The value of an AAD is based off of its remaining life, completed service, and trade-in value. This differs from CYPRES' own calculator, and IMO, more accurately reflects the true used value.
Formula
If your AAD never gets serviced:
If your AAD has voluntary service:
If your AAD requires service:
Calculator Logic
Value deprecates linearly over the unit's life, adjusted for maintenance:
- Taxes, import fees, and shipping costs are not included
- The retail price of the AAD depreciates linearly, scaling down to the trade-in value
- The trade-in value is extracted from the retail price, since it does not depreciate over time
- NOTE: Trade-in value only applies for a short period after the device expires (~6 months)
- The service cost is also extracted from the retail price, since it depreciates linearly over
the coverage of that service, and comes from the manufacturer already serviced
- A new unit is already covered to its first service, so the retail price is read as one service plus a device
- E.g. A Vigil that retails at $1000, with a $100 mandatory service, halfway through its life, is worth $450/$550 before/after service. That service has to be deducted from the retail price's linear depreciation, and have a separate linear depreciation over the coverage window of that service
- Completed services bump up the price, by the cost of the service (regardless of if it's mandatory)
- This depreciates to 0 over the coverage window of that service
- If an AAD fully lapses a service window, it should still cost the same
- Ex: If a CYPRES (a lifespan of 15 years) has 5 years of life remaining, it should be priced the same, regardless whether the 10 year service was completed. The value of that service went to 0 after the coverage window of that service was passed
- Voluntary services bump up the price, but do not penalize when skipped
- The coverage a skipped service would have bought is worth nothing once its window passes
- Mandatory services must be performed, so one left undone is deducted as service the buyer inherits
- E.g. An out-of-service Vigil with 2 years of life and no trade-in value, should cost nothing (floored to 0), since getting it back in service costs more than it would be valued if it was still in service
Service Schedule
| Manufacturer | DOM | Life | Service |
|---|---|---|---|
| CYPRES | ≥ 2017 | 15.5 years | Voluntary 5 and 10 years (±6 months) |
| CYPRES | 2016 | 12.5 years | Voluntary 4 and 8 years (±6 months) |
| CYPRES | ≤ 2015 | 12.5 years | Mandatory 4 and 8 years (±6 months) |
| Vigil | ≥ 10/2018 | 20 years | Mandatory 10 years (±2 years) |
| Vigil | < 10/2018 | 20 years | Mandatory 10 years (±3 months) |
| MarS m2 | All units | 15.5 years | None |
Lifespan of an AAD is not influenced by when maintenance is performed.
FAQ
- Why are market prices for older AADs higher than their true value?
- This calculator calculates the true value. It does not take into account the human aspect, since skydiving is already expensive. Used AADs are more in demand than new ones, since people would rather spend a smaller lump of cash upfront, and new AADs work just as well as older ones.
- Why does a 10-year old, serviced Vigil cost more than half of a brand new Vigil?
- A brand new Vigil is composed of two lives - one serviced life (from the factory it is coming serviced, and only has 10 years of service), and one unserviced life (that you need to pay the service fee to unlock).
- Why not factor in service duration?
- AAD service takes about 2 months (~6 weeks for the service, plus 2 buffer weeks for your rigger to disassemble/reassemble/ship). One can plan around this window and essentially make it 0-time by timing it with when they're unable to jump (repacks, vacations, tunnel camps, winter season, etc.). Also, some services are entirely voluntary, and adding excessive logic to the calculator wouldn't be user-friendly.
- Does the calculator price-in the ± service windows?
- I don't believe that it needs to. If you disagree, reach out and we can muse over some use cases.
Learn More
Related
Articles
- SSK: CYPRES Value Estimator (CYPRES' own formula, which differs)