JUMPED FROM AN AEROPLANE.

Manawatu Times, Volume XLIII, Issue 14189, 25 April 1919, Page 2

JUMPED FROM AN AEROPLANE.

A NEW THRILL. Marine Gunner uoon L. M'Coy, of the United States Flying Corps, once a day or so drops out of an aeroplane, by way of trying out now parachute devices. If the experiment is successful, he lives to jump again another day. Thus far it has been successful. In the “Marines' Bulletin" he tells how he does his jumping:— The way to jump out of a seaplane? It’s really simple when you know. You just, let go. After that there's nothing to stop you but the ground. The thing, of course, was that neither Lieutenant Kelsey, when he made the first jump, nor myself, when I made the second, knew anything about it. That added a few thrills. Of course, I don't know exactly how the lieutenant felt, but an to myself—

With Captain Page at the wheel, wo climbed to about 3000 feet. The air was a little bumpy, and there was a strong wind blowing, which made the hundrcd-mile-an-hour speed of the seaplane seem just that much faster. Gradually the captain steadied the 'plane, and then he gave a jerk at the wheel, which was the signal to me that I was about to take a trip to earth, swift or slow, depending on whether or not the parachute opened. You don’t make the jump from the 'plane seat or from the fuselage. You will when the new arrangements which have been perfected and which are now in the process of manufacture are finished. But, in the first attempts, it was a matter of climbing out on the wing of the 'plane, hanging on against that hundred-mile-an-hour w’ind from tho propellers, assuring yourself that your harness was straight, and that your rope was perfectly fastened, then hanging down from the ’plane in such a way that you would be sure of missing the ladders and the tip of the 'plane when you let go. And when you are waltzing round a few thousand feet above the earth this is not the easiest thing in the world to do.

THE QUEER FEELING. If I remember correctly, there was a queer feeling along my backbone when I loosed my safety-belt and began to crawl out of that seat. When I got one foot over the side, the wind hit me full and nearly blew me from the 'plane before I could get a chance to steady mvself. However, I made a wild grab and caught on to the safety strap just in time, and from then on it was comparatively easy. Slowly I managed to get the other foot out of the cockpit, and, bending as close to the fuselage as possible I held on, as I made my way along the wing of the 'plane to the rear. This caused the machine to rock a bit, but Captain Page soon had it steadied again, and slowly I began letting myself down again. The wind helped me here. We were "oing so fast that the breeze seemed to hold me up, especially as I was loaning against one of the brace wires whicn held the plane, which kept me steady. Kovrov er, as soon as I was clear of this, the problem of holding on until the psychological seond was a troublesome one. The wing of the 'plane was smooth, and one doesn't like to put too much

strain on the wires which connect the two wings, loss that strain should snap the support and thereby cause trouble for the pilot. , THE DROP. ! Gradually, however, the descent to a kneeling, position was accomplished. 1, i let one leg hang below the wing of the i 'plane. Then, supporting myself on m) abdomen, I let down tho other leg. wind caught ray feet and turned my s out behind the swiftly moving 'plane like strings of ribbon. I moktc up to sec the captain nodding and .ml Sfg at me. It was the signal tha. the 'pfanc was steadied for the pull that would be given when the parachu-tc ierked loose. So, with a bit ot a push, I cleared myself from the 'plane and dr A P dfz‘zy, blurred second, and then something hit me like a punch on the iaw it was the parachute opening after i drop of about one hundred feet, and I knew that I was safe. From now on nothing but an extremely bad air-pocket could cause me trouble by collapsing the parachute on me and is a chance that always must be taken. However, nothing of that kin curred and I was landed safely. The next day I went up again and made tne Simp and the next day after that In fact I made a jump varying r 3000 to 4000 feet acarly every day liked it. It gifM it tir ' J t0 “'Tnd "here is always, of coarse, tho deal.