Any body know anything about the USSR's KAP AAD?

[patworks 5]

Any body know anything about the USSR's KAP AAD?

Here is what I think I know. KAP – 3P -- an early-era automatic activation device (AAD), -- ??Developed in the USSR in the late 1940's or 50’s [??] the mechanical KAP 3 is the earliest functional AAD known ??. For decades, the Soviet KAP 3 AAD was the only sensible device for parachuting. For example, in the USA, the similar USAF high-altitude bail-out AAD was hardwired to open at 14,000 feet ASL making that device impractical for civilian jumps.

FACT: A highly reliable device, all Soviet manned capsules and cosmonauts’ carried redundant KAP3s. You can check them out at the Smithsonian or the Boeing Museum. They were part of the kit for many drop zones around the world including wide use across America in the 50s -60s -70s.

Pat Works nee Madden Travis Works, Jr .B1575, C1798, D1813, Star Crest Solo#1, USPA#189,

[skydiverek 63]

They were still used in Poland 10 years ago (along with round main and reserve canopies, although it could be used with the square main as well). I have approximately 50 jumps with them. The AAD was mechanical and installed on the MAIN, and it fired on EVERY jump, at a preset altitude (1650 feet/500 meters - although I recall it could be changed). Basically, it was a "pin puller" type of AAD.

The jump looked like this:
Let's say you jumped from 10,000 feet. The safety pin was inserted into the AAD. The AAD was "armed" (by pulling the AAD's "pin puller" cable to some extension on the ground and locking it in this "pulled" position). You hooked up the safety pin's lanyard to the airplane (much like you hook up a static line to the airplane). When you jumped, the lanyard extracted the pin from the AAD, and the AAD started it's 5-second countdown (you could hear the mechanism "rolling"). It then stopped after the 4-th second, and waited until you reach the pressure altitude of 1650 feet. It then fired after one second, whether your main was out of container or not.

Now, everyone in Poland has Cypres/Vigil/Argus and square main and reserve

[jimp 1]

KAP 3 was the Czech designation where they were manufactured, the Sovs called them PPK 3. You can still see them on rigs in Russia and eastern non-EU Europe. Very reliable durable devices, don't "time expire" after a few years.

[patworks 5]

Thanks jimp and skydivered,
Good inputs. I have a KAP 3 (or PPK 3 and remember them being used in the 1960s. They are about the size of 2-packs of cigaretts.

There are two-each of them mounted on the frame of a Soviet re-entry space capsule on display at the Boeing Air Museum in seattle....

Pat Works nee Madden Travis Works, Jr .B1575, C1798, D1813, Star Crest Solo#1, USPA#189,

[mircan 0]

I was jumping it (KAP3-P) until jump 60 or so. They were reliable when they were new and calibrated. The ones we had were not that good. I had 2 openings inside plane before jump #30. So we were eager to get rid of these things.
Some of the guys use those thingies to open instead of them. You know, they waited for designated altitude for AAD to activate. Not good practice...

Now, even here KAP is obsolete.

dudeist skydiver #42

[howardwhite 6]

From a 1970 Sky Diver ad. Looks like Para-Gear was the supplier.
If you're an "exhibitionist jumper," you'll surely want one.

HW

[skydiverek 63]

Here is how it works on reserve...:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pt8RquFs5Hs

[Nelyubin 0]

Curves hands rigger...

Made at this time. Used by military and aircraft ejection seats.
http://ru.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D0%9F%D0%9F%D0%9A-%D0%A3
http://www.2mpz.ru/catalogue/c1/