Stolen Re-Programmed Cypress AADs May Fire Unexpectedly

[PWScottIV 0]

Police Make Arrest In Theft Of Skydiving Safety Devices

Police say an Ohio skydiver had a close call when a re-programmed safety device stolen from a South Windsor company caused his reserve parachute to open and become entangled in his main chute.

The small computers are used to deploy a reserve parachute at a specific height, if the main chute does not open. The safety devices which were taken had been re-programmed for product testing to open at a higher-than standard altitude, and had a warning label – but police believe the label was removed before the device, known as a Cypress, was sold.

A three-month investigation led police to 30-year-old Justin Shorb [User name: PhoenixRising], now of Derry, New Hampshire. He’s charged with larceny and reckless endangerment. Police say he has helped them track the buyers. They he sold each Cypress — which retails for $1,200 to $1,800 over the internet for $400 to $800.

Blue Skies Mag: http://blueskiesmag.com/2011/08/22/skydiver-arrested-in-aad-theft/

CBS: http://connecticut.cbslocal.com/2011/08/19/police-make-arrest-in-theft-of-skydiving-safety-devices/

Derry Police Log: http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:rItELDi88LkJ:www.derrynews.com/crimecourt/x15271770/Police-Log+Police+Arrest+aad+Justin+Shorb&cd=3&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=us&client=firefox-a&source=www.google.com

Gravity Waits for No One.

[LetsGoOutside 0]

So did these really have a custom setting or did the jumper just not zero it correctly? It sounds like the prior in the article but the news is always off.

Also, where is the "no duh Justin Shorb turned out to be a thief" thread?

[chuckakers 425]

What a dirtbag.

"Git yer torches and pitchforks, boys. We're gonna take of this!"

Chuck Akers
D-10855
Houston, TX

[PWScottIV 0]

As stated in the news article, these were custom devices that were not intended to be used for recreational skydiving. Apparently there was a warning label on each device stating that fact... That warning label was removed, presumably to conceal the fact that these were not appropriate for recreational skydivers to use and were for testing only.

Gravity Waits for No One.

[deltron80 0]

There was a thread recently about someone who noticed their AAD was set to some weird diagnostic setting? Was that one of these units by any chance?

[PiLFy 3]

No, that was one of the units from that other company.

[wolfriverjoe 1,523]

Quote

There was a thread recently about someone who noticed their AAD was set to some weird diagnostic setting? Was that one of these units by any chance?

THIS THREAD?

No, it about Argus.

"There are NO situations which do not call for a French Maid outfit." Lucky McSwervy

"~ya don't GET old by being weak & stupid!" - Airtwardo

[PiLFy 3]

Wouldn't the set altitudes, & any off-sets, still have shown on the LCD during start up?

[PWScottIV 0]

To give this guy the benefit of the doubt... I'm guessing the most likely problem here is that he's an idiot, and a whole lot less likely that he ever intended to put anyone at risk. I can only hope that he didn't know that these had been reprogrammed, and that he thought he was just selling standard Cypress units that were to be used for testing. It would be interesting to see what information the warning labels contained.

Gravity Waits for No One.

[likestojump 3]

Can someone point to the incident that triggered the investigation ?

tnx

[Rover 11]

Been a while since theres been a 'tar n feathering'.

2 wrongs don't make a right - but 3 lefts do.

[PWScottIV 0]

Quote

Can someone point to the incident that triggered the investigation ?

tnx

Sounds like it might be one of the many incidents that never get posted.

Gravity Waits for No One.

[jrmrangers 0]

This guy should be charged with attempted murder for every unit he sold that got jumped! He easilly could have killed any one of the people that bought these units. As far as him just being stupid , the news said that he too was a skydiver, so im fairly certai he well knew what could have happened!!!

Wait , I pull what first?

[PWScottIV 0]

Quote

This guy should be charged with attempted murder for every unit he sold that got jumped! He easilly could have killed any one of the people that bought these units. As far as him just being stupid , the news said that he too was a skydiver, so im fairly certai he well knew what could have happened!!!

That was my first "knee jerk" reaction to it as well. For me, I'd have to know what those labels said in order to try him for attempted murder... In his defense, he may have really thought they were the standard Cypress unit... Then, in my mind, he'd be guilty of selling stolen property and being a complete idiot... I'm definitely interested to see how things pan out in the trial.

