LAA Suffolk Coastal Strut meeting: The man who tested parachutes

Suffolk Coastal Strut Light Aircraft Association meeting featuring a talk by Andrew Colley on "The man who tested Parachutes". The presentation explores the remarkable story of Charles Agate, a 34-year-old schoolteacher who volunteered for the RAF in 1940 and joined the parachute unit at RAF Ringway. Over his service, Agate completed an impressive 1,601 test jumps, evaluating prototype parachutes, conducting low-altitude drops, and testing equipment with heavy sandbags. He also played a significant role in training commandos and dogs in preparation for D-Day operations. This monthly strut meeting is held on the 3rd Wednesday of each month and welcomes members from Suffolk, Essex, Norfolk and Cambridgeshire. The Suffolk Coastal Strut is a self-supporting club within the LAA that organises social evenings, visiting speakers, video presentations, fly-outs during summer months, and other aviation-related events. Annual membership subscription is £20. The strut provides a discussion forum for light aircraft enthusiasts, whether they are aircraft builders, owners, group share participants, or simply passionate about aviation. Members benefit from the collective knowledge, information and experience within the group.