AboutMike Turoff Expertise expert/master parachutist and an Instructor Examiner in the sport of Skydiving. Mike is a licensed (jump) pilot and parachute rigger, who is an analytical chemist in the "regular working world." As a dedicated instructor, Mike has made over 3,400 jumps since 1977. Mike has contributed to many of the training materials and exams used by USPA and the sport. He has authored numerous articles dealing with safety and training practices that have appeared in both Parachutist and Skydiving magazines. Mike participates as an evaluator at AFF Training Camps and Certification Courses and is a rated to perform Tandem instruction using both the Relative Workshop and Strong Enterprises gear. Mike is co-author of "Parachuting, The Skydiver`s Handbook and the CD-ROM text for "Skydiving, A Multimedia Reference."
Question What kind of material was the first parachute made of? When was the first parachute? What was Skydiving like before WW2? After? What is parachute made of now?
Answer Leonardo DaVinci made the first known square based parachute out of wood and linen. That was in the 1400's!
There was very little "skydiving" priort to WWII. It was more like Barnstorming and demonstration jumps of which there was considerable history. Parachutes were made of silk back then. Now, they are made of synthetic nylon.
For more historical information, check out "Parachuting, The Skydiver's Handbook" by Dan Poynter and Mike Turoff in your local library.
