Mach 1.67 skydiving!
 

From Landings web site.
High-jump

At the end of the year, a French parachutist plans a freefalling adventure that will see him propelled through the speed of sound from the stratospheric height of more than 120,000 feet -- almost 23 miles straight up.

Michel Fournier, 56, is going to try the big jump from a balloon, since there are no aircraft in civilian hands that could reach that altitude, according to the Federation Aeronautique International in France.

A top multi-disciplinary athlete and an ex-parachute officer with more than 8,000 jumps to his credit (more than a hundred from high altitude), he also holds the French record for free-fall flight from 12,000 meters (36,000+ feet). His performances have earned him the Gold medal for Youth and Sport and the Aeronautics Medal as well as the title of Officer of the National Order of Merit.

The feat will take place in France, on the Crau plain. The day of the jump a weather probe will bring in the last details needed to plan the exact trajectory for the stratospheric balloon which will be taking Fournier up.

Less than 50 minutes before the launch, the balloon will be filled with helium. The pod will be held down on the ground until the last second before taking-off.

The balloon will climb for about two hours and 30 minutes. For security reasons, in case there should be a problem during the climb, a remote-controlled canopy liberator, linking the balloon to the flight chain, will be operated by the ground computer in order to parachute the pod back down to earth.

A machine in the pod will regulate the pressure. Once at the ceiling height, Fournier will unpressurize the pod and pressurize his suit, open the glass door and finally accomplish his life's dream -- admire the roundness of the Planet Earth before plunging out to break the wall of sound.

It will only take him 30 seconds to hear the double "bang" of breaking the sound barrier and 51 seconds to reach the speed of 1,782 km/h (1.67 mach), a speed never achieved by man so far.

Then, after a free-fall of six minutes and 25 seconds, he will open his parachute at 3,000 feet and will be able to take advantage of the remaining four minutes needed to reach the ground. It will be the accomplishment of 10 years of preparation for a few historical minutes and the setting of four world records.

The current high jump record is just over 100,000 feet.

At the age of 56 years,I donot think he will see 57!

He's doing this over France you say. Will he show up on TCAS? If so, will the TCAS warning be TRAFFIC or LUNATIC?

It has been done before. In the early days of space flight the US had a number of projects to examine methods of egress from space craft. The two best known are project "high dive" which I believe only used crash dummies and project "man high" during which a number of succesful human jumps were made including one which broke the sound barrier.

If he's head down will he hear the sonic boom or not? :)

Better bring a sweater, it's cold up there.

abyone heard of the Darwin awards?

Yeah, this guy will steal the show next time.

Will he not burn up on re-entry??? :)

At least he will go out with a bang!

Will his 'chute work at those speeds? I would have thought that it would be ripped to shreds or snap or something. If it does work, would he survive the deceleration?
What a nutter!!!! :) :) :)
Good luck to him.

It does sound cool though, doesn't it. Suppose deceleration by body position first than a drag chute, before finally trying to reach the rip-cord. Better start that process way before 3000 ft.

Will his speed not decrease as air density increases??

Surley he will not be doing mach 1.67 at 3000 feet..

Or am I biting in which case I will go and get my coat.

There is a classic piece of film of a a very brave and humble American serviceman stepping out of a balloon gondola at the edge of space and dissapearing Earthwords in an eyeblink.This was during early days of high atmospheric flight and space travel.The guy was "Just doing his job"and was a contrast to the self publicising danger freaks who do these things for to see themselves on TV.I seem to recall he was just some regular bloke off the base who recieved a few bucks bonus for these trials.At interview he says something like "I was given the go ahead so I opened the gate and stepped out"(paraphrased)..Absolutely mad.
Perhaps somebody with a guiness book of records can elaborate.

If the reentrance will take place in France, will he also be given a 2 hour CTOT from ATC??

This him?
http://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/...RecordID=43954

Hate to nit-pick, but I believe this can't be done from that sort of altitude without some kind of stabilising drogue(Kittinger used one). So, it's not strictly a pure freefall descent, though hairy enough I suppose.

A premature canopy deployment at those speeds would certainly make his eyes water, though.

This has already been done. A United States Air Force pilot jumped from a balloon back in the late fiftes or early sixties. I have been on the road since this thread started and have not been able to get all the details. The person in question was a Major at the time of the jump and retired as a full Colonel and the last I heard he is still alive. He also has an airport named after him somewhere in the US.

Among many records he set are:
1. First man in what is now accepted as outerspace.

2. Higest parachute jump.

3. Exceeded the speed of sound without a vehicle.

Anyway good luck to the Frenchman, but it's already been done.

Sorry, I didn't read all the replies, It was Colonel Kittinger and I don't think he got a bonus, it was just his job.

[This message has been edited by con-pilot (edited 24 October 2000).]

Yup,

There was a recent TV programme about a English freefall guy who had a special winged jumpsuit to enable him to fly down horizontally to lengthen his freefall time. It mentioned Colonel Kittinger and had video footage.

Our guy had big big problems with the cold even at 50,000 feet. With that and the speed etc it could be a rough ride.

He was 'tutored' by another mad Frenchman who unfortunately didn't survive one of their earlier test flights. Fascinating programme, Something in the water over there I reckon!.

Good link Eric !!