Video: William Rankin, the Man Who Rode the Thunder

Gemini Sparkle

Key Takeaways:

  • William Rankin famously survived a 40-minute fall from 47,000 feet after ejecting from his aircraft, making his story legendary.
  • His survival is particularly remarkable as he fell through a thunderstorm, a scenario often proving fatal for those under canopy.
  • The article emphasizes the extreme dangers posed by thunderstorms to individuals under a parachute, noting that not all such encounters result in survival.
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The story of William Rankin’s ejection at 47,000 feet and 500 knots is legendary, not only because the fall took him 40 minutes, but also because he lived to talk about it. There are other and more recent cases of people who have been drawn into thunderstorms under canopy and not every one ends in survival.

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