Philip Orin Parmelee
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Philip Orin Parmelee (March 8, 1887 – June 1, 1912) was an American
aviation Aviation includes the activities surrounding mechanical flight and the aircraft industry. ''Aircraft'' includes fixed-wing and rotary-wing types, morphable wings, wing-less lifting bodies, as well as lighter-than-air craft such as hot air ...
pioneer trained by the Wright brothers and credited with several early world aviation records and "firsts" in flight. He turned a keen interest in small engines into employment with the
Wright Company The Wright Company was the commercial aviation business venture of the Wright Brothers, established by them on November 22, 1909, in conjunction with several prominent industrialists from New York and Detroit with the intention of capitalizing o ...
in its early years and was one of several young pilots hired by the Wright brothers to demonstrate and publicize the capabilities of their airplanes. Because of his youth, blond good looks, and daring reputation, Parmelee had the nickname "Skyman" attributed to him. Among the feats credited to Parmelee are the first commercial flight of an airplane, establishing a world cross-country speed record, holding the world flying endurance record, piloting the first aircraft to drop a bomb, conducting the first military reconnaissance flight and piloting the first aircraft involved in the world's first parachute jump. Parmelee was killed in the crash of an airplane he was piloting at an exhibition in
Yakima, Washington Yakima ( or ) is a city in and the county seat of Yakima County, Washington, and the state's 11th-largest city by population. As of the 2020 census, the city had a total population of 96,968 and a metropolitan population of 256,728. The uninco ...
, when turbulence flipped the airplane upside down.


Biography

Parmelee was born on March 8, 1887, to Charles W. Parmelee, a sawmill owner in Matherton, Michigan. His birthplace is variously given as Matherton and as
Hubbardston, Michigan Hubbardston is a village in the U.S. state of Michigan. It is mostly in North Plains Township in Ionia County, and partially in Lebanon Township in Clinton County. Its population was 395 at the 2010 census. Geography According to the United St ...
. In 1901, the family moved to
Marion, Michigan Marion is a village in Osceola County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 872 at the 2010 census. The village is located within Marion Township. Geography According to the United States Census Bureau, the village has a total are ...
, where his mother was killed in a "runaway" (apparently a runaway horse). He was raised by his father in St. Johns, Michigan. Parmelee had a mechanical aptitude for small engines, building his own electric, steam, and gasoline-powered motors. Publications of the day in Marion note that he built a steam-powered small auto, using an old horse buggy body and bicycle wheels, with a gasoline-fueled steam boiler of his own design powering the vehicle. Parmelee was notorious for driving it on the streets of the town. His first job was with the Richmond and Holmes Machine Company in St. Johns, Michigan, from 1904 to 1906, working by day and exploring an interest in the machinery for showing
silent films A silent film is a film with no synchronized recorded sound (or more generally, no audible dialogue). Though silent films convey narrative and emotion visually, various plot elements (such as a setting or era) or key lines of dialogue may, whe ...
during his evenings. In 1906, he went to work for the Eclipse Motor Company in
Mancelona, Michigan Mancelona ( ) is a village in the Northern Lower Peninsula of the U.S. state of Michigan. Part of Mancelona Township, the village is located within Antrim County. Its population was 1,344 at the 2020 census. History In 1869, Perry Andress e ...
, where his skills prompted his employer to recommend him to the
Buick Buick () is a division of the American automobile manufacturer General Motors (GM). Started by automotive pioneer David Dunbar Buick in 1899, it was among the first American marques of automobiles, and was the company that established General ...
Automobile Company in
Flint, Michigan Flint is the largest city and seat of Genesee County, Michigan, United States. Located along the Flint River, northwest of Detroit, it is a principal city within the region known as Mid Michigan. At the 2020 census, Flint had a population of 8 ...
. While working for Buick, Parmelee became interested in the racing cars of
Louis Chevrolet Louis-Joseph Chevrolet (; December 25, 1878 – June 6, 1941) was a Swiss-American race car driver, mechanic and entrepreneur who co-founded the Chevrolet Motor Car Company in 1911. Early life Louis-Joseph Chevrolet was born on December 25, 1 ...
and was reputed to have taken one being repaired at the plant on an unauthorized night-time drive to
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, a 19-mile round trip. Parmelee worked as a mechanic for a car on the Glidden tour, an annual road rally from the south to
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, with Parmelee's car winning the event.


