Video Intermission – The First Motorcycle Parachute Jump

In Blog, Intermissions by Abhi7 Comments

From my interview with John Root, the man behind Geekbobber. I first noticed this video on Geekbobber and knew that I had to share it. Enjoy this footage of Fred Osborne barreling over a 200 foot cliff and somehow landing safely in 1926 Los Angeles. Seems like he doesn’t get the chute out early enough, but it looks like he’s OK!…he definitely does not get the chute out early enough. Though the video makes it seem like he was OK, this April 1927 article from Popular Science tells a different story:

Popular Science Article - Featured

As DL650 notes below in the comments, the parachute barely opened. Telephone wires apparently broke his fall, though he still had to be carried from the beach in critical condition.