Notable people · Parachutist · Aviation · Manufacturer
Leslie Leroy Irvin
Leslie Irvin, a Los Angeles-born stuntman, made the first planned free-fall jump with a manually opened ripcord parachute at McCook Field, Dayton, on April 28, 1919, breaking an ankle on landing. He then founded the Irvin Air Chute Company in Buffalo, New York.
At a glance
- Born
- 1895-09-10
- Died
- 1966-10-09
- Known as
- Parachutist, Aviation, Manufacturer
- Organizations
- Army Air Service (McCook Field), Irvin Air Chute Company
Life story
Leslie Irvin was born in Los Angeles in 1895, a protege of parachutist Charles Broadwick. He made his first jump at sixteen and jumped from an airplane for the film Sky High in 1914.
In 1918 he developed a static-line parachute while working for Curtiss in Buffalo, New York.
On April 28, 1919, near Dayton, he made the first planned free fall with a manually opened ripcord. Later that year he founded the Irving Air Chute Company in Buffalo.
In 1924 he started the Caterpillar Club for those saved by his parachutes. He died in Los Angeles in 1966, and his company became part of Airborne Systems.
Timeline
- 1895-09-10: Born (Los Angeles, CA) source
- 1914: First airplane jump for film Sky High (California) source
- 1918: Develops static-line parachute at Curtiss (Buffalo, NY) source
- 1919-04-28: First planned free fall with manual ripcord (near Dayton, OH) source
- 1919: Founds Irving Air Chute Company (Buffalo, NY) source
- 1920: British Patent 138,059 (United Kingdom) source
- 1924: Creates the Caterpillar Club (United States) source
- 1966-10-09: Dies (Los Angeles, CA) source
What Leslie is known for
- First planned free-fall parachute jump with manual opening, Dayton, 1919
- Irving Air Chute Company
- British Patent 138,059 (1920)
Inventions and firsts
Honors and things named for them
- Caterpillar Club (founded 1924)
Family
- wife: Velda Kerr
- designer: James Floyd Smith
Ohio places
Where Leslie Leroy Irvin was born, lived, worked and is remembered, with the ZIP code, town and county pages for each.
- Worked: Dayton, Montgomery County (McCook Field) ZIP 45402 · Dayton · Montgomery County
Myths and corrections
- Wikipedia's text spells the company name 'Irving Air Chute Company' in places, while the company is generally known as Irvin.
Further reading
Sources
Confidence. High: the main facts were confirmed in sources we opened.
- Leslie L. Irvin (Wikipedia) life, company, Caterpillar Club