Fascinating. Your idea is more or less what I had in mind, Simon, though I don't know if the parachute would work. Other than that, quite sound. Since I asked this mostly out of curiosity, I'd say Simon gets this one.
Mine was that the egg was to be put in a small, tightly-fitted box attached by the corners to the inside of a larger box with high tension rubber bands. Perhaps I could make these two contraptions and try them for real at some point. =P