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Aviation History
1961
1961 - 1529.PDF
FLIGHT, 19 October 1961 633 Sport and Business UPPSALA UPS AND DOWNS A British Parachuting Win BY MIKE REILLY ODD airfields around Europe have resounded for years past withthe wistful phrase "Maybe next time?" From Bled, Pau.Tushino, Bratislava, Tivat and Leutkirch has echoed the fer- vent wish that one day, somewhere, a British team would at last mount the winners' rostrum in an international parachuting tournament. And now, at Sundbro airfield, near Uppsala in Sweden, the dream has become reality, for the British senior team took first place in the recent Swedish invitation contest. To add lustre to the occasion, the junior team finished second in their category, and September 1961 may well be recorded in future years as the month when British parachutists ceased to be merely polite also-rans. The Swedish Aero Club is to be congratulated on organizing such a magnificent championship after only two years' experience of sporting parachuting. Governmental assistance, in the form of aeroplanes and military accommodation for the competitors, was available; but the necessary money was earned by public air displays at the start and finish of the contests. Parachute aircraft used included a D.H. Rapide (for the displays only), Cessnas, Austers and Piper Super-Cubs. The international situation may have caused some cancellations, for the expected entries from Eastern Europe were not forth- . coming, and there were last-minute withdrawals by the American and French teams. The final list of competitors included repre- sentatives from Austria, Italy, Germany, Belgium, Switzerland. Sweden and Great Britain. In the senior class Britain was represented by Peter Lang (Wan- derers Club), Norman Hoffman (Sky-Divers Club) and the writer (Ripcord Club). The juniors consisted of Les Boddy (South Down Sky-Divers) and Robin Letts and Ron Griffiths (Greenjackets Parachute Club). It is interesting to reflect that the Greenjackets are the first regiment of the British Army, other than units of Air- borne Forces, to form their own free-fall parachute club. All members of the team paid their own expenses, but the trip was made possible by the kindness of the British Motor Corporation, who donated an Austin mini-bus. In this the party made an enjoyable journey from Ostend to Uppsala, and soon found on arrival that the bus was to be a great boon to all the teams. Contrary to international custom, all jumps were to be recorded for the final result: there was no question of discounting one's worst attempt. However, all competitors had an opportunity of familiarizing themselves with local conditions during the intro- ductory air display. The events were as follows: (Juniors (parachutists with fewer than 50 jumps)(a) Two jumps from 600m (2,000ft) with immediate opening of the parachute. (b) Two jumps from 700m (2.300ft) with a maximum delay of 5sec. British team members: with interpreter Ulla Britt Bergman are (I to r) Ron Griffiths, Norman Hoffman, Les Boddy and Robin Lett; (reclining) Pete Lang and Mike Reilly (Seniors) (a) Two jumps from 700m (2,300ft) with maximum delays of 5sec. (b) Two jumps from 1.200m (4,000ft) with a delay of exactly 15sec.A maximum of 100 points would be scored for observing this time limit accurately, and penalties would be exacted at the rate of 20points for every second less than 15, and 30 points for every second of free-fall in excess of 15. No points were allotted for style, but in every jump the competitor was required to land on a target cross, seven metres in length and enclosed in a circle of 200m radius. Hitting the centre of the cross earned 200 points, and one point was lost for every metre away. The display on the opening day provided great excitement for, in addition to a varied programme of aerobatics and military paratroop exercises, each competing team was asked to provide a display item. A gale-force wind made this a slightly forbidding prospect, but at the appointed time the British seniors leapt from 10,000ft for a "delay" of approximately 50sec. We were the only team to wear smoke-flares strapped to our ankles, and our trails, criss-crossing during the free-fall to 2,000ft, were apparently much appreciated. For the first time in any tournament, we found that our para- chutes were admired and coveted by other competitors, and there were numerous requests for information about modification equipment. It is, perhaps, a sad confession that none of us was using canopies of British design. Our equipment embodied American, Bulgarian and French ideas and rejoiced in such euphemistic names as "Conquistador," "Tiger-tooth TU" and "Bulgarian three-gore." Most readers of Flight will by now be familiar with the principle of the blank-gore parachute, in which a segment of the canopy is removed in order to generate a "jet" of deflected air that propels one across the sky, and permits steering by pulling on one or other of two control lines. It suffices to say that our latest canopies have the equivalent of three segments (or gores) removed and provide a horizontal speed of up to 11 m.p.h. The Austrians were using excellent Czechoslovakian parachutes, whilst many of the other nations preferred the American-designed TU. Smartest team on parade were the cheerful Italians (a highly subsidized party of mixed civilian and military jumpers), who used alternately the French EFA parachute and a new Italian assembly. Other teams used home-produced equipment which, if not impres- sive, was adequate. [Continued overleaf Left, German triangular canopy used by a Swedish competitor. Right, touchdown on the target by Helmuth Konig of Austria, individual winner in the senior class
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