PARACHUTE DESCENT

Rotorua Morning Post, Volume 1, Issue 207, 26 April 1932, Page 6

PARACHUTE DESCENT

THRILLS FROM THE AIR EXCITING EXHIBITION S OF STUNT FLYING BY NOTED AIRMAN LARGE CROWD AT AERODROME Although it is not the- first time that Rotorua residents have had the opportunity of witnessing parachute descents from an aeroplane, the promised display of Pilot-Officer J. -S. (Scotty) Fraser at the Rotorua Aerodrome on Sunday afternoon drew a crowd of several hundreds of interested spectators, all of whom appeared thrilled with the daring aerobatics they witnessed. Pilot-Officer Fraser arrived in Rotorua on Sunday morning in a Sparton hiplane piloted by SquadronLeader M. C. McGregor, and even the arrival of the machine aroused conr siderable, interest among the younger members of the community, many of whom waited at the aerodrome for the 'plane to land. By 2 p.m. hundreds had gathered around the hangar in 'anticipation of the coming display, while the fence along the Fenton Street side of the 'drome was lined from end to end with motor-cars. The crowds necessitated the special attention of the traffic inspector to supervise the parking of the ever-increasing number of vehicles. Prior to the main event SquadronLeader McGregor went up in the 'plane on his own and gave several thrilling displays of intricate stunting. Besides doing several kinds of rolls, spins, hanks and side slips, he gave a very interesting exhihition of flying upside down, traversing more than the complete length of the flying field in this position. He then caused some excitement hy nose-div-ing straight at the ground, then, turning up sharply when only about 20 yards from the crowd, he performed a perfect loop.

Pilot-Officer Fraser's prepai*ations for his leap from the 'plane were watched with keen interest, espscially the operation of folding the parachute, which was followed carefully by the majority of the spectators. Tha pilot'-officer then took his seat in the 'plane and as the machine gathered speed waved a careless farewell to the watchers. After circling the 'drome the plane mounted steadily, making for a position to the southwest on the windward side of the landing ground. When the 'plane was a little over a thousand feet up, a dot could be seen emerging from the fuselage and soon becoming detached fell headlong- into space, dropping like a stone. Suddenly a trailer was left behind by the dot, to be followed immediately by the parachute proper. The huge umbralla-like parachute gracefully filled, and the precipitant descent was checked, and Fraser hung like a tossing cork gliding slowly with the breeze toward the earth. After making sure that he was clear of the telephone wires in Fenton Street, the parachutist commenced spilling air by pulling on the cords of the parachute and his descent became more rapid. He made a perfect landing about 50 yards to the north of the hangar, and was welcomed by practically the whole of the spectators, who had run to meet him. Later in the afternoon Pilot Officer Fraser made another jump equally as successful as the first and the whole performance was again followed with keen interest.