Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-05-11

Which Pilot Risks His Neck to Test Parachute

bring her out. The controls were lockedl
damned with that Internal silk!
The altimeter needle was dropping
fast. Four thousand! Thirty-five hun
dred!
For a couple of seconds had hopes
that the wind would whip the chuteS
loose and free the controls, but I gave
up when the needle hit the 5000 mark.
I hated to be walking out on Old
Charlie, but at that moment it looked
like the reward for hanging around
would be one big Grassland curtains
for Mickey.
jerked the releasing cable
Swish! Another wave of silk! could
feel it slap against the fuselage The
damned stuff had me handcuffed I
tried to tear it away. 1t wound around
me like snake. never saw so much
silk in all my life-and wanted less
Seventeen hundred! gave a last try
at the controls.
EROzE tight! The ship was spinning
slowly, nose up. One of those
deviIish flat spins. My instructor always
told me that when got in one of those
the only thing to do was to get in touch
with the nearest undertaken and try
to arrange terms Sounded funny then.
Nothing to do but jump out and walk
back-if I could get loose from that.
flock of silk pajamas. Good thing I
brought that back pack along
I stood up and paved with both
hands like drowning man. The needle
was dropping past 1900 when finally
got out into daylight, I took quick
look around. The left chute was partly
ballooned out and badly ripped. The
right one was wrapped around every
thing in sight. What a messl Couldn't
help Charlie by sticking around any
longer.
crawled out on the left wing and
sort of threaded my way through that
Tapping lingerie.
had to sort Of feel for the guy
wires as hitched my weight forward
along the wing, dragging my feet
through the fold of silk and hanging on
for dear life. The struts cut into my
hands, but 1 didn't mind a little thing
like that under the circumstances.
The silk made a kind of whipping,
whistling sound as we dropped, and I
wasted mighty little time as progress
ed toward the wing-tip. Then I felt
myself clear of the Tapping silk.
My weight forced the ship to bank.
I let go with both hands and slid down
the wing-right out into Dame Mis-
fortunes nest of trouble. Did I get the
works-and how? At that moment
didn't realize what tough break she
had dealt ME. The swift approach OF
yon bayfield, probably kept my mind Off
AI~~k
TO tell you the truth, didn't have
much confidence in that chute on
my back, after watching those big ones
go fiooey. However, condeScended to
give it chance.
Descended was right. was falling
like shot. The wheat stalks down be-
low looked like trees when finally
settled down to pulling the ring. gave
her a yank.
Nothing happened-except the ground
got closer. gave the ring another yank.
Then-oh boy! the old bag of silk
popped open.
She doomed at about 50O--slowed
me up with jerk.
IS just getting wind of that tough break
Dame Misfortune had handed me, when
,ened to look up.
Mosesl The ship was spinning right
me like dog! I grabbed
lful of ropes and me and my chute made
ettiest hook-slide you ever want to see.
beat the ship down by a hair. The
ate landed head on. landed just the
.e, about IS feet away. .
don't think I got tough break out OF
he deuce I didn't. Ripped the seat out
best pants when slid down that wing.
I guess Old Charlie got the toughest
out of the whole business, at that.
(Copyright, 19300 J.