CYPRES 2 - 10. The CYPRES LOOP and Disc System

- CYPRES 2 User’s Guide - page 49
worked on this issue. In 1991 and 1992 we designed
a loop and disc solution to reduce these risks as
much as we could.
The CYPRES loop is woven like a tube, so it can be
inserted into itself to create the closing loop’s eye.
At the same time it is only 11/16 inch in diameter
(1.8 mm), is extremely exible and has an extra
smooth surface to make it extremely slippery. In
addition CYPRES loops are treated with a special
silicone on the upper 1.5 inch (4 centimeters) to
maximize the smoothness of its surface giving it
even less friction when passing through the reserve
container grommets and the cutter.
Although the loop is really narrow, its breaking
strength is in excess of 408 lbs (185 Kp).
The CYPRES disc (often called a smiley because of
its looks) is a small piece of artwork. It is a round
aluminium disc with no sharp edges. Within its
surface it has 3 passing holes.
The ngertrapped loop is threaded through the
middle hole and then through the left hole, the
loop then gets threaded through the right hole, and
knotted.
10. The CYPRES Loop and Disc System
Previous reserve container closing loops were made
from old parachute suspension lines or similar mate-
rial consisting of Kevlar, Dacron, Spectra etc. They
were often thick, rough and became stiff while under
tension in a packed container for a long period of
time. As a result these loops could delay the reserve
container opening or even avoid it after the ripcord
was pulled because they became trapped between
the grommets.
A number of skydivers died because the reserve
aps did not open in time.
To fasten the reserve closing loops in the container
bottom riggers and packers used normal metal
washers. Sometimes these washers had sharp edges.
A loop which is under a lot of tension in the con-
tainer could be damaged and cut accidentally by
those sharp edges. Especially from vibration in a
car or in an aircraft.
Skydivers were killed by premature reserve open-
ings, caused by fraying loops. Even an aircraft
crashed because of a premature reserve opening.
Our intention is to make skydiving safer, so we