Career
The other contender is Grant Morton, who is reported to have jumped from a Wright Model B flying over Venice Beach, California sometime late in 1911. Morton"s pilot was Philosophy Parmalee. On 1 March 1912, Berry jumped from a Benoist pusher biplane from 1,500 feet (457 m) and landed successfully at Jefferson Barracks, Missouri.
The pilot was Tony Jannus.
The 36 foot (11 m) diameter parachute was contained in a metal canister attached to the underside of the plane - when Berry dropped from the plane his weight pulled the parachute from the canister. Rather than being attached to the parachute by a harness Berry was seated on a trapeze Barometer
According to Berry he dropped 400 feet (152 m) before the parachute opened.
