Štefan Banič

Štefan Banič ({{#invoke:IPA|main}}; 23 November 1870 – 2 January 1941) was a Slovak inventor who patented an early parachute design.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Born in Jánostelek (Template:Langx, Smolenická Nová Ves), Austria-Hungary (now Smolenická Nová Ves, a part of Smolenice, Slovakia), Banič immigrated to the United States and worked as a coal miner in Greenville, Pennsylvania. After witnessing a plane crash in 1912, Banič constructed a prototype of a parachute, and on August 25, 1914 was granted US patent, No. 1,108,484.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref name=":0" />

The design which was radically different from others – it was a type of umbrella attached to the body, but it is claimed that he successfully tested it in Washington, D.C. jumping first from a 15-story building and subsequently from an airplane in 1914.<ref>"100 years ago Banic received a patent for his parachute" ("Pred 100 rokmi získal Štefan Banič patent na svoj padák"), 24.08.2014, cas.sk (Slovak)</ref><ref name="obit">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> He sold his patent to the U.S. Army, although there is no evidence that it was ever used.<ref name=":0">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

After World War I Banič returned to Czechoslovakia where he helped to explore the Driny karst cave in the foothills of the Little Carpathian Mountains, close to his hometown of Smolenice.<ref name="obit" />

Legacy

In 1997, US skydiver Slavo Mulik, also born in Slovakia, created the Stefan Banic Parachute Foundation<ref>"Radoslav "Slavo" Mulik, obituary</ref> which offers bronze, silver and gold medal awards to individuals involved in events, promotions and/or celebrations of skydiving, in memory of Banic.<ref>"11th annual Banic Memorial Boogie set", June 27, 2002</ref>

In 2006, Slovak military paratroopers installed a memorial plaque at his birthplace in Smolenice.<ref>"Banic: The inventor of the parachute", osobnosti.sk (Slovak)</ref>

In 2020, Slovakia issued a €10 silver coin depicting Banič.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Trnava – Boleráz airport, near Smolenice, carries Banič's name.

External links

• US1108484 Parachute patent