Helmut Cloth

Helmut Cloth of Bad Wünnenberg, Germany is a pivotal figure in the history of skydiving, best known as the creator of the automatic activation device known as CYPRES.

Helmut made his first skydive in 1972. Two years later, he became a certified skydiving instructor and a container-canopy inspector (CCI).

In 1986, during a large-formation record attempt in Bavaria, a close friend of Helmut’s was killed in a tragic accident after impacting the ground without deploying either parachute. The incident galvanized Helmut’s determination to design a device that could prevent similar tragedies in the future.

Over the next four years, Helmut led the engineering of multiple prototypes focused on safety, reliability, and precision. In 1990, he formally established Airtec GmbH & Co. KG Safety Systems in Bad Wünnenberg, Germany. One year later, the first CYPRES units became available, marking a new era in skydiving safety.

CYPRES introduced a new standard for automatic activation devices, using air pressure data to automatically deploy a reserve parachute if a skydiver was descending too quickly at a dangerous altitude. The design quickly gained worldwide trust and adoption. Since its introduction, CYPRES has been credited with saving thousands of lives and is used by skydivers in more than 60 countries.

In recognition of his achievements, Helmut has received numerous industry honors, including the Don Beck Memorial Award from the Parachute Industry Association, the Jim Crocker Award from the British Parachute Association, and induction into the International Skydiving Hall of Fame in 2015.

Through the invention of CYPRES and the founding of Airtec, Helmut Cloth dramatically improved the safety of skydiving worldwide. He resides in Bavaria, Germany, where his legacy continues every time a skydiver steps onto a plane with a CYPRES-equipped rig.