However, if somehow one found himself in such a canopy wrap, traveling at such a velocity through 1000 feet AGL (8.7 seconds or less from impact), an AAD could possibly help.

In addition: The TANDEM CYPRES has the same identical activation velocity with a higher activation altitude. (No, this does not mean that it is prudent to do Tandem down planes!)

The STUDENT CYPRES is designed to activate in a partial malfunction situation. If a student jumper with a malfunctioned main passes through about 1000 feet AGL at 13 meters / second (43 feet / sec., 29 MPH) it will activate. (If the student is near terminal velocity, it will wait until about 750 feet.) Therefore, when doing CRW with a Student CYPRES, breakoff should always be completed above 1500 ft.

There is at least one CYPRES / CRW save to date: July 1994, Raeford, North Carolina - Expert CYPRES: Two members of an experienced CRW team were involved in a CRW wrap at about 6000 ft. The entangled jumper cut away from his main and then observed the other jumper cutting suspension lines to free him. When he fell away, convinced that he now had neither a main nor reserve, he tracked towards a small lake. CYPRES then activated his previously unopened reserve.

One of the original important design criteria of the Expert CYPRES was to be compatible with all forms of Skydiving. This includes Freefall Relative Work, Style, Accuracy, Free Style, Demos, Sky Surfing, and Canopy Relative Work.

SSK Industries is the U.S. CYPRES Service Representative.