Aviator

In 1910, he submitted an application and was chosen to join the
Wright Flying School The Wright Flying School, also known as the Wright School of Aviation, was operated by the Wright Company from 1910 to 1916 and trained 119 individuals to fly Wright airplanes. History Orville Wright began training students on March 19, 1910 in M ...
run by Wilbur Wright and Orville Wright. After training, he joined the
Wright Exhibition Team The Wright Exhibition Team was a group of early aviators trained by the Wright brothers at Wright Flying School in Montgomery, Alabama in March 1910. History The group was formed in 1910 at the suggestion of balloonist Augustus Roy Knabenshue. ...
. One of his first assignments was as a demonstration pilot for the Wright B Flyer at the Appalachian Exposition in
Knoxville, Tennessee Knoxville is a city in and the county seat of Knox County, Tennessee, Knox County in the U.S. state of Tennessee. As of the 2020 United States census, Knoxville's population was 190,740, making it the largest city in the East Tennessee Grand Di ...
. On November 7, 1910, Parmelee became the first pilot to transport commercial cargo. His flight took him from
Dayton, Ohio Dayton () is the sixth-largest city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Montgomery County. A small part of the city extends into Greene County. The 2020 U.S. census estimate put the city population at 137,644, while Greater Day ...
, carrying a package of 100 pounds of silk valued between $800 and $1,000 for the opening of a store. Parmelee's route took him from Dayton to
Columbus, Ohio Columbus () is the state capital and the most populous city in the U.S. state of Ohio. With a 2020 census population of 905,748, it is the 14th-most populous city in the U.S., the second-most populous city in the Midwest, after Chicago, and t ...
by way of South Charleston and
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, following the route of the old National Road. Newspaper clippings quoted the Wright brothers as stating he covered the distance in 66 minutes, but the flight was officially recorded at 57 minutes, a world speed record at the time. Parmelee also traveled to Texas in the spring of 1911, where he flew the Wright Flyer with Lt.
Benjamin D. Foulois Benjamin Delahauf Foulois (December 9, 1879 – April 25, 1967) was a United States Army general who learned to fly the first military planes purchased from the Wright brothers. He became the first military aviator as an airship pilot, and achi ...
. The pair conducted the first military reconnaissance missions, flying along the border with Mexico during maneuvers held by the U.S. Army as a show of force to
Mexican revolutionaries Mexican may refer to: Mexico and its culture *Being related to, from, or connected to the country of Mexico, in North America ** People *** Mexicans, inhabitants of the country Mexico and their descendants *** Mexica, ancient indigenous people ...
. The airplane was owned by neither the U.S. Army, whose aircraft was no longer reliable, nor the Wright brothers, but was rented from Robert J. Collier, owner of '' Collier's Weekly''. On their second flight, Foulois and Parmelee accidentally shut off the engine. At extremely low altitude over the
Rio Grande The Rio Grande ( and ), known in Mexico as the Río Bravo del Norte or simply the Río Bravo, is one of the principal rivers (along with the Colorado River) in the southwestern United States and in northern Mexico. The length of the Rio G ...
, Parmelee got the engine to restart, but at full throttle. The sudden thrust caused the plane to nose down into the water and flip over onto its top. Neither pilot was injured and the aircraft was salvaged and repaired. Later in 1911, Parmelee was the pilot of a Wright Model B when 54-year-old parachutist
Grant Morton Grant Morton (1857?–1920), born William H. Morton, was one of the first people to successfully attempt skydiving, and is sometimes credited with the first skydive and jump from a powered aeroplane, in 1911. Supposedly, at age 54, Morton, a vetera ...
jumped out over Venice Beach,
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. This was the earliest known jump by a man from an airplane using a parachute.


Death

Parmelee was piloting an airplane at an air show in
Yakima, Washington Yakima ( or ) is a city in and the county seat of Yakima County, Washington, and the state's 11th-largest city by population. As of the 2020 census, the city had a total population of 96,968 and a metropolitan population of 256,728. The uninco ...
, on June 1, 1912, at altitudes variously described from . Air turbulence caused him to crash, killing him instantly. He was buried in East Plains Cemetery in Clinton County, Michigan.


Legacy

An historic marker to Philip O. Parmelee, erected in 1978, is displayed at the
Lansing Lansing () is the capital of the U.S. state of Michigan. It is mostly in Ingham County, although portions of the city extend west into Eaton County and north into Clinton County. The 2020 census placed the city's population at 112,644, makin ...
Capital Region International Airport terminal in
DeWitt Township, Michigan DeWitt Charter Township is a charter township of Clinton County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 14,321 at the 2010 census, which was an increase from 12,143 at the 2000 census. The original survey township now includes portio ...
. Parmelee appeared in an early silent film ''
A Dash Through the Clouds ''A Dash Through the Clouds'' is a 1912 short American silent comedy film directed by Mack Sennett, written by Dell Henderson and starring Mabel Normand. It has the distinction of being somewhat of an aviation film as Sennett employed the services ...
'' directed by Mack Sennett and starring
Mabel Normand Amabel Ethelreid Normand (November 9, 1893 – February 23, 1930), better known as Mabel Normand, was an American silent film actress, screenwriter, director, and producer. She was a popular star and collaborator of Mack Sennett in their K ...
. In the film Parmelee plays a pilot called 'Slim' and flies Mabel around in his Wright B aeroplane. Parmelee completed this film and it was released 23 days after his death on June 24, 1912.


References


External links

*
Parmelee's Dayton to Columbus flightA Dash Through the Clouds
the film in which Phil appears with his aeroplane, available for free download at * {{DEFAULTSORT:Parmelee, Philip Orin 1887 births 1912 deaths Aviation pioneers Aviators from Michigan Aviators killed in aviation accidents or incidents in the United States Accidental deaths in Washington (state) Wright Flying School alumni People from Hubbardston, Michigan People from Osceola County, Michigan People from St. Johns, Michigan American aviation record holders Flight endurance record holders Victims of aviation accidents or incidents in 1912