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Due to recent reports of two broken ripcord pins, Mirage Systems has issued a recall on approximately 200 soft reserve ripcords. The ripcords were manufactured by Capewell Components between Nov. 25, 2001, and May 10, 2002, and are marked with batch number M005128. Mirage container owners can find the batch number on the back side of the handle. Any Mirage container with a soft reserve ripcord from this batch can not be jumped until the handle is tested and marked airworthy or replaced, said Bill Hallett, Mirage Sales and Marketing Director. According to Hallett, one pin broke while a rigger was closing a reserve and the other broken pin was found during a gear check prior to a second jump of the day for the Mirage-owning skydiver. According to the service bulletin, Mirage and Capewell have been unable to identify the cause of the failing ripcord pins as other ripcords from the same batch have tested normal. Still, many of the ripcords from the identified batch remain in the field and need to be tested. Capewell Components will perform microscopic and metallurgical examinations on each ripcord from the identified batch. Ripcords determined to be defective will be replaced by Mirage for free. If the ripcord is determined to be airworthy, Capewell will return the ripcord to the customer so marked. Turnaround time on the testing at Capewell is 1-2 days, Hallett said. As of last week, Mirage was awaiting shipment of new soft reserve ripcord assemblies. Hallett said replacement ripcords can be sent out immediately as soon as Mirage receives its stock from Capewell. Shipping to and from Capewell and Mirage concerning the recall is being covered by Capewell. The only cost customers will incur will be from a rigger opening and reclosing the reserve container to remove, replace or reinstall the ripcord. Chuting Star Rigging Loft charges $15 for this service, but the reserve must be in date and inspected/repacked at our loft.

Airtec, the German manufacture of the automatic opener Cypres, has expanded on its four-sentence statement about the upcoming release of Cypres II. While the reliability of the Cypres has rarely been challenged, many skydivers have longed for a more user-friendly unit and less-frequent service schedule. Airtec may have improved on the original Cypres on both accounts. Battery replacement on the original Cypres was due every two years, 500 jumps or when the unit displayed a low-battery error code. Airtec says the Cypres II battery will last four years regardless of jump numbers and will only need to be replaced during the 4/8-year maintenance. There is no information yet on the cost of the 4/8-year service for the Cypres II or the length of time Airtec or its approved service centers will have to keep the Cypres during the maintenance period. For the original Cypres, turnaround time for the 4/8-year maintenance checks is two weeks and $160 plus shipping (battery not included). We hope the company has found a way to shorten the service time and reduce the cost. Airtec has announced that the service window for the 4/8-year maintenance checks will be +/- 6 months from the date of manufacture, giving a jumper a full year to find the most convenient time to have the Cypres II serviced. The Cypres II will display the due date for the next maintenance as well as the serial number on the control unit. The Cypres II lifetime is expected to be the same as the original Cypres: 12 years. Swoopers will be happy to know that the Cypres II is water-resistant for 15 minutes at a depth of 15 feet. And riggers packing tiny containers should have an easier time with bulk management as the Cypres II is reported to be smaller with rounded corners and edges. Most importantly, the Cypres II will retain all of the same reliable operational qualities of the original Cypres. Cypres II units should be available next week.