Retrofit solution

Retrofit solution for harnesses affected by the safety note published on June 7th 2016

Since we published the safety note mentioned above, we have carried out extensive material analyses and conducted dedicated cause studies. Unfortunately we can‘t come up with a satisfactory solution for all our customers, yet, as a replacement of the complete buckle is impossible.

The manufacturer Finsterwalder offers a reworking measure for the affected buckles, which we regard insufficient for several reasons:

Finsterwalder has determined a new service life for the buckles of 8 respectively 10 years as of the harness‘ year of manufacture. Most of the harnesses affected are even older than the newly determined life-span. Furthermore the wear of these buckles varies depending on the use of the harness - it can be more or less completely irrespective of how old the harness is.

In order to enable pilots to use the affected harnesses again until a final solution is found, we offer an additional belt to safeguard the chest-belt buckles. This chest-belt is available in our online store for 9,- € including shipping. As an alternative you may as well use a climbing band sling of 60cm length and a strength of min. 15 kilonewton.

The following harness may be used with one of the mentioned additional chest belts:

• Magic / Magic 2000 certification number MZL GS-03-178-97 (only harness with dropout safeguard)
• Flow certification number MZL GS-03-218-00
• Flexon / Flexon Airbag certification number DHV GS-03-0241-01, GS-03-0242-01
• Spider certification number DHV GS-03-0323-05
• Geko certification number DHV GS-03-0342-06
• Flash / Flash Cygnus certification number DHV GS-03-0314-06, GS-03-0341-06
• Duo certification number DHV GS-0355-07

A manual for the assembly is available for download below this article.

All other harnesses mentioned in the safety note from June 7th, are old models without dropout safeguards. These unfortunately may not be used anymore. We kindly ask owners of such harnesses to contact us.

At independence we attach high importance to the careful selection of material and fittings. That is why we deliberately chose and continue to choose buckles by European manufacturers like Finsterwalder. We have been using the affected buckles Click-Lock and T-Lock for more than 20 years and they are reckoned safe and reliable. The more annoying it is, that after so many years such a safety-related problem occurs.

We apologize to all concerned pilots for the troubles caused.
As soon as further details and solutions come up, we will publish them immediately.