Parachute training 1961 – the way it was

Skydiving film in South Australia doesn’t come any older than this 1961 footage of original members of the SA School of Parachuting training at Parafield for their first jumps.

The old 8 mm home movie footage is from the collection of pioneer SA jumper Max Chaplin, who later drowned in a para-scuba demo jump off West Beach in suburban Adelaide in 1968.

It also includes a brief shot of original SA female skydivers Susi Wright, Mary Summers, Kathy Henderson and Cathy Williamson about to board the Beaver, at Virginia.

The training footage was taken sometime between August and November, 1961, and shows the original instruction equipment – the ramp, suspended harness (which would have cracked someone's skull if the rope attaching it to the tree had broken) and the military style training.

The training area was about where the airport depot is now. But, according to Col Parsons, who was on that first course and went on to train generations of skydivers himself, it was was pretty bare back then – although a couple of the old galvo huts which are evident in the film still exist!

Ted Harrison – how SA skydiving started

A chance 1961 meeting in a Hindley Street furniture store was the unlikely catalyst for the birth of sport parachuting in South Australia.

Ted Harrison, a young Adelaide newspaper reporter and part time “weekend warrior” with the Army Reserve (then known as the CMF), had only recently completed a static line parachute course. Pleased with his novel achievement, Ted took to wearing a modest lapel badge issued by the GQ parachute company.

It wasn’t  something the average man in the street would recognise – but it was spotted by a genuine World War Two parachute veteran (the furniture salesman) who ignited Ted’s interest in turning what was then in Adelaide still seen as a military-only activity into a brand new sport.

This historic interview with the colourful Ted Harrison captures the essence of the man and the time when SA skydiving was born.

Jumping at Aldinga - in living colour

This historic footage of jumping at Aldinga in 1962 is from Col Parsons' collection. The Dragon Rapide, SA's first jumpship, features in the early sequences.

SA skydiving legends in this rare film include Ted Harrison, Phil Edwards and Brian Brown.

Old 8mm movie camera technology is a far cry from today's high definition options  – but the old gear, early relative work and baton passing attempts captured in this film make memorable viewing.

Cathy Williamson: perseverance pays off

One of Australia's first female sport parachutists, SA's Cathy Williamson, made her mark on skydiving in the days when jumpers taught themselves many of the the basics.

She made her first jump at Aldinga on that historic weekend in November 1961 and quickly went on to secure a place among the nation's best known jumpers of the day.

Cathy, who won a place on the 1964 Australian team and competed in Europe, recalls the early challenges of a young woman taking part in what was still in many ways a macho, fringe activity.

1960s movie puts the focus on jumping

The 1969 movie The Gypsy Moths went down a treat with SA’s still emerging skydiving community. Not only was the feature film’s aerial footage an inspiration in an era when freefall movies were a rarity but the movie, playing on Adelaide’s big cinema screens, also gave the sport a valuable profile boost.

While the Metro Goldwyn Mayer movie, starring Burt Lancaster, Deborah Kerr and Gene Hackman, played to the then still prevalent “daredevil / barnstorming” image of parachuting, it nevertheless helped our early promotions. The SASPC mounted a foyer display in the old Metro theatre in Hindley Street during the movie’s run.
A digital copy of the original film is safely tucked away – highlights were available for viewing at the SASPC 50th in 2011.

»» In the meantime, here’s taste of the movie action »»

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Skydiving's origins: Col Parsons looks back

If anyone is qualified to reflect on South Australian skydiving's 50 years it has to be veteran parachutist Colin Parsons.

An active jumper right from the kick-off in November 1961 until 1995, when he had a hip replaced, Col has witnessed all of the sport's progress.

As chief instructor for the SASPC for many years and later as founder and CI of the State's first truly successful commercial operation, Skysport Parachute Centre, Col introduced many hundreds of South Australians to skydiving.

In this extensive interview Col looks back on the birth of the sport and the  characters who got it off the ground. Sadly, Col died in 2018.