Kirby wire
Encyclopedia
George Kirby invented the first pendulum
-based flying system for stage performers in 1898. Utilizing a quick-release mechanism for safety, the device became known as a "Kirby wire". The Kirby family made other innovations in theatrical flight including the somersault
wire and a system that allowed an actor to be flown to the stage above the audience.
Pendulum
A pendulum is a weight suspended from a pivot so that it can swing freely. When a pendulum is displaced from its resting equilibrium position, it is subject to a restoring force due to gravity that will accelerate it back toward the equilibrium position...
-based flying system for stage performers in 1898. Utilizing a quick-release mechanism for safety, the device became known as a "Kirby wire". The Kirby family made other innovations in theatrical flight including the somersault
Somersault
A somersault is an acrobatic exercise in which a person does a full 360° flip, moving the feet over the head. A somersault can be performed either forwards, backwards, or sideways and can be executed in the air or on the ground...
wire and a system that allowed an actor to be flown to the stage above the audience.