For my sins I used to be a photojournalist. I had an assignment to photograph the youngest parachutist to leave an aeroplane (static line) The aircraft was a Cessna not the normal plane they were using at the time up at Swansea airport but a hired aircraft for the occasion. They took all the seats out apart from the pilots seat and took off the door on one side. The young lady who I think had just turned 16 was going to sit in the door opening, then on instruction from the Jump Master to leave the aircraft accordingly. The picture everyone wanted at the time was the girl in free fall doing the 1001, 1002 because in those day air to air, person to person photography was pretty rare. Equipment was to heavy was one of the reason. Anyway it was decided that I sat in the door also but with my one foot on a step up foot rest then I could have the young girl in sight for a lot of the time. Anyway she was really nervous. The aircraft came up into position, throttled back but before the command, out she went pulling the cord on her emergency shute in the panic. Unfortunately she also took me with her. But I did have a safety harness on of some sorts. It was an old parachute harness which the Jump Master had bolted to the floor where the seats had been. Nothing tightened has I recall but finger tight. There I was dangling, camera still around my neck. Because the aircraft was still throttled back. I thought at first I was actually dragging the plane down and started to panic. I desperately tried to get back up the harness, back inside the aircraft. I think it was shear fear that had drained all my strength and now I could see the ground slowly getting closer but no matter how hard I pulled and struggled I could not get back in. I was dangling some 4 feet under the plane and could work out immediately if we were to land I would not survive. I could see now the Jump Master's head leaning out of the door and for a moment I also thought I could see the pilot. They both were trying to pull me back but suddenly the aircraft took a huge, it was huge to me, bank to the left. Then the engine started up again into a scream. I was desperately trying not to panic but my heart was beating so fast I thought I was going to have a heart attack. I began to slip to wards the rear of the plane and the Jump Master was screaming at me not to get tangled up any more or damage the tail. To my relief I could see we were gaining height and I actually began to relaxe in a very strange sort of way, dreaming, unreality. Then the Jump Master pulled himself almost out of the aircraft and began to shout their plan of action. I missed most of what he called and to be honest somehow I did not care. Within seconds the pilot had knife edged the plane, the Jump Master pulled like hell on the old harness, the aircraft went over further almost upside. Where the sky was was now Welsh countryside. I sort of half tumbled half slid down the fusalage back into the door breaking, which I discovered the next day, 4 ribs on the way in.
Anyway that's my tale. When we landed I could not walk for about 8 hours. I think it was the shock. If you think this is frightening I have a few, especially the one about the fire fighting huey. Cheers
