MANGERE THRILLS.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVII, Issue 128, 1 June 1936, Page 9

MANGERE THRILLS.

DROP THROUGH SPACE. DESCENTS BY PARACHUTIST. Over 6000 people wlio packed the public enclosure and the southern end of the aerodrome, and another crowd of about 1000, who gathered on the road skirting the aerodrome, were provided with a series of thrills at Mangere yesterday afternoon when Mr. G. W. Sellars made two descents from a de Ilavilland Moth machine in a parachute. Mr. Sellars, who is the only New Zealander to take up parachuting as a profession, made an unannounced descent a fortnight ago at the Mangere aerodrome and on that occasion 1000 people saw it. Yesterday's descents were advertised and the beautiful weather induced the large audience of GOOO to attend. At 2.45 p.m. Flight-Lieutenant D. M. Allan, the. pilot, and Mr. Sellars, rose in the Moth 'plane to a height of 1500 feet. Then the white-clothed figure of the! parachutist climbed out on to the wing | and with the 'plane hovering over the! south-eastern corner of the aerodrome, j Mr. Sellars suddenly let go the strut and fell into space. The crowd held their breath as the white figure dropped through the air in a series of slow somersaults, and there was a sigh of relief when, after dropping about 300 feet, the parachute was seen to open in a flash and the next second the white silk "umbrella" was bearing the parachutist safely to earth, to land finally in a paddock adjoining the aerodrome. The second descent was made at 4.15 p.m. and again the drop was successful, but only after Mr. Sellars had almost> collapsed the parachute, this being neces- j sary to avoid being carried too far away j from the crowd. I Between the two descents FlightLieutenant Allan gave an exhibition of aerobatics which was much appreciated by the crowd. During the afternoon | many people were taken for short fli flits. i