An Israeli company has designed a parachute for workers in high-rise buildings in the aftermath of the suicide-hijacking attacks that toppled the World Trade Center. ``Within three weeks of the attack, the Executivechute was designed, tested, and ready to go,'' Anatoly Cohen, managing director of Apco Aviation said. The backpack-type parachute, which is being marketed in the United States and Japan, has a 5 price tag and weighs four pounds. Its ripcord can be attached to heavy furniture or a special hook so that the parachute opens automatically after its wearer jumps out a window. The military-style round canopy, as opposed to an aerobatic rectangular design, makes for a reliable but hard landing from a minimum height of 10 stories. ``It's unlikely the user will know how to do the standard 'paratroop roll' upon hitting the ground,'' Cohen told the reporters. ''But we figure a twisted ankle is a small price to pay for life.'' (Agencies) | 9·11恐怖事件發生后，一家以色列公司專門為在摩天大樓里辦公的人們設計了一種特殊的降落傘，以便他們在今后類似的災難中逃生。 這家名為Apco Aviation的公司經理阿納托利-科恩說："恐怖事件發生后的三周之內，我們就完成了這種'白領逃生降落傘'的設計和檢測，現在已經可以投放市場了。"這種重約4磅的后背式降落傘目前已經在美國和日本市場進行銷售，每只售價795美元。 這種降落傘的開傘索可以固定在比較重的家具或者一個特制的鉤子上，這樣使用者從窗口跳出去后，降落傘就會自動打開。 同飛行特級表演中所使用的長方形降落傘不同，這種降落傘的傘衣像軍用降落傘一樣是圓形的，安全性較高，但屬于硬著陸（不經減速控制以較高速度著陸）。這種降落傘要求的最低跳傘高度是10層樓。 科恩對記者說："使用這種降落傘的人當然不可能像專業傘兵一樣熟知硬著陸的各種技巧，但是我們認為扭傷腳踝總比丟掉性命要劃算的多吧。" (中國日報網站譯) |
Updated: 2001-11-15 01:00
