{"id":19932,"date":"2019-07-05T13:48:02","date_gmt":"2019-07-05T13:48:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.skydivemag.com\/new\/?p=19932"},"modified":"2021-02-19T13:13:25","modified_gmt":"2021-02-19T13:13:25","slug":"why-not-raise-your-aad-activation-altitude","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.skydivemag.com\/new\/why-not-raise-your-aad-activation-altitude\/","title":{"rendered":"Why Not Raise your AAD Activation Altitude?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Article and Photo by Johannes Bergfors<\/em><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

“Discipline weighs ounces while regret weighs tons”<\/em><\/strong><\/p>Jim Rohn, entrepreneur, author and motivational speaker<\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

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I lost a friend<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The death of one of my countrymen and the paralysis of a friend could potentially have been prevented if their reserve canopies were not still streaming when they hit the ground unconscious. <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Decision \u2013 Raise my Activation Altitude<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

I changed the Activation Altitudes (AA) <\/strong>of my AAD about a year ago. It took me 5 minutes after downloading the manual to my AAD online<\/a>. It now activates at 1,050 feet; 300 feet higher than the default altitude on the Cypres 2 which is 750 ft. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Reasons to increase AA<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

I chose to increase it based on the following reasons:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

  • I don’t deploy at 2,500 feet, like people used to do 28 years ago when the Cypres (as the first reliable AAD) was launched and the default altitude 750 feet was set. I deploy 500-700 feet higher than that.<\/li>
  • I jump a reserve canopy that is tight, but permitted, in my rig.<\/li>
  • I jump in a mountainous area often, where the terrain elevates 300 feet if I deploy over certain areas.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n

    If I’m still in freefall at 1,050 feet it is quite obvious to me that I need to have some fabric over my head as soon as possible. And at that altitude I’d prefer to have my reserve out – not my main (Valkyrie Hybrid 75 sqft). <\/p>\n\n\n


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