3rd Year Special Annual Double Issue Vol 4 Issue 1 & 2 Jan - Apr 2 3rd Year Special Annual Double Issue Vol 4 Issue | Page 29

direction. In the descent mode,
both are designed to slow the fall of
a person during said descent at any
given altitude.
Kite Color
The parachute/kite part is normally
brightly colored to match to beach
area in which it is used. Some
people have kites with colors
matching their favorite sports
team or alma mater. Many parasail
canopies that are designed for
commercial use offering rides to
tourists on vacation are bright in
color and have designs ranging
from flags, logos, smiley faces, and
multiple color patterns.
Early Years of Parasailing
The
first
ascending-gliding
parachute was developed by
Pierre-Marcel Lemoigne in 1962.
The
same
year,
Lemoigne
established
an
Aeronautical
Training Center to introduce his
new ascending-gliding parachute
as a training tool for parachutists.
The technique allows parachutists
to train more efficiently by towing
the parachutist to a suitable
Vol 4 | Issue 1 |Jan - Feb 2019
altitude, then releasing them to
practice landings. This training
method proved cheaper than-and
just as effective as-an airplane.
In 1963 Jacques-André Istel from
Pioneer
Parachute
Company
bought a license from Lemoigne to
manufacture and sell the 24-gore
ascending-gliding parachute which
was trade-named “parasail.”
In 1974, Mark McCulloh invented
the first self-contained parasail
launch and recovery vessel that
incorporated a hydraulic winch and
canopy assist mast that collec-
tively launched and retrieved the
parasail canopy and parasailors
to and from the vessel flight deck.
McCulloh’s invention was patented
in 1976 and later referred to as a
“WinchBoat” which the set the first
parasail
equipment
industry
standard that is utilized by all
commercial parasail operations
around the world.
In early 1976, Brian Gaskin
designed, created, and tested the
first 16-gore canopy desinger which
he named “Waterbird”.
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