Franz Reichelt
Tailor and inventor of the parachute suit

Born
1878
147 years ago
Died
February 4th, 1912
113 years ago — 34 years old
Category
Scientists & Innovators
Country
France
Links & References
An Austrian-born French tailor invented a parachute suit that aimed to enable safe jumps from heights. Conducted a public demonstration at the Eiffel Tower to showcase the invention. The parachute suit was intended for use by aviators, seeking to improve safety during airborne activities. The demonstration ended in tragedy when the suit failed to deploy properly during the jump.
Invented a parachute suit
Demonstrated the parachute suit from the Eiffel Tower
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