Gravity Waits for No One.

[DSE 5]

Quote

For me, I'd have to know what those labels said in order to try him for attempted murder... In his defense, he may have really thought they were the standard Cypress unit... Then, in my mind, he'd be guilty of selling stolen property and being a complete idiot... I'm definitely interested to see how things pan out in the trial.

If the "labels were removed" and "the units were reprogrammed" as per the various news articles (not to mention that Pioneer Aero doesn't develop equipment for skydivers) would indicate knowledge that these were not standard CYPRES units. These units also have a different color/labeled power button.

[PWScottIV 0]

Quote

Quote

For me, I'd have to know what those labels said in order to try him for attempted murder... In his defense, he may have really thought they were the standard Cypress unit... Then, in my mind, he'd be guilty of selling stolen property and being a complete idiot... I'm definitely interested to see how things pan out in the trial.

If the "labels were removed" and "the units were reprogrammed" as per the various news articles (not to mention that Pioneer Aero doesn't develop equipment for skydivers) would indicate knowledge that these were not standard CYPRES units. These units also have a different color/labeled power button.

I could be wrong here, but my understanding of the situation was that SSK (The manufacture of the Cypress AAD) reprogrammed these devices and delivered them to another company to use for testing in some non-"recreational skydiving" application. Then he stole them from that company, removed the labels to conceal the fact that they were not supposed to be resold, and sold them, possibly not knowing that they were any different than a typical Cypress...

However, without knowing what the label said, it's difficult to know how much he knew... It's possible they just said something like "Not for resale"... Or the label could have actually stated the activation and firing altitudes... Without knowing what they really said, it's hard to know what was going through his head... Obviously, selling stolen AADs that were slated for testing is pretty fucking stupid regardless of whether you know if they're standard or not. He may have been stupid enough to not consider that fact.

Gravity Waits for No One.

[virgin-burner 1]

way to go, fucku, err, flocku..

buisness must be running really low!

“Some may never live, but the crazy never die.”
-Hunter S. Thompson
"No. Try not. Do... or do not. There is no try."
-Yoda

[normiss 798]

What 'business' IS FU anyway???

[virgin-burner 1]

Quote

What 'business' IS FU anyway???

they're making you pay money to become a coach.

what do you call it when you offer a service in exchange for cash!?

http://www.flockuniversity.org/

“Some may never live, but the crazy never die.”
-Hunter S. Thompson
"No. Try not. Do... or do not. There is no try."
-Yoda

[pchapman 279]

So according to Flock U.:

Quote

ustin Shorb is the founder of Flock University. With 5000 skydives and over 4000 wingsuit jumps he is one of the most experienced wingsuit pilots out there. Justin Travels and works for Flock University almost full time.

(I just looked it up as I didn't know who the guy is.)

[normiss 798]

To become an unrated coach for discipline specific coaching?

Do they check leg straps?

[virgin-burner 1]

http://www.dropzone.com/cgi-bin/forum/gforum.cgi?post=4100286;search_string=fwc;#4100286

talking about leg-straps, see this post specificly: http://www.dropzone.com/cgi-bin/forum/gforum.cgi?post=4105356#4105356

“Some may never live, but the crazy never die.”
-Hunter S. Thompson
"No. Try not. Do... or do not. There is no try."
-Yoda

[virgin-burner 1]

if you run a whois-query, his name will also pop up.

i've had my run-ins with justin, as you can see in the post i made to normiss.

oh, and i got some sort of "funny" messages in my inbox on FB, kinda threatening, not from justin himself, but it seems that's how them boys like to run their game.

pretty low-life, IMHO.

“Some may never live, but the crazy never die.”
-Hunter S. Thompson
"No. Try not. Do... or do not. There is no try."
-Yoda

[normiss 798]

Can you also buy wingsuits directly from the rep completely bypassing the manufacturer???

[virgin-burner 1]

Quote

Can you also buy wingsuits directly from the rep completely bypassing the manufacturer???

only if you get the "upsizing-option" included!

“Some may never live, but the crazy never die.”
-Hunter S. Thompson
"No. Try not. Do... or do not. There is no try."
-Yoda