Jacques-André Istel
Encyclopedia
Jacques-André IstelJacques-André Istel (born 1930 in France
) is a French
-America
n recreational parachutist
and investment banker widely responsible for popularizing parachuting in the United States. He is sometimes called "the father of American skydiving."
and World War II
, and André Istel, an investment banker. He and his family fled France in 1940 to avoid the German
invasion. He attended The Stony Brook School
, entering with barely any English, and graduated salutatorian
of his class in 1945. He studied economics
at Princeton University
, graduating in 1949, and served in the U.S. Marines
during the Korean War
.
. He insisted on safety while parachuting, discussing safety regulations with the Civil Aeronautics Administration
and pioneering the Telsan technique with Sanborn. He also co-founded Parachutes, Inc. with Sanborn, a company that designed parachute
s and opened the first parachuting school in America. He was awarded the Leo Stevens Award for parachuting in 1958, and, decades later, the award is given by a museum in the town he founded. He made his last jump in 1972 and sold Parachutes, Inc. in the mid-1980s.
, named after his wife, Felicia. The town has a plaque inside of a pyramid on which the story claims the center of the world is located. The town also has various other structures, including numerous granite monuments on which important names and events are engraved, as well as about 30 people. In 1985, Imperial County, California
recognized the site as the center of the world, as did the French government in 1989. He is currently the mayor of Felicity. As one of 135 candidates, he gained two write-in
votes in the 2003 California gubernatorial recall election as a Republican
.
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
) is a French
French people
The French are a nation that share a common French culture and speak the French language as a mother tongue. Historically, the French population are descended from peoples of Celtic, Latin and Germanic origin, and are today a mixture of several ethnic groups...
-America
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
n recreational parachutist
Parachuting
Parachuting, also known as skydiving, is the action of exiting an aircraft and returning to earth with the aid of a parachute. It may or may not involve a certain amount of free-fall, a time during which the parachute has not been deployed and the body gradually accelerates to terminal...
and investment banker widely responsible for popularizing parachuting in the United States. He is sometimes called "the father of American skydiving."
Early life
Istel was born in France to Yvonne Istel, a prominent volunteer in both World War IWorld War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
and World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, and André Istel, an investment banker. He and his family fled France in 1940 to avoid the German
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
invasion. He attended The Stony Brook School
The Stony Brook School
The Stony Brook School is a private independent Christian boarding and college preparatory school for boys and girls, grades 7 to 12. It was founded by the Rev. Dr. John F. Carson and fellow members of the Stony Brook Assembly in 1922. Its founding headmaster was Frank E. Gaebelein...
, entering with barely any English, and graduated salutatorian
Salutatorian
Salutatorian is an academic title given, in the United States and Canada, to the second highest graduate of the entire graduating class of a specific discipline. Only the valedictorian is ranked higher. This honor is traditionally based on grade point average and number of credits taken, but...
of his class in 1945. He studied economics
Economics
Economics is the social science that analyzes the production, distribution, and consumption of goods and services. The term economics comes from the Ancient Greek from + , hence "rules of the house"...
at Princeton University
Princeton University
Princeton University is a private research university located in Princeton, New Jersey, United States. The school is one of the eight universities of the Ivy League, and is one of the nine Colonial Colleges founded before the American Revolution....
, graduating in 1949, and served in the U.S. Marines
United States Marine Corps
The United States Marine Corps is a branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for providing power projection from the sea, using the mobility of the United States Navy to deliver combined-arms task forces rapidly. It is one of seven uniformed services of the United States...
during the Korean War
Korean War
The Korean War was a conventional war between South Korea, supported by the United Nations, and North Korea, supported by the People's Republic of China , with military material aid from the Soviet Union...
.
Parachuting
Istel first tried parachuting in 1950, and quickly became an expert. He soon started popularizing parachuting in America by touring college campuses and leading the American team he organized to the World Championship of Parachuting in 1956. In 1958, he captained the U.S. team that won the French Coupe du Monde, together with Lew Sanborn, Dana Smith, and Charlie HillardCharlie Hillard
Charlie Hillard was an American aerobatics pilot, and the first American to win the world aerobatics title.Hillard formed the Red Devils aerobatic team in 1971 with fellow pilots Gene Soucy and Tom Poberezny...
. He insisted on safety while parachuting, discussing safety regulations with the Civil Aeronautics Administration
Civil Aeronautics Administration
Civil Aeronautics Administration may refer to:*Civil Aeronautics Administration - a division of Ministry of Transportation and Communication, Executive Yuan, Republic of China...
and pioneering the Telsan technique with Sanborn. He also co-founded Parachutes, Inc. with Sanborn, a company that designed parachute
Parachute
A parachute is a device used to slow the motion of an object through an atmosphere by creating drag, or in the case of ram-air parachutes, aerodynamic lift. Parachutes are usually made out of light, strong cloth, originally silk, now most commonly nylon...
s and opened the first parachuting school in America. He was awarded the Leo Stevens Award for parachuting in 1958, and, decades later, the award is given by a museum in the town he founded. He made his last jump in 1972 and sold Parachutes, Inc. in the mid-1980s.
Felicity, California
In 1985, Istel wrote a children's book entitled Coe, the Good Dragon at the Center of the World, and a year later founded the town of Felicity, CaliforniaFelicity, California
Felicity is an unincorporated community in Imperial County, California, referred to as the "Center of the World".It lies at an elevation of 285 feet ....
, named after his wife, Felicia. The town has a plaque inside of a pyramid on which the story claims the center of the world is located. The town also has various other structures, including numerous granite monuments on which important names and events are engraved, as well as about 30 people. In 1985, Imperial County, California
Imperial County, California
Imperial County is a county located in the Imperial Valley, in the far southeast of the U.S. state of California, bordering both Arizona and Mexico. It is part of the El Centro Metropolitan Area, which encompasses all of Imperial County. The population as of 2000 was 142,361. The county seat is the...
recognized the site as the center of the world, as did the French government in 1989. He is currently the mayor of Felicity. As one of 135 candidates, he gained two write-in
Write-in candidate
A write-in candidate is a candidate in an election whose name does not appear on the ballot, but for whom voters may vote nonetheless by writing in the person's name. Some states and local jurisdictions allow a voter to affix a sticker with a write-in candidate's name on it to the ballot in lieu...
votes in the 2003 California gubernatorial recall election as a Republican
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
.