BOLD PARASCHUTE DESCENT.
DARING FOUR-MILE JUMP,
AMERICAN AVIATOR’S RECORD
A new air record has just been scored in America by a wonderful parachute descent of four and ahalf miles.
Lieutenant Arthur Hamilton, of the United States Air Service, was flying at a height of 24,400 ft., when ho jumped with his parachute. Such a leap might well have appalled even a daring and brave man, but Lieutenant Hamilton jumped without the slightest hesitation. The parachute, which was a very large one, opened perfectly and such a resistance to the air did it present that instead of falling almost perpendicularly, the airman began io drift slantingly, and when he finally came to earth it was at a spot eight miles away from the place over which ho had left the aeroplane. He was nearly frozen during the descent, so intense was the cold arid so prolonged the drop, and part of the time he was actually asleep while falling. Fortunately he landed safely, establishing his remarkable record.
A short time before another parachute record was made in America. Five men jumped from one machine at a height of 2,000 ft., or nearly half a mile above the ground. Enel) man carried two parachutes, one of which he opened before he jumped, and the other during his descent. All landed safely.
CROWD THAT GREW NERVOUS Parachuting from the air began almost as soon as ballooning. 4 lie very first descent of this kind was made on October 22nd, 1797, in France, during the Revolution, when, Citizen C'anierin ascended in a balloon from the Park of Monceau, at Paris, in the presence- of an awestruck and -blent crowd, who feared he would meet with an untimely end. When lie had reached the height of 2,000 ft. he out the cord that connected his parachute with the oar of the balloon. The balloon exploded, and Garner in began to descent vapidly. About midway lie made a great lurch in the air, and the watching crowd thought the end had come, and gave a cry of fear, many women fainting.
But after being blown some distance away, the aeronaut landed safely, and, at once mounting a horse, galloped back to the park, where lie received a great ovation. Then ho proceeded to the National Institute, where a body of famous scientists was then in session, and gave them an account of his experiences. Certainly lie must have bceu a very cool young man. Oarneriu’s parachute was much like those used to-day.' He had conceived the idea while a prisoner at Buda-Pesth, and carried out his plan at the first opportunity with complete success. Seven years later a descent was made at Vienna with a double parachute, and from that time to this thousands of airmen have jumped on dropped from balloons and aeroplanes in the same way, such descents being singularly Tree from accidents.
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Manawatu Herald, Volume XLIII, Issue 2292, 21 June 1921, Page 1
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479BOLD PARASCHUTE DESCENT. Manawatu Herald, Volume XLIII, Issue 2292, 21 June 1921, Page 1
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