DROP FROM THE CLOUDS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LIX, Issue 18180, 28 August 1922, Page 10

DROP FROM THE CLOUDS.

24,000 FEET IN PARACHUTE. WORLDS RECORD BROKEN. The full stor/ of how he jumped 24,206 feet iii a parachute, thereby breaking the world's record has now been told by Captain A. W. Stevens, an aerial "'s photographer, ' Although Captain Stevens speaks *of -what happened as " mere details," he was whipped about by a gale blowing 120 mUes- sn hoar, Over four gnd a half milee above the earth, and was nearly suffoy ' cated through his oxygen tank being swept ' away by the wind.. There was also the danger that the , ropes and straps of his parachute might 1» broken by the force of the wind, and to prevent this he had'to cling to them. What makes the feat al! the more remarkable is that it was Captain Stevens' first descent in a parachute. The aercplauc from which he made the descent was a bomber, which broke the world's altitude record for this type of machine, carrying three passengers, when it reached 24,206 fee|t. "As-neaif as I caii judge," says Captain Stevens, "I began the'descent when we were over Springfield, Ohio. I said ' good-bye' to the two others in the aeroplane and jumped out. " Trouble began with the opening of the parachute, as this caused the oxygen tank to become loose from the fastenings on the front of my clothing, but I endeavoured to overcome the difficulty by seizing it with both hands." " The wind was travelling at 120 miles an hour and the parachute was whirled about like a straw, this necessitating my getting hold of the ropes and straps with both hands so as to lesson the oscillation which threatened to break the support*. " As I let go the oxygen tank it broke away and fell somewhere near Springfield." ( In spite of him calling what happened mere details," Captain Stevens admitted that he would never forget the experience. 1 thoaeht my end was near before I ' reached the lower altitude, as I was almost suffocated.'' A calmer atmosphere was reached when he dropped out of the gale, and he was able to recover. He made a landing at Jamestown, about 25 miles from where he left the aeroplane.