{"id":49560,"date":"2024-04-29T14:51:50","date_gmt":"2024-04-29T14:51:50","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.skydivemag.com\/new\/?p=49560"},"modified":"2024-12-23T15:29:17","modified_gmt":"2024-12-23T15:29:17","slug":"save-save-save","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.skydivemag.com\/new\/save-save-save\/","title":{"rendered":"Save, Save, SAVE!"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

SAVE Lives and SAVE Money with a CYPRES SAVE Story<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\"\"
Screenshot from Cypres activation video from a CYPRES Save story<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

More activations<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Airtec, manufacturers of the CYPRES AAD, have noticed an increase in the number of AAD activations. This trend is demonstrated by the fact they are selling more and more cutters, the part that needs to be replaced after a CYPRES activation. It seems bizarre that, when the sport is now safer than it has ever been \u2013 in terms of equipment, knowledge and training methods \u2013 more jumpers are having AAD fires.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

CYPRES Saves<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Good equipment is no substitute for good training. And even both together do not make you immortal. Airtec’s original idea was to make skydiving safer, not to increase the willingness of skydivers to take risks. That is why they are watching this trend with concern and want to counteract it. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

A second trend is that Airtec is receiving fewer Save Stories \u2013 reports submitted by jumpers who\u2019ve had a CYPRES fire, usually followed by an interview, in which they share the situation, their thought processes, lessons learned and anything else relevant. The ‘Save Stories’ are published on the Cypres website (here<\/a>), and have become an important part of Airtec’s care, playing their part in keeping awareness alive. It is also a benefit for the rescued to see that their experiences are valuable to other skydivers. Airtec has therefore decided to give something back in order to get more Save reports again…<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
CYPRES cutter
Photo by Axis<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Free Cutters<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Therefore, in the hope of encouraging skydivers to share the circumstances led to their AAD activation, Airtec is changing policy when it comes to replacement cutters<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

From 2 May 2024, every skydiver that has a CYPRES save and gives Airtec an interview, can receive a replacement cutter for free, for publishing their story. The cutters normally cost upwards of 220 USD\/EUR, so this is a little incentive to report the saves.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We would like to motivate skydivers to share their personal experience<\/p>AIRTEC<\/cite><\/blockquote><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What defines a CYPRES Save?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

A CYPRES save is defined as when the reserve loop is cut by the CYPRES cutter, because the skydiver did not take any action or could not carry out emergency procedures. There may be cases where things are not that clear \u2013 for example, if the jumper pulled the reserve handle at the same time the CYPRES fired \u2013 but Airtec would like to receive those stories too.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Save Examples<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Below are summaries of three Cypres Save stories, more are on their website here<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Marine Descols<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Ultra-experienced skydiver and wingsuit instructor Marine Descols was running a WS coaching jump when one of her students collided with her, knocking her out He had had a bad exit and was trying to catch. Up from underneath Marine didn\u2019t\u2019t see him because he was out of visual range, she was flying on her back.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Marine was still unconscious when she landed in a tree. That\u2019s where she woke up\u2013hanging like a Christmas ornament, with no idea what she was going there. It took her an hour to recover enough of her memory to piece together a story. The other jumper was unharmed, and Marine escaped with a black eye and strained, sore muscles. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Fortunately, Marine had reset her CYPRES firing altitude upwards, because they were flying over mountains. Her CYPRES activated at the adjusted setting of 450 m (about 1,500 feet). She was happy her enormous ATC wingsuit didn\u2019t interfere with her deployment processes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n

\u201cIt could have been so much worse with the wingsuit.  I had no line twists, no spinning.\u201d<\/p>\nMarine Descols<\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

Read the full interview here<\/a>:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Benoit Hebert<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Police officer, Benoit Hebert, couldn\u2019t get his pilot chute out of the pocket. He tried 3 times and then gave up, thinking it was too late to open his main, as the CYPRES would open the reserve and he did not want a main\/reserve entanglement. For no particular reason he did not initiate any EPs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n

