The Skydiver's Guardian Angel

Date: 11 Sept. 2004
Location : Moorsele, BELGIUM

AAD : VIGIL # 601 in PRO mode without altitude correction

Description of the jump:

Due to the re-acceleration at 350m, Vigil recorded 2 consecutive graphs (n°41, 42).

The graph n° 41 looks as a normal freefall. *
Jump out the plane ± 4000m followed by a freefall of 58 sec, starting at 3816m. **
The main canopy opened at ± 900m, with a deceleration from ± 240km/h to ± 50km/h in ± 3 sec from
± 66m/sec to ± 14m/sec.
Remark: the final falling speed of ± 14m/s was twice the normal falling speed of ± 7m/s
and the skydiver had still a falling speed of more than 50km/h under the open canopy. **

The graph n° 42 is the continuation of jump 41. *
The record of the graph started at ± 425m with a falling speed of ± 65km/h. **
At ± 350m the graph stated an acceleration (spinning) followed by the cut-away at ± 290m with a falling speed of ± 32m/s.
About 1 sec later, the falling speed exceeded 35m/s and crossed the activation speed line at an altitude of ± 220m.
5/8 of a sec later, a new freefall was stated. Time=0 on graph.
At 212 m or 1/8 of a sec later, the cutter was activated.

Thanks to this patented calculation method, the Vigil activated its cutter to release the reserve in less than 1 sec, with a tolerance of only 8 meters! The result was that the falling speed was reduced to a normal ± 7m/s at an altitude of 90m and the skydiver landed safely. **

* See joint graphs (n°41 + 42).

** Graph record starts 7 sec before the falling speed exceeds 35m/s and stops 12 sec after the end of the freefall.

Conclusion :

Those 2 graphs, downloaded from Vigil memory, prove that the Vigil did its job perfectly.

Graph legend :

• Blue line : the height in function of time
• Red line : the speed value calculated and used by the Vigil
• Green line : the average speed as reference
• Red dot : the starting freefall time (speed > activation speed)
• Blue dot : activation of the cutter
• Yellow dot : the end of freefall time (speed < activation speed)