The Irvin Aerospace Story
 Leslie Leroy Irvin was born in Los Angeles, California on the 10th of September, 1895. Leslie's aviation interest began while working as a stuntman for the film industry in California where he performed acrobatics and descents from hot air balloons.
In early 1918 Leslie realized the need for a reliable parachute for flyers and began to put his ideas on life-saving parachutes into practice. The exact specifications of the first parachute that Leslie made are not recorded. What is known is that it was a static-line operated back-pack, that it incorporated a harness of original but somewhat uncomfortable design, that the canopy was made from cotton, and that it worked. We know that it worked because Leslie himself jumped with it several times during the spring and summer of 1918.
On June 18th, 1919 a Certificate of Incorporation was issued and "The Irving Air Chute Company" was born. A clerical error resulted in the addition of the "g" to Irvin and this was left in place until 1970 when the company was unified under the title Irvin Industries Incorporated.
Since its incorporation "Irving Air Chute" has made a number of remarkable achievements. During the 1920s and 1930s almost every parachute strapped on by a flier bore the Irvin name. Leslie initiated diversification of his company and in 1923 became a manufacturer of automobile seat belts. Production facilities were opened in Britain, Sweden, Italy and West Germany. In 1973 Irvin acquired a tool and die company to expand its metal processing capability. Within this division the company also became a leading producer of specialized can-making machinery for the beverage and food-canning industries. The Irvin expertise in metal and fabric technology was expanded to produce cargo-handling systems. A Structures Division was incorporated in the Irvin family and technology from this division found a variety of applications in industry and recreation during the 1960s and 70s.
The company again was to change their name in 1996 to Irvin Aerospace to better reflect the Aerospace Industry to which the focus of the company had returned. Irvin Aerospace today designs and produces personnel parachutes including ejection, troop and bail out parachutes, precision opening release systems, aerial delivery systems, inflatable life support systems, special-purpose parachutes including recovery systems for high performance aircraft and deceleration systems for fighter aircraft. Other products include air droppable rescue kits, parachute mechanisms, UAV & drone recovery assemblies, as well as a large variety of other inflatable products.
On October 9th, 1966 Leslie Irvin passed away. During his lifetime the parachute had altered the whole face of military strategy; men, supplies, guns, everything could be dropped from the air anywhere during wartime. Leslie Irvin was one of the most influential figures in the annals of parachuting. His early love for the sky and concern for the safety of those who entered it was the outstanding cornerstone for the firm that still bears his name. Every product stamped with the Irvin name is a proud emulation of the adventuresome and insightful spirit of the man himself.
Irvin Aerospace is a prime supplier for the Canadian & U.S. Forces; the company's international customers include all branches of military organizations in over 60 nations throughout the Free World.
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