FLOATING TO EARTH

Evening Post, Volume CXIII, Issue 18, 22 January 1927, Page 16

FLOATING TO EARTH

PAEACHUTE ;BBINGS AEBOPLANE

TO SAFE LANDING.

-The first landing of a 'plane supported by a parachute ever made ia the United States was reported recently The pilot, E. Carl; tfelze, of the San Diego naval air station, shut off hia motor at 2500 feet altitude, but, it is said, made no attempt at gliding. The 'plane landed in one minute and six seconds after falling at an average speed of 38 feet per second, states the Scientific American." The descent appeared rapid at,first, but was checked •as- the parachute opened. The >plane then ■•swung from side to side, but as it approached tthe earth its descent became steadier: The ;'plane and ''■■■ parachute settled to earth in a slight hollow, suffering Bpme damage to the landing gear; The-rfinal speed at which the plane landed was estimated to be considerably less than; the average speed. The application of the parachute to the support of the entire 'plane is-the joint invention b£ Harry B. Doucett, chief aviation machinist's mate at the San Diego naval air station, and ot H. E. Eussell, maker of the so-called Kussell parachute. Lieutenant P. D DonneUy,-also of the San Diego air station, predicted that the tests would lead to the design of aircraft in which the passenger compartment would be detachable, so that in the event of serious atecident in the air the pilot would be able^ to deUver. the whole compartment safely to earth.

.In thVr experiment described, 'plane ?snnihan^v equiimlent wei Bhed about finn? a Parac^te weighed about 601b> and was 54 feet in diameter. The plane used in the test was specially rebuilt to strengthen the midship section of the fuselage, which would receive the greatest strain, as the parachute opened,. The parachute waß installed ia suchya manner in the fuselage that if could readily be di ß engaged g by the ba,k" deigned to be-carried back by the wind, then .opened, and swung npward by the air pressure. A special, cradle, of steel and aluminium was.built.mto;heavy centre wing strut* The Slze of the parachate was dfteS ed from previous experience to give a landing speed of not more than 20 feet per,second. As an extra precaution the 211 WBS'.^gtSenM ta with! S V eipeC* severe landing shock. The^experunent is undoubtedly interesting, but it cannot be said to hi, conclusive I a the most dangerous aer ! stalls aTshort distance from the ground and goes ln t o a spin, there w,onld bHo tiK? -! e-the P«achnte. At greater altitudes v M much simpler for the pilot chutes WB^-f mp -^.^dividual p P a r£