PARACHUTE JUMPER

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LXII, Issue 18632, 16 February 1935, Page 7

PARACHUTE JUMPER

SENSATIONS • FELT NO REALISATION OF SPEED There is a vast difference in the effect on the human perceptions when travelling at a speed of 120 miles an hour along a road, and when doing the same speed vertically through space. According to Lieutenant J. Reece, who has made over 200 parachute descents in Australia, there is, in the latter method of locomotion, no realisation of speed, one just tumbles over and over, and is conscious of a tremendous rush of air. •Calculations based on actual observations in America showed that in Osees. a man fell 1000 ft., and was then travelling at. a speed of 120 miles an hour; but no mattcer for how long he si ill delayed opening his parachute, the falling speed did not increase. The formulae that the acceleration of a fallingbody was 32ft. per second, did not fully apply, due to air resistance, he added. Another matter of breath-taking comment which really was not _ so awful as it looked, was the “jar” which was felt when opening the parachute at that speed. Although the envelope was fully open in Isec., the rate of deceleration was quite gradual, as a .small pocket of air .first filled tho top, and the whole space then opened out like a flower in full bloom.

His longest delayed drop was 1500 ft. and the most vivid sensation was created by the loud crack as the air struck the inside of the parachute. Some control of direction and speed was possible with an experienced parachutist, said Lieutenant Reece, _by gathering in one side or other, slight lateral control was obtained, and if the cords were held to make the envelope smaller, a faster, straight descent resulted. In normal conditions tho bump on landing was equal to that felt in a jump from a height of oft. No more than that.