Interesting query on Google

[TitaniumLegs 8]

I was over at Google again last night (the actual company HQ). In the Bldg 0 lobby (yes, building "zero" - They also have buildings 1, e, and pi.) they have a large flat-screen display with samples of current searches. As I was passing through, one of the queries that scrolled by was
"Why was the parachute invented?"

I though that was funny.

BSBS

Peter

(>o|-<

If you don't believe me, ask me.

[Push 0]

Are half the searches for porn?

-- Toggle Whippin' Yahoo
Skydiving is easy. All you have to do is relax while plummetting at 120 mph from 10,000' with nothing but some nylon and webbing to save you.

[hookitt 1]

Your search - "Why was the parachute invented?" - did not match any documents.


apparently ... nobody knows

My grammar sometimes resembles that of magnetic refrigerator poetry... Ghetto

[reACTed 0]

try it without the "s

krek wak wou o_0

[hookitt 1]

Quote

try it without the "s

Hot DIGGITY DOG!!!! You're a genious!!!

Why was the parachute invented?. Results 1 - 10 of about 18,200. Search took 0.18 seconds.

The answer to why has go to be in there... but first... a triple espresso, this could take a while.

Thank you

My grammar sometimes resembles that of magnetic refrigerator poetry... Ghetto

[Harksaw 0]

I have read articles about this screen that scrolls the searches, and the porno searches are filtered out

__________________________________________________
I started skydiving for the money and the chicks. Oh, wait.

[chuteless 1]

The first parachute jumps are supposed to have been made shortly before the first world war, and it was quickly adapted to use by Observers in Hydrogen filled balloons at 3000 feet over the front lines. If you examine one of the camopies they used ( from photos) they are exactly the same as the 24 to 28 ft rounds, all white, the kind I began with in 1962. The material was a twilll of silk or nylon.

In 1917, the Germans used a Heineke harness of white cotton, and a canopy about 24-28ft diameter. There are many photos of pilots wearing the harness, and a seat pack.

The Royal Flying Corp refused to allow the pilots to wear a chute, because they would be tempted to exit an aircraft that might be repaired if they could only get it back to earth.

On Aug 9 1918, a guy I knew (Spike Jackson) was flying an SE5a, and bullets crashed into his dashboard. He looked over his shoulder when the bullets stopped, and told me he saw two Fokker D7 aircraft collide in their hurry to get him. Both pilots bailed out, and Leutnant Wentz opened his chute. The other german pilot was a real ACE, Leutnant Eric Lowenhardt, with about 40+ victories. His chute failed to open.

About 18 yrs ago, Spike asked me if I could find out who had shot him down. I gave him the names of the two pilots, and shortly after that, Spike died at 80+ years of age.

After Jackson's aircraft was disabled by that gunfire, he descended in a wide seeping circle, and he saw Lt Wentz ahead of him. Spike put his finger on the trigger, but then decided not to shoot a man under the canopy, and he crash landed his aircraft. He was immediately taken prisoner by the Germans, and was glad he hadnt killed Wentz....because he would have been shot immediately.

Bill Cole D-41.

[TitaniumLegs 8]

Actually, the first successful parachute jumps were made long before that, from balloons. In fact, Orville and Wilbur weren't even born yet.

Da Vinci invented the parachute as a means to escape buildings, although he never built his design. A similar design was built many years later and tested. This test was unsucessful in that the test jumper broke the first rule of BASE jumping which is "Do not collide with the object from which you have just jumped." (There were other problems with the design, too.)

But I wasn't actually asking. I just thought it an odd coincidence that the query on the display as I walked into Google's bldg 0 was that question.

Your story is really interesting. Thanks for sharing.

(>o|-<

If you don't believe me, ask me.

[chuteless 1]

You are welcome. I have studied W W I aviation for many years and built several full size replica planes...accurate to the last detail. I know the daughter of Manfred von Richthofen's sister Elsa, and knew the last german pilot of wwI, Otto Roosen, who died at 102+ years.

I have several other german friends who flew in WW II, one was shot down four times and bailed from disabled aircraft four times. He insists he should get a medal from the Allies for writing offf so many Hun A/C
.He also shot down about 25 US bombers.

Its been an amazing ride for me. My brother was downed by a sub, and his pilot got the VC.

The anniversary of the greatest AIR battle of WWI is on Sept 23rd, when one german (Werner Voss) took on 7 allied a/c. He shot one to pieces, flown by the brother of the late actor Hume Cronyn.
Its all really interesting stuff.

Glad you got a kick from it.

All the best.....


Bill Cole