Father of Flight - Parachute

Leonardo's parachute design comprises a sealed cloth supported by a pyramid of wooden poles, each approximately 7 metres (23 feet) in length. In his own words, he stated, 'If a man is provided with a length of gummed linen cloth with a length of Il metres (36 feet) on each side and 11 metres (36 feet) high, he can jump from any great height whatsoever without injury! For Leonardo, this invention represented a type of glider, embodying the concept of 'flight without wing movement.' In 2000, a British man named Adrian Nicholas utilised a replica made from heavy canvas and wood for a successful jump from a hot air balloon at 3,000 metres (9,800 feet) above the ground. To ensure a safe landing, he detached himself from the heavy pyramid at 600 metres (2,000 feet) and transitioned to a modern parachute.