\u201cI don\u2019t know why, but I turned into the wind and waited for the impact\u2026 I then heard a \u201cmechanical\u201d noise in my back \u2013 then \u201cBOOOOM\u201d, the reserve opened.. Hooray!!\u201d<\/em><\/p>\nBenoit Hebert<\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

This is a classic example of a jumper freezing up at a critical moment \u2013 often due to the \u2018fight or flight\u2019 adrenaline rush of a malfunction. It is easy to criticise Benoit\u2019s actions in hindsight but no-one knows what they will do in this situation unless it actually happens. We all hope we\u2019d be cool under pressure but who knows?!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ben jumped again 40 minutes later, fair play!  He is vice president of the French National Police Parachute Association and has used his experience to improve safety within the Police Para Club, by changing systems and raising awareness.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Read the full interview here<\/a>:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Reinout de Clercq<\/h2><\/div>\n\n\n\n
\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Back in 2015 Reinout De Clercq and Simon Hoorens were jumping together on a Sunday morning over Belgium and were still carving head-down at activation altitude. Reinout\u2019s CYPRES fired first and Simon\u2019s unit a second later. Both jumpers walked away without serious injury.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Nothing in their previous behaviour pointed to this happening \u2013 yet it happened. Both jumpers confessed to being too reliant on their audibles. Possibly they did not hear them because of the wind noise in their high speed carve. Both skydivers jump with 2 audibles now, and Reinout has set them higher.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n

\u201cWhen you first start skydiving you hear stories about other people \u2013 that they must have done something terribly wrong, and you believe that nothing can happen to you. This helped me to understand that even when you follow all the safety procedures something can go wrong. The longer you skydive the better you understand that it is dangerous and something can happen at any time.\u201d<\/p>\nReinout de Clercq<\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

Read the full interview here<\/a>:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Comment<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Thank you to everyone who has shared their stories. Our sport has only become as safe as it is today by the community openly sharing information when things go wrong. Riggers, manufacturers, dropzones, instructors, pilots and sport skydivers are all an essential part of this process. It is vital we continue this process, to save lives.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you have had a CYPRES fire, please do not be ashamed or embarrassed to share your story. Every one of us has lost altitude awareness at some time, and we have all made mistakes that could have resulted in injury or worse. You are blessed to be alive. Help someone else to stay alive. Let\u2019s remember that an AAD activation is not a guarantee of survival; it opens the reserve container, the canopy must still deploy. Just a small hesitation in the deployment could be and has been fatal. So, preventing another jumper\u2019s AAD activation could reasonably save them injury or even their life<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Many prominent jumpers have reported their errors of judgment in safety matters. I shared my stupidity in landing a malfunction<\/a>, Dan BC confessed to making a jump he knew was a bad idea<\/a> and Kate Cooper-Jensen shared her undone chest strap story.<\/a> There is no shame in making a mistake. To me, there is shame in not sharing information that could help the community.  How can we possibly be in a situation where we the sport is the safest ever, and we have more AAD fires than ever?  We need to find out what\u2019s going on \u2013 and for that we need information.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As Carmen Hubner said in her article, \u2018If I ever use my AAD<\/a>\u2019:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Learn from the mistakes of others, you cannot live long enough to make them all yourself<\/em><\/strong><\/p><\/blockquote><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Please Report Your Save<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Here is the link to report a CYPRES Save: Submit Your Save Story<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

It doesn\u2019t have to be a recent event. Please consider sharing even if you\u2019ve already bought your new cutter!  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n

The process of sharing the details and information from reports \u2013 both locally and ultimately with everybody \u2013 contributes to the onward progress of the technology we employ to help keep people safe while skydiving.<\/p>\nAIRTEC<\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
No story, no free cutter!
Photo by Axis<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n
<\/div>
<\/a><\/div><\/div>
<\/a><\/div><\/div>
Visit Us<\/a><\/div><\/div>
<\/a>
<\/span>
<\/a><\/div>
<\/a><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>
<\/div >