Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-06-09

nation was available concerning the parachute.
AL the various types Of parachuteS then In use
In this country and abroad were secured and
carefully studied. Such scant attention was
paid however to parachute development that
the whole proposition was in danger of dying
from stagnaton. The almost general attitude
prevailed that the parachute would possess no
value in peace time and that to conduct fur
Their experiments would be a waste of funds.
Even the small amount Of work that was done
I'm connection with parachute development was
beset with difficulties. Funds were lacking and
the parachute department received virtually no
support. This diScouraging state of affairs ex-
listed Until Maj. Hoffman took charge. This
officer keenly interested in the parachute
and scnsed the great possibilities of the equip
ment, which thus far has played such a promi-
nent part in reducing casualties among flying
personnel.
Obtaining the necessary funds TO carry out
his experiments, Maj. Hoffman proceeded to
build up organization. He secured suitable
floor space for the parachute department, pur-
chased sewing machines tools, material and
other paraphernalia including special air
planes. weights and dummies for testing pur-
poses.
After studying the various types of parachufes
then extant he reached the conclusion that,
whatever type might be adopted for military
flying, the primary consideration was that In
its operation it must be entirely free and indie
pendent of the airplane, because with any type
of parachute attached to the airplane its sue
cessful was entirely dependent upon favor
, able conditions, and what was desired was
parachute which could function under the most
unfavorable conditions.
THE free" type of parachute, being an en-
= tirely new departure, necessitated develop
ment work to cover each individual item of con-
RirDlAneS
operate demanded q parachute far stronger
than any of the existing types used with bal
looms, 1t realized that the bulk and weight
would have to be at a minimum and that the
parachute harness should possess the virtues
of strength and comfort. The problem then
was SO to design the harness that the shock
impaired to the wearer through the opening of
$the parachute and consequent sudden checking
of the fall should be equally distributed, to the
end that no physical injury or discomfort would
be experienced.
1t was concluded further that the parachute
pack would have to be of such shape and size
as to permit 1t to be worn in the arplane most
comfortably, and that the operation Of the
parachute must be simple easy and absolutely
positive.
With these requirements in mind, work was
started on parachute equipment. Numerous
ideas of parachute construction were submitted
to the engineering division, the main feature
of most Of them being an alleged positive
opening device. AS matter OF faCt however,
none of these opening devices lived up to the
expectations of the inventor, and 1t may be of
interest to relate in this connection that the
positive opening device of the Army parachute
was responsible for saving the life of one in
ventor.
This man came to McCook Field to demon
strate his own parachute. Profiting by previous
experience, when a parachute inventor lost his
life by having too much confidence in his own
device and not enough in the Army parachute,
an order issued prohibiting jumps to be
made from an altitude of less than 500 feet,
with the additional proviso that when a new
type of parachute is to be tested, reserve
parachute of the United States Army type must
also be carried.
1t was we'll that the McCook Field officials
insisted that the inventor wear the Army chute,
for his own failed to work, and he left the field
with a feeling of thankfulness for the efficiency
of the Army chute.
Looking at the parachute-merey a large
piece of fabric with lot of strings-one Is not
greatly impressed with it as article of equip
ment requiring exhaustive study and research.
Nevertheless, the parachute presented one Of
the most difficult studies in aeronautics. There
is no rigid framework, shape or form, and it