My Facebook friend posted the photo of Coney Island’s Parachute Jump all lighted up in yellow and blue. I guess, if you’re from Brooklyn, New York, this is important.
Just to give you a little parachute history. Over two hundred and twenty-years ago, a Frenchman named Andre-Jacques Garnerim cut loose from a balloon, 3,000 feet above Paris, and drifted down in a home-made parachute. That was just the beginning. Parachutes have been in use since then in wars, sports like skydiving, and recreational activities, such as paragliding.
I’ve had two experiences with parachutes. The first was the Coney Island Parachute Jump, something I am very familiar with, having experienced it with my father back in the 40’s. When he and I visited Coney Island, to enjoy all the different rides, we always ended up at the Parachute Jump. The ride was originally at the 1939 New York World’s Fair and called the Parachute Drop. The ride then, was slightly different than the present-day ride. The inspiration for the ride was how paratroopers were trained during WWII.
This was a simple and sometimes scary ride. There was a wooded seat for two with a wood back and iron bar sides. All that was holding you in, and not securely, was a simple chain that went across the front. With your feet dangling in the air, and the chair fastened to several guide wires you started to rise slowly to the tower 262 feet above you. I guess if you had a fear of being in the open at high heights, this would not be a good ride for you. At the time I didn’t, but I was always a little nervous even though the view, especially looking out into the Atlantic Ocean was spectacular. When we finally reached the top, there would be a slight jolt and the parachute would be released from the mechanism pulling you up, and with the parachute opening and catching the air we would slowly glide down, still being held by the guide wires.
There were times that the parachute would get stuck at the top, and wouldn’t release. Some riders found themselves sitting up there for hours, until they could manually bring the parachute down. It has always surprised me, that the stringent safety features of today, were so lax back then.
My second experience with parachutes, came when I was a teenager. After my years as a Boy Scout, I decided that instead of joining the regular Explorer program, I joined the Air Explores.
My father instilled a love of flying, and airplanes when I was very young. During the depression, he belonged to a flying club. They had a three-seater plane, and flew from Baron Island, a small airport in Brooklyn. The club dissolved when the plane crashed, unfortunately killing all aboard. During WWII, he worked for the Army Air Force, as a Crew Chief, stationed in Newark Airport. After the war, I guess I was about six, he would be able to take me to the airport where he worked. I was able to sit in practically, every aircraft used in WWII.
So, with this love of flying, the Air Explores was a natural step. On every Saturday, the squadron I belonged to spent the day at Floyd Bennett Naval Air Station, in Brooklyn, N.Y. Incidentally, Baron Island Airport where my father flew, became Floyd Bennett Naval Air Station. We spent the day taking classes with the Navy Seamen. We kept a log of every class, took the test at the end of the class, and had it signed by the instructor. If anyone of us wanted to join the Navy, we would be given credit for taking these classes. One class was very important. The Navy took us on flights, and when they did, we were required to wear a parachute, just in case. The class was how to pack a parachute. Since, that was the parachute we were going to wear, we paid strict attention. Actually, it wasn’t difficult, you just had to do it slowly, paying attention to every step.
Thankfully, we didn’t have to use it. But it was a great leaning experience.
