According to the Switlik Parachute Company: "In 1934, Stanley Switlik and George Palmer Putnam, Amelia Earhart's husband, formed a joint venture and built a 115 foot tall tower on Stanley's farm in Ocean County. Designed to train airmen in parachute jumping, the first public jump from the tower was made by Ms. Earhart on June 2, 1935. Witnessed by a crowd of reporters and officials from the Army and Navy, she described the descent as "Loads of Fun!"
History of the Parachute
By Mary Bellis, About.com Guide
Polish-American Stanley Switlik founded the "Canvas-Leather Speciality Company" on October 9, 1920. The company first manufactured items such as leather hampers, golf bags, coal bags, pork roll casings, and postal mail bags. However, Switlik soon switched to making pilot and gunner belts, designing flight clothing, and experimenting with parachutes. The company was soon renamed the Switlik Parachute & Equipment Company.
Previous
- History of the Parachute
- Andrew Garnerin - First Recorded Parachute Jump
- Andrew Garnerin's Parachute
- Parachute Trivia - First Death, Harness, Knapsack, Breakaway
- Parachute Trivia - Jumping From An Airplane, First Freefall
- First Parachute Training Tower
- Parachute Jumping
Suggested Reading
Elsewhere on the Web
Compare Prices
Explore Inventors
- About.com
- Money
- Inventors
- Famous Inventions
- Invention History Databases
- Inventions A to Z Listings
- P Start Inventions
- First Parachute Training Tower