Evening star., 1927-05-15
L|NDBERGH. HOLDS
CHUTE RECORD
Has Jumped Four Times for
Life, Twice When Gas Failed
in Fog Over Chicago.

By the Associated Press.
CHICAGO, May 14.-CauGht in an
impenetrable fog, which obscured the
lights of the haywood air mail field
here and with 20 minutes gas sup
ply, an air mail pilot eight months
ago headed for. open country, climbed
a mile in the air and then calmly
stepped out of his ship for a success
full parachute drop of 5000 feet, not
knowing where he might land. That
pilot was Charles A. Lindbergh, dare.
devil aviator now waiting for pro.
pitious moment to hop off for Paris
from New York.
On that occasion the mail plane
came down a tangled. twisted mass
of wreckage. Two miles distant the
aviator floated to earth, landing in a
corn field. Lindbergh sought and
found the wrecked plane, arranged to
have its mail cargo taken aboard a
train and then called it a night.
Fourth Emergency Leap.
Six weeks later he had a similar
eXperience-also at highland again
he stepped out of his ship to make a
successful parachute jump while his
plane was wrecked.
It was his fourth emergency leap,
making him the only 'four-star" men,
Der of the Caterpillar Club, composed
of aviators who have taken success
full forced leaps. OF the four his two
night jumps within six weeks while in
the Air Mail Service probably were
the most spectacular. One jump was
made near Wedron, ILL.,, after he had
determined he was over Chicago, but
would not jump because he feared that
hi hi ierI,f inv
Fog Hid Field.
He encountered fog bringing the
mail from st. Lopis to Chicago, and
when he arrived found that he was
unable to see the landing field signal
lights. His gas supply was rapidly
diminishing, and after cruising over
the city for some time he headed for
what he believed to be open country.
set off final flare, and when it showed
only fog, climbed to a safe height for
a leap, then stepped overheard as his
engine sputtered and died. Ship and
pilot fell almost together at the start,
and Lindbergh heard the swish Of the
wings as the plane twisted in narrow
spirals near him.
This Jump was made last September
Is, and on the night of November )
he made a similar jump under almost
similar circumstances from a height
of $4,000 feet, landing near the town
of Danvers, near Bloomington. III.
His first two jumps were made one
in Texas while cadet in the Army
Air Service and one at st. Louis when
his ship failed to come out of a tail
spin.
Plane Is Only Love.
Lucky Lindberghs only love is
his monoplane.
The 25.year- contender in the
transatlantic hop today made clear
that there is no womanly considera-
tion-aside from that of his mother in
Detroit-in his impending lone jump
to Paris.
Feminine admirers surround the
big, blonde, blue-eyed youth whenever
he appears at Curtis Field to tinker
with his plane, the Spirit of st. Louis,
and have observed with some dismay
that the daring airman apparently is
girl shy"
A girl reporter. acting in the line of
duty, put to him the question that
seemed to be worrying her sisterhood.
My airplane is my only girl. Don't
know any others. I'm not engaged.
married or divorced" came back the
answer. He did, however hesitat-
ingly accept mirror from the vanity
case of a newspaper photographer S
wife to adjust over his compass.