PARACHUTE JUMPING

Otago Daily Times, Issue 21544, 16 January 1932, Page 17

PARACHUTE JUMPING

THE “DELAYED DROP” A large crowd from Palmerston and the surrounding districts assembled at Mr O’Neill’s paddock early last evening to witness a demonstration of parachute jumping by Pilot Officer J. S. Fraser, who provided a thrilling display by dropping about 900 feet before opening the parachute. Pilot Officer Fraser went up in an Otago Aero Club’s plane, piloted by Flying Officer Olson, and jumped from the machine when it was at a height of about 1500 feet. The weather was fine and clear, and the large crowd was able to witness every move as the figure of the man left the plane and dropped swiftly earthwards for more than half the distance before the parachute unfolded itself, arrested his fall and carried him safely to the ground. Pilot Officer Fraser, who commenced flying during the Great War. was with Lieutenant Haakon Qviller when he 4 was demonstrating parachute jumping some months ago. He has now made 19 demonstration jumps in the South Island, and this number will be increased -by two today. when be will give a further demonstration with the same plane at the Otago Aero Club’s grounds. Before ascending. Pilot Officer Fraser always shows his audience his parachute, demonstrates the manner in which it should be folded, and explains the whole procedure in a manner that makes an apparently difficult feat seem easy. Pilot Officer Fraser arrived in Dunedin last night from Palmerston.