Early parachute demo excites beachgoers

Parachute displays in South Australia were massive drawcards to public events long before skydiving and sport parachuting were introduced in 1961.
Demo jumps before the 1960s were confined to descents by barnstorming “aeronauts” or the odd military drop.

However, the public imagination was firmly gripped in 1928 when a visiting Norwegian daredevil made a much publicised jump into the sea off Glenelg Beach.

As the daily newspaper The Advertiser reported, he had intended to land just offshore between the Glenelg Jetty and the old Glenelg Baths, a nearby public swimming enclosure.

Given that he was jumping a round, silk parachute of about 37 feet diameter, his accuracy was very impressive – even if he did manage to land in the Glenelg Baths.

Here's the full newspaper report from the time.

The Advertiser,
Monday, November 5, 1928

A PARACHUTE LEAP
AIRMAN LANDS IN THE GLENELG BATHS

Lovers of the sensational had a thrill on Saturday afternoon, when Lieutenant H. Qviller, the Norwegian airman and parachutist, leapt from an aeroplane about a mile above Holdfast Bay and descended safely in the old Glenelg Baths.

He had announced his intention of endeavoring to fall between the Glenelg Jetty and the baths.

Lt. Qviller descends into the Glenelg Baths in 1928. The swimming enclosure was surrounded by changing sheds, piers and diving platforms.

The leap was witnessed by an immense concourse of people, but the affair was badly stage-managed from a business point of view.

Saturday was regarded by the showmen on Colley Reserve as their official opening day, and with a view to increased business they engaged lieutenant Qviller for an exhibition.

As there was no time advertised for the event the vast crowd lined the jetty and beach, and patiently awaited the arrival of the aeroplanes.

Immediately after the descent the crowd rapidly vanished. Had a specified time been stated, it is quite likely that the spectators would have strolled round and patronised other attractions, always sure that they would miss nothing.

The plane containing Lieutenant Qviller and an escorting machine, crossed the foreshore at North Glenelg shortly before 5 o'clock, at four minutes past the hour the parachutist leapt from the plane.

The descent seemed very slow, and he appeared to be drifting towards Somerton.

Vigorous leg work, however, brought the swaying airman over the jetty, still very high in the air.

Thence the descent became more rapid, and when be was within about 200 yards of the sea, further leg work took the parachutist well into the baths area, where he landed in about three feet of water.

The time occupied in the descent from the moment the parachute opened was 3 minutes, 15 seconds.

A number of bathers were ready and quickly released Qviller, who made his way to the beach, but he found it a great deal more difficult to get through the excited crowd than to drop through space.

The silk parachute, which has a circumference of 75 feet, proved, when wet, a decent load for half a dozen young men.
###

Share
 
skydive skydiver skydiving parachute parachuting parachutist freefall Adelaide South Australia