See any gaps in history so far?

[patworks 5]

See any gaps in history so far?

http://skydiving-encyclopedia.com/sample-page-2/table-of-contents/

If you do I'll try to fill that gap.

am I missing anything?

tell me if you see a hole
where the rain gets in

.... keeps my mind from wandering.
pat

Pat Works nee Madden Travis Works, Jr .B1575, C1798, D1813, Star Crest Solo#1, USPA#189,

[skypuppy 1]

in your observation balloon section, you sort of skipped the civil war. Some of the balloonists from the civil war purchased to took some of the surplus balloons to begin careers as exhibition balloonists across America, something to which they later added parachuting to spice up the show as more people become familiar with balloons. The Allen family comes to mind as one of the dynasties following the war.

http://www.balloonlife.com/webarch/allensmoke.htm

There;s a working replica of one of the civil war observation balloons at Genessee Country Village in new York. A list of the balloonists for both sides, yankee and confederate, is on a monument at the aviation museum in Richmond Virginia.


The Allen Flying History
So just how long have we been flying?
The Allen's were pioneers in the balloon flying business. The flying originates back to the Civil War.
The two main observation balloonists for the Union Army were Thaddeus Lowe and James Allen. James Allen was distantly related to the three Allen Brothers, Ira, Comfort and Martin. Ira observed the Union Army balloons while serving in the Calvary himself. When the war was over Ira started ballooning with his younger brothers for "recreational fun" and profit.

Ballooning was not the same then as it is now. Certainly not as safe. Balloons were filled with hot air by holding them over a fire. The hot air from the fire filled up the balloon for flying.

Heavy smoke from the fires sealed the porous cotton fabric used for the balloons. These aeronauts did not ride in a basket, they soared aloft hanging from trapeze bars. At altitude they would cut loose and float back down to the ground on their home made parachutes. "The Flying Allens" performed this act for spell bound crowds nationwide.

The next generation included two twin brothers, Edward and Edgar Allen. Edward became the most famous o all the flying Allens by making over 3000 smoke balloon ascensions and parachute jumps, over his 60 year career. He was also a Montgollfier Diploma recipient: the highest ballooning honor given in the world.

Edward's children, Eddie Jr., Gloria and Florence, continued to thrill crowds, from the depression era, until the 1950's.

Eddie Jr.'s son, David continued in his father's footsteps, however not in the traditional smoke filled balloons. Our Pilots prefer to fly modern hot balloons as we know them today.

The rest as they say is history. Enjoy your flight.

If some old guy can do it then obviously it can't be very extreme. Otherwise he'd already be dead.
Bruce McConkey 'I thought we were gonna die, and I couldn't think of anyone

[councilman24 36]

Haven't looked at much of it yet. But during a patent lawsuit Tiny Broadwick was very inconsistent in describing the 'freefall' jump. It became the general belief of many it never happened, at least not as legend has it. The first intentional jump by Leslie Irvin was planned. He was much more involved than just there to watch and offered the jump because the military team couldn't jump (which was true). See book Sky High Irvin as a reference. Leslie combined with George Waite (sp) who owned a silk store to form Irving Parachute Company. The design was a combination of Floyd's and Leslie's.

Saw something about Security but Irving had the first military contract of 30 and then 300 because they had the ability to make them and the patents on ripcords with pins and cones. That's why security had the cable wrap container closure until almost WWII.

I don't have a A model Irving parachute but I have a 1928 B-1 model complete that isn't much different. In fact I'm not sure the A version was the one that went into production in 1920 and not the B model.

I'm old for my age.
Terry Urban
D-8631
FAA DPRE

[riggerrob 558]

Adding to Skypuppy's comments about hot air balloons ...

The first parachute jump in Canada was made in September 1888 during the annual Sherbrooke Fair (my home town). The jumper (Larsen?) was born in Canada, but acquired most of his skills in the USA. He worked the county fair circuit during the late 1880s, like several other balloonists.

[erdnarob 1]

Hello Pat. I think we have met at least once but cannot remember where.
Anyway, I have read your book about doing formations. The detail I mostly remember is when you explained that the fastest way to reach a formation wasn't the straight line but a curve (ie. it is a cycloid proven by Leibnitz and Newton) quite steep initially to be changed in an almost horizontal path. In other words, get first the speed then transfer it to cover horizontal distance. I tried it and it works very well. I even won a case of beer doing it when I beat a straight line path believer. The challenge is judging when to change from steep dive to a more shallow one.
To come back to your thread question, here is in attachment a document including pictures by beatnik, a member of this forum, written few years ago. I even translated it in French. I hope you will find some valuable information.

Learn from others mistakes, you will never live long enough to make them all.

[obelixtim 100]

In the CreW section it states the first major competition was held in Florida (Z Hills) Oct -Nov 1979.

Incorrect.

3 way rotations was an event held over 10 rounds, at the New Zealand National Parachute Championships, Bridge Pa airfield, New Zealand, in January 1979. I was the meet director, and came up with the idea at the pub with a mate in 1978. Only we didn't call it rotations. Speed stack plus extra points if one jumper could break off and redock.

The winning team managed 4 points on one jump when they managed to complete the 3 way then do one rotation. No other team managed anything bigger than a 3 stack.

Very difficult (and scary) when we jumped incompatable canopies, no cross porting, V bridles, pilot chutes and containers with snag points all over them.

Ignorance was bliss.

The first night stack, a 4 way was completed at Taupo later that same year, April or May.

I have seen it claimed by the US, but it had been done in NZ before that. Unfortunately 2 of the 4 jumpers have since passed away, and I lost touch with the others many years ago, so I can't verify the date. We'll give that one to the US.

Late 70's early 80's there was a lot of messing around with CRW in NZ. Trial and error was the name of the game, lots of trial, and lots of error. Lots of innovative thinkers around at the time, came up with some interesting ideas, some of which we stole from other sports. (front riser trims....stolen from the sailing fraternity as an example)

But we learnt plenty, and that bore fruit at the World Cup at Gatton.

My computer beat me at chess, It was no match for me at kickboxing....

[obelixtim 100]

Quote

at Gatton.

My bad, I meant La Palisse, France 1982.

Gatton was in 86......

Damn alz.......alz.......alz.....ah forget it!.

My computer beat me at chess, It was no match for me at kickboxing....

[Clarksmif 0]

Pat,
I read a thread where you discussed early jumpers in Galveston in which you mentioned Tim Hinkle "Hawk" as a current friend. I jumped with him at SFA in Nacogdoches, TX & would like to reconnect. If you could pass to him my email [email protected], I'd be appreciative.

[riggerrob 558]

Yes Pat,
When you look under History + Canada, you should add an article about the first emergency parachute jump over Canada. The Royal Canadian Air Force history describes it during the 1920s, over the Prairies, from a biplane.


Under canopy types, you might want to add "Rogallo." I have jumped (1980s) Delta 2 and Paradactyl. I also have a PZ-81 and Talka Rogallo canopies in my collection.
Rogallos were only briefly popular in North America, most notably the Paradactyl, but they provided a valuable link between military-surplus rounds and the gliding square canopies of today.