LEAP FROM AEROPLANE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVII, Issue 20520, 22 March 1930, Page 12

LEAP FROM AEROPLANE.

PARACHUTIST AT NAPIER.

SPECTACULAR DEMONSTRATION. 'A parachute descent from an aeroplane was made by Mr. Jonassen a few days ago at Longlands, Napier. Tho machine was piloted by Flying-Officer Olsen, of tho Hawke's Bay and East Coast Aero Club.

There was a fair wind blowing from the Maraekakaho Road sido of the ground and tho parachutist had asked that he be taken three-quarters of a mile in that direction so that, as ho calculated, ho would land back at the aerodrome. Tho aeroplane soared up swiftly, and, with a long sweeping circuit into the wind, at last obtained the stipulated altitude of 3000 ft. At last the machine was seen to bank, and then to turn over; and the straining eyes of the spectators saw tho parachutist fall.

Mr. Jonassen had fallen about 200 ft. through tho air to the ground below him when there was a tiny flutter of some tiny white thing above his head. It grow bigger and bigger still, and at last bellied out to its full glory as a glistening white silken parachute. The swift flight of the falling man's body was smoothly arrested, and ho soon was* scon descending, ever so slowly with his body swaying in tho wind. It was obvious that ho would not reach the aerodrome, and scores of small boys dashed from the ground and over the paddocks to. see him land. He came down in the Gun Club's grounds, and, except for a rather severe bump as ho struck the earth, suffered no harm. A motorcar went for him, and in a minute or two lie was back to whero ho started from. '

It had been intended that ho should givo a . display of aerobatics on a trapeze suspended from an aeroplane, but at tho last moment the authorities forbade it. The club was therefore compelled in this respect to disappoint the spectators. As compensation, however,- Captain T. W. White gave a demonstration of trick flying which delighted those present. Ho looped the loop eight or ten times in succession at a remarkably low altitude, and performed other spectacular evolutions.