Origin of "Parachute"

[wartload 0]

Just curious ... how many people know the origin of the word "parachute"? What does it literally mean? If nobody comes up with the right answer, I'll post it.

[mr2mk1g 10]

From the latin "parare" (to prepare for) and the french word "chute" meaning a fall. Thus its something you use to prepare for a fall. Some French bloke I'd have to look up coined it 100 years or so ago.

[wartload 0]

VERY close! The source that I have says that it was from the French words parer -- to parry, and chute -- a fall. This taken from Balloons, Airships, and Flying Machines, by Gertrude Bacon (early English balloonist, and daughter of one of England's first balloon pilots), written in 1908.

The idea for the parachute reportedly came from acrobats in Asian countries who used something like a parasol (or pair of parasols) to lessen their rate of descent when jumping from unusual heights.

Bacon credits Blanchard with having built the first parachute demonstrated to be practical. In 1785 he safely parachuted a dog, tied inside a basket, from "a great height" achieved by his balloon.

Soon afterward, M. Garnerin, already famous as a balloonist, parachuted successfully from a balloon and started all of this.

[skybill 22]

Hi Wart,
Yea' leave it to the Dagos and the Frogs, and the Russians claimed that they invented "sex" (that was during the Nikita daze!!) But at least the Americans invented "SKYDIVING" "MUFFDIVING" and a couple of other types of "DIVING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" Got that!!!!!!!!????? DUDE?????

PS. Why do all these DZ.Com ladies have such great smiles???????

PPS. 'Been around enough DZ's over the last 41 years to know the answer, Do you???

SCR-2034, SCS-680

III%,
Deli-out

[GreenLight 7]

We spoke about the "Deli Lounge" yesterday at Dirty Ed's last skydive party and yes Bill, you leave a lasting impression where ever you go... Thanks for the memories dude!!!

OH! We have a new chapter of Air Trash now... Keep an eye on the website for the details...

BSBD
EFS

Green Light
"Harry, why did you land all the way out there? Nobody else landed out there."
"Your statement answered your question."

[WLDMAN 0]

Copped out and Googled it!

http://www.batnet.com/mfwright/garnerin.html

Hey Pictures even! I wonder who was flying camera? Wow, over 200 years old.

Anvil Brother #70

"Dance like it hurts. Love like you need money. Work when people are watching." - Dogbert

[macey 0]

'fraid not. Wrong on at least one count. French were first to experiment with delayed parachute openings and to develop stable free-fall body position.

[skypuppy 1]

'fraid not. Wrong on at least one count. French were first to experiment with delayed parachute openings and to develop stable free-fall body position.
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Actually, that's not true. The French were the first to really 'publicize' that they were doing stable delays, but other people were doing some in the 20's and 30's, long before Leo Valentin....

I have a copy of an article from the Feb 1934 issue of Popular Mechanics called 'Secrets of the Silk Sailors' by Floyd Smith (of McCook Field fame) which describes stable fall, rolls, turns, loops, even dives and actually gives remarkably accurate fall rates for the different positions.

These body positions were perfected by 'Spud' Manning, but by the time the article came out he had died in an aircraft accident (he was also a pilot).

There were also others who had discovered the secrets of controlled flight, but most kept them to themselves as 'trade secrets'....

One of the others reputed to have discovered the secrets of stable fall was Corp Arthur East of the RAF who died at RAF Biggin Hill in March 1927. He had planned to do a stable fall from 5000' past the observers into a steep valley before deploying the parachute, but he missed and hit the road at the top of the hill, in front of a bus. (Apparently spotting was considered less important then freefall control.)

If some old guy can do it then obviously it can't be very extreme. Otherwise he'd already be dead.
Bruce McConkey 'I thought we were gonna die, and I couldn't think of anyone

[BASE813 0]

Quote

One of the others reputed to have discovered the secrets of stable fall was Corp Arthur East of the RAF who died at RAF Biggin Hill in March 1927. He had planned to do a stable fall from 5000' past the observers into a steep valley before deploying the parachute, but he missed and hit the road at the top of the hill, in front of a bus. (Apparently spotting was considered less important then freefall control.)

would love to hear or find more about this...........


I spoke to an "old Skool" UK skydiver whos basic progression was buying a parachute from the US military and cutting some holes in it and lobbing himself out of a bi-wing with a stopwatch, these guys were hardcore.....

Any more info on the report on the RAF Biggin Hill jumper I would appreciate it..... just for my own anoraky interest..........

[tbrown 26]

Actually, that's not true. The French were the first to really 'publicize' that they were doing stable delays, but other people were doing some in the 20's and 30's, long before Leo Valentin....

I have a copy of an article from the Feb 1934 issue of Popular Mechanics called 'Secrets of the Silk Sailors' by Floyd Smith (of McCook Field fame) which describes stable fall, rolls, turns, loops, even dives and actually gives remarkably accurate fall rates for the different positions.

[skypuppy 1]

Any more info on the report on the RAF Biggin Hill jumper I would appreciate it..... just for my own anoraky interest..........
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Look up the book 'The Yorkshire Birdman' by Peter Hearn and Harry Ward.

If some old guy can do it then obviously it can't be very extreme. Otherwise he'd already be dead.
Bruce McConkey 'I thought we were gonna die, and I couldn't think of anyone