I was airborne, in the microlight above Andy Green when both chutes failed
to open. I told the pilot to fly like hell as we were closest to him (I was
after parachute shots, off all things, that run) Green was clocked at 714
mph but Ron Ayers had already calculated it would taken just under 15 miles
to stop without any cloth. We didn't know that in the microlight, but Andy
whoa'd it down after 14.7 miles, not more than a couple miles from the town
of Gerlach. For those who have never been there, the grammar school faces
the desert playa.
Both chutes had failed to deploy, the pilot chute ripping off both and the
were still in cans when the car stopped. I have the photos, taken right
after we landed, long before any crew arrived. Those chutes failed a few
more times -- I later learned from someone who will remain nameless, that
those chutes were 25 years old -- spirited away "for the cause". In short,
the cost for new ones was too great and since they had plenty of room the
plan was for Green to ride it out. I was on the ground the next time that
happened, but Green also got SSC stopped without incident.
After the second time, Green parked himself in a semi-trailer and personally
cut out a number of the ribbon sections from both parachutes -- it seems the
damn things were simply getting stuck, too much material. After the "scissor
job" (I also have this photo which I dubbed my "Betsy Ross" shot) those
chutes worked every time.
The glory of Britain hung on the hopes of ring slots older than Richard
Noble's children. We all just shook our heads that night in the bar, the
crew went through the wringer over that episode. Andy? Man he was cool, the
video tapes prove it, never raised he voice (he never shut up during a run,
always talking like a good little fighter pilot) not once, reset the firing
pins for each can twice and when both failed, he simply informed the pit
station he would be stopping without benefit of parachutes. just like that.
Of course, after the second episode he was bit miffed, but I won't repeat
the language here.
One of these days I'll sit down and write about that amazing drama in the
desert. one day.
Speedy Regards,
"LandSpeed" Louise Ann Noeth
LandSpeed Productions
"Telling stories with words and pictures"
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