Night parachutists to try again

Press, 11 February 1983, Page 4

Night parachutists to try again

Cloud last evening prevented four parachutists from making a series of night jumps over Christchurch Airport. . The three men and a woman, all staff members of the Christchurch Parachute School, Ltd, planned to make the jumps to broaden their experience and to enable one of their number, Mr Russell Dawber. to attain an advanced parachuting certificate.

• The group hopes conditions 'Jill improve sufficiently to allow another attempt this evening. Mr Dawber, who is a director of the school, will be accompanied by a fellow director. Mr Steven Smith, and Miss Annette McGee and Mr Daniel Visser. Mr Smith and Miss McGee have made

night jumps before. Night jumps are rare, and a lot of organisation is re-, quired. such as gaining approval from air traffic control.- the Civil Aviation authorities. and airport security.

Weather permitting, the group will make the first of three jumps about 10.30 p.m. They will carry lights on their instruments and bodies, and each will have a small torch to check their canopies once they have opened. They will . aim for a specially lit marker in the airport’s western grass area. Depending on the success of the first jump, which will be from about 3500 ft. they hope to attempt a jump from 5600 ft, and finish by joining in freefall from about 7500 ft.