Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-11-17
BY EVE CARRETTE.

niteIy become air-mnded? Is the day
near when people will think no more of
jumping off into space and drifting
peacefully to earth, borne up by bit OF silk
and cord than they do today of briskly donning
a lfebelt the ship begins to sink and diving
nOnchaIantly off into the ocean?
Nearly every one has complete confidence in
life-preservers; they know that they cannot sink
to a watery grave with hfebelts about their
waists. Air enthusiasts are saying that what is
true of lfe-preservers may also be said for the
parachute.
Now that the airplane is surely means of
transportation the ship, the parachute, once
the plaything of daredevil circus performers and
balloon jumpers, has come into its own as a
fOolproof and dependable means of escape from
disabled aircraft. AviatorS point out that para
chutes Of the best design are safe They seldom
fail to bring their riders down from the sky in
comfort and safety. 49,.
The next step is educating the public. Yet IL
would seem, from all accounts, that the public
insists upon educating itself. It refuses to be
deprived of thrill that is as simple as hopping
off fence but far more exciting.
MOT long ago young salesman out of a job
but with secret affection for aviation wan
dered out onto the flying field at San Diego,
Calf. Somebody suggested that he might get a
job selling parachutes. Only, of course, he
would have to have had personal experience
with his particular brand of merchandise. The
young salesman wrestled with the problem for
two hours; to try a parachute jump and get a
job or refuse and miss out on what might be
big chance. He decided to make the jump.
pilot took him up $500 feet and circled the
field in cabin monoplane. The prospective
parachute salesman was rugged up in his harness
and pack. When they got back over the field
he crawled through the door and stood on the
step, nervous but determined. The windstream
nearly pulled him off, but he gripped the handle
with clutch of IRON At the signal from the
pilot he dove off headfirst
There was no terrible downrush More like a
slow motion-picture sensation When he pulled
the chute ring mass of white flashed past his
head, caught the wind and Immediately opened
out He noticed at once the silence-the roar of
the airplane motor was gone-he was all alone
in space, drifting quietly earthward under a
white canopy. He bent his knees slightly as he
approached the ground, according to instruc-
tons, and soon landed safe and sound. From;
that moment he was an enthusiastic, cocky
parachute salesman
Out at Roosevelt Field during the Summer
there was regular epidemic of parachute
jumping among women. One girl who had
never been up in an airplane in her life took her
first ride aloft, properly safeguarded with little
parachute pack on her back She decided to try
it out without bothering to announce her in
tentons to any one. Her first parachute jump
was so successful and interesting to her that she
has become an ardent aviatrix
In October a 15-year-old schoolgirl supplied
crowd of $4,000 at Roosevelt Field with q real
thrill in the course of a parachute jumping con-
test in which she was entered. After diving
from her plane the girls foot became entangled
in the shroud rope. She was unable to release
the parachute until she extricated it. Twisting
and fighting she fell $500 feet before she was
able to open the parachute, 500 feet above the
ground, and land unframed in the midst Of the
excited watchers. Her mother, who was present,
tainted when she her daughter fall. Of
ticials at the field said that the jump was per-
fectly SAFE that the fact that the girl got herself
out of a slight difficulty vindicated the judg-
ment of her parachute instructor. She had al
ready made four jumps under instruction, it
stated.
For years it was believed that a man would
become unconscious during long fall in the air
or have his senses jerked out of him by the
shock of the chute opening If he waited too
long before pulling the ring But all that has
been disproved.
discussion started over this theory at
Mitchell Field in 1924. Sergt Randall Bose,