Fall Slow, Track Fast

My name is Bob Busch and my parachute license # is (was) D-370 which i got way back in 1961. Its been over 40 years since I talked to anyone about my Birdman experiments from back then.

Back in 1963 we were still very content with round parachutes and tight fitting "cool looking"jump attire...the jumping alone was already concidered pretty extreme...

I can recall no one ever discussing wings of any sort except for the urban legend type stories of a few exotic attempts which ended in failure or worse! I believe it was a Walt Disney nature film about a flying squirrel which gave me my idea.This is the orginal sketch of my concept.

I cut the pieces out of a light weight canvas painters drop cloth and had them sewn to the front of a pair of coveralls so that wind pressure would hold them tight rather than rip them off.

I had to tell the woman who did the sewing that it was just a costume, because she said that if I was really going to jump with this suit she would not be part of what could happen!

Gromets and laces allowed me to put on my gear and then lace the wings closed. My flying technique was to keep my arms extended over my head and cupping them foreward thus scooping air which i squirted out of the section between my legs.

I can only guess my freefall speed ...but on a jump from 7200 feet I was still way up there when the other jumpers opened...probably squeezed an extra 10+ seconds out of a 30 second delay. My foreward speed seemed equally amazing...but time blurs memories!

Unfortunately no one else had such a suit, or such a desire, and only a couple were willing to try mine...a friend of mine jumped it once but dislocated his shoulder in the pull... I had told him to bring his elbows in and pull inward across his chest but he pulled out...pop went the wing AND his shoulder!

Being the "fall slow track fast" guy left me with no one to play with..so with no apparent advantage the suit was forgotten...except for the sketch and photo.

I must admit that my heart races when I sit in front of my computer and watch you guys today...
I feel like I'm right there with you!

Sincerely,
Bob Busch