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Lankomumo reitingas Print version Print version
Stefan Banic 1870-1941

Stefan Banic, a Slovak inventor, constructed a prototype of a parachute in 1913 and tested it in Washington D.C. in front of the U.S. Patent Office and military representatives by jumping from a 41-floor building and subsequently from an airplane in 1914. His patented parachute became a standard equipment for U.S. pilots during the World War I. Banic worked in the United States from 1907 to 1921, with two interruptions. His name is not well-known, however, the Patent Office and military records confirm these historical facts, as you can also see, if you visit various Air Force (.af.mil) and government (.gov) sites. In some sources his first name appears in the English form Stephen. The Slovak spelling is Stefan Banic, written with diacritical marks in CEE character set (Latin-2), the Slovak pronunciation is approximately Shteffun Bunnich.

Stefan Banic was born on November 23, 1870 in Nestich (Nestich), now part of Smolenice, Slovakia, what was then in Austria-Hungary. Patriotism and innovation had always been important driving forces in Stefan Banic's life. As an employee of a Hungarian Count Palffy, he was dismissed from his job for trying to improve conditons for fellow workers and the townspeople. He was also refused enrollment to the high school because of his Slovak consciousness. Stefan Banic chose to come to America in 1907 and settled in the community of Greenville, Pennsylvania.

He worked as a coal miner, stone mason and as an employee of the Chicago Bridge and Iron Company where he improved productivity through his innovative ideas. Banic also attended technical school at night. He was conversant in the English language, which is reflected in his petitions for a U.S. Patent and the technical descriptions of his parachute device.

In 1912 Stefan Banic was a witness of a tragical accident that impressed him so much, that he started to think about the construction of the parachute. In 1913 he build the prototype and submitted his invention to the Patent Office. On June 03 1914 Banic demonstrated his parachute invention by jumping from a 41-story (other sources say 15-story but there were more jumps) building in Washington, D.C., and he also successfully jumped from an Army aircraft. He was awarded the first U.S. Patent (No. 1,108,484) for such a device, on August 25, 1914. He donated his patent rights to the newly formed Army Signal Corps and to the American Society for the Promotion of Aviation. In gratitude he was made an honorary member of the Army Air Corps (now Air Force) and the Society. It must be noted that at the time when many entrepreneurs were gaining wealth and fame for their efforts he was a man who received neither money nor recognition. His invention was to become an importnant one in the history of the World War, and the entire modern aviation.

Stefan Banic returned to his homeland and Smolenice in 1921, which was now part of Czechoslovakia. He lived there until his death on January 2, 1941.

In 1970, a memorial was unveiled at the Bratislave Airport, the capital city of Slovakia.

On August 25, 1989, the community of Greenville, Pennsylvania, celebrated the 75th anniversary of Stefan Banic's invention and his contribution to the world of parachuting. It was a gala celebration with the U.S. Army and Air Force officials participating in the first such tribute to Stefan Banic in America. Proclamations were issued by Governor Bobert P. Casey, U.S. Congressman Tom Ridge, and by the General Assembly of Pennsylvania as House Resolution No.128, Mercer County, Borough of Greenville. On November 14, 1990, a bronze plaque was presented to the town of Greenville, Pennsylvania by the Slovak Museum & Archives, Middletown, Pennsylvania, honoring Stefan Banic.

         
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1. An Introduction to Deployable Recovery Systems
2. Parachutes
3. What to ask before jumping out of a plane at 13,000 feet
4. The First Jump
5. Deanna Kent Skydancer
6. An Abstract Medium
7. BASE jumping
8. Son, Skydiving is Dangerous
9. The Sky Is The Limit!
1. Deanna Kent Skydancer
2. An Introduction to Deployable Recovery Systems
3. Parachutes
4. What to ask before jumping out of a plane at 13,000 feet
5. BASE jumping
6. The First Jump
7. The Sky Is The Limit!
8. An Abstract Medium
9. Son, Skydiving is Dangerous
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