THRILLING EXPERIENCES

Evening Post, Volume CXI, Issue 103, 4 May 1931, Page 10

THRILLING EXPERIENCES

LIEUTENANT QVILLER'S

CAREER

The late "Lieutenant Qviller was a journalist .by profession, but for some years lie had been experimenting with, the parachute with the idea of providing a safety link for flying machines. Prior to taking up this particular branch of aeronautics, lie entered the Norwegian Plying Corps, but an .accident prevented him from becoming a pilot. During the many years ho. was experimenting with parachutes ho had some thrilling and remarkable escapes from death. Ton years ago ho almostlost his life through faulty construction in the typo of parachute existing in those days. He jumped from an aeroplane at a height of 2500 feet, and, after he had fallen 1000 feet and nothing happened, he realised that there was somethiug radically wrong. He: tore the container of his safety devioo to his front, and ripped the parachute out. He had fallen 2000 feet before it billowed out and broke his fall. As a result of that experience Qvi.ller dis-covered-that a fall such as that did not affect the- human physique in any serious way. Ho had another exciting experience at Bondi, Sydney, not very lon.^; ago. Ho landed on some Hats from a kcigkt of 5000 feet, and his parachute naught in soino electric wires. ImjucdinlcJy the wires fused, and tliero was a. blinding Hash. His only injuries weuo abrasions and cuts on the leg, face, and chest. On another occasion hol.vns carried four miles out to sea. He -descended from a machine at a height of 4000 'feet in rough weather in o.rder to make meteorological observations. He set off from the Mascot Aerodrome and dropped a. miniaturo parachute, to test the conditions. Satisfied, ho uuida his leap and landed safely in. 'tlio water. Surf boats that were to have gone to his rescue, however, failed to make an appearance on account of. being deceived by the miniature- parachute, which landed on the shoro. Lieutenant Qviller drifted for two hours before being picked up by a coastal vessel. He was told later that "orty or iit'ty sharks had been seen at Uie spot where lie landed. • ■ ■ When lie was givinj/ an exhibition at Christchurch the parachutist loft an aeroplane at a height 'of 4000 foot and dropped 3500 feet before pulling the release string. Prior 'to the parachute billowing out ho travelled through the air at approximately 350 miles an hour. It had been said that a person travelling at that speed would be decapitated by the wind, but, as Qviller said later, "It did not happen to me." Before pulling thij release string lie tumbled over 10 'or 15 times.