Just how high do these things go
 

From FighterControl.
Check out the pilot in the second picture.

Dragon21 arrival at Fairford 19Mar ? FighterControl ? Home to the Military Aviation Enthusiast

It's pretty much a space suit.
Just think how much atmosphere is still around at 70k plus ft (allegedly)

Forget how high they go - how many's in the crew?

http://airwingmedia.com/wp-content/u...ts-670x250.jpg

;)

Quite high..



https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1PmYItnlY5M

Pressure suits and helmets have always been part of the U2 driver's couture

USAF article on the U2 flight suits here:
http://www.afcent.af.mil/news/story.asp?id=123310891

At over 70,000 (sustained) atmospheric pressure is 1/20 standard.

Here's a thing that interested me. Apologies if you already know this. David Clark, maker of fine headsets, G suits and pressure suits for airmen and astronauts etc started off as a brassiere manufacturer. During WWII their expertise in woven elasticated garments led them to being asked by the US gov to develop a G suit for fighter jocks, which they did. The rest as they say, is history.

The U2 video of James May I found quite interesting.

Like the footage from the edge of the earth.

The thing I find fascinating about the U2 is how close to coffin corner it cruises.
Just a big jet powered glider really, flying in the thinnest of air, right on the stall for hours on end.
Filmed an ER2 taking off from Christchurch Airport once to do atmospheric sniffing for NOA over Antarctica.
We were in a Squirrel with the doors off, hovering halfway down the runway off to one side.
I'd heard the jet had a very steep climb out rate and said the the chopper pilot, "you'll need to pull full collective mate just to keep him in shot."
The jet rolled, lifted, the Squirrel pilot hauled his left hand to the roof, and in about 3 seconds the ER2 just shot right upwards past us, heading for the clouds.
We didn't stand a chance.

Service ceiling quoted as 85,000'.

The guy third from the left is my cousin.

HB

I once tried to chase one in my Jet Provost after it appeared out of a flat topped cloud bank a couple of miles away. Not for long, the "constant thrust variable noise" machine I was flying could go nowhere it; it appeared to climb at a 45 degree angle. Very impressive!

One also comfortably outclimbed a couple of "light" 41 Sqn RAF Phantoms.

I think above 25,000' most things could couldn't they? Apart fom a Tonka...

During GW1 we were trundling along near Cairo in our C130K when one of a pair checked in at FL 570. The Egyptian controller came back with 'no known traffic at your level ' I should think not. Always awesome to watch them take off in Thailand during the Vietnam War. Landing was an 'interesting' experience I understand. On our way to Akrotiri we had to divert to Larnaca as the 'resident' had blacked the runway in a crosswind landing.

....all we know is he's called the Stig :mad:

My wife tells me they (280SU) used to "loose" the bird @ 70k ft.

She also heard Brian Trubshaw "requesting Flt level 600 and Mach 2" from Nicosia Control, which was promptly granted.

PM

Remember a couple of F3's coming off the range south of Akr when the 'Local' came back on frequency, they asked if they could Embellish him, yes was the reply. Request level passing, FL 600 in the descent, ah we will wait came the reply. They used to turn the transponder off passing 600 which then indicated NMC.

One has to be correctly attired if going high.....


http://i636.photobucket.com/albums/u...psff162533.jpg

The F-15 Streak Eagle was no slouch either.

98,425 Feet in Three Minutes and Twenty Seven Seconds for an average climb rate of 28,419 Feet Per Minute then coasted to 103,000 feet.

http://www.nationalmuseum.af.mil/fac...et.asp?id=2283