Page 15 - October 2018

TAKING THE STRAIN Nevertheless, in spite of this experience, and if the
Although Parachuting is becoming increasingly popular as an aeronautical Orfordness experiments, and the decision of the German
“sport”, it is being mainly developed on account of its life-saving possibilities. staff to use parachutes, there were still doubters in this
The crew in a machine that is about to make a forced landing, and perhaps
crash, can often escape destruction if they take to their parachutes in time. country who said that it would be impossible to get clear of
The photograph above shows a parachutist just about to let go from a Vickers an aeroplane if it were in a spin.
Virginia heavy bomber.
balloons, airships and aeroplanes. Pegoud Parachuting received a check at the occupants had to jump after it
who did things requiring the utmost outbreak of the War except for the kite had reached a considerable
amounts of nerves and courage long before balloon section. For them the height.
anyone else attempted them, had shown parachute was a necessity, and many Among British parachutes
that a pilot could get clear of an aeroplane were the lives saved by this means. experimenters must be
in a flight and come down safely by Usually the drops were made when the mentioned Corporal East and
parachute. Circus performers gave displays balloon was attacked by hostile aircraft; Leading Aircraftsman Dobbs,
at air meetings which were truly amazing but sometimes they were made in who was later to become
for the times. They jumped from a balloon special conditions, as when a balloon known as the most daring
or airship carrying two or three parachutes, broke away frim its cable and climbed
parachutist in the British
and then cut themselves free from the first so rapidly that the
parachute to open another one, and so on,
landing with the last parachute.

BEARING THE LOAD
This photograph was taken a few seconds later than the one at the top of the page. It will
be seen that the parachutist has completely parted company from his aeroplane and is
being drawn through the air by his now fully unfolded parachute, and in a short time will
once again have the pleasureable consciousness of terra firma beneath his feet. The
development of parachute technique is now proceeding apace in the trayal Air force.