The Man Who Made The First Supersonic Parachute Jump, Just Not On Purpose

[Arizona Hot]

I think this adds some nice depth to the Red Bull Stratos jump that is supposed to be Sunday. Let me know if you want the pdf also.

This Is The Man Who Made The First Supersonic Parachute Jump, Just Not On Purpose

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[Renegade]

My next recollection was a hazy thought that I was having a bad dream. Maybe I'll wake up and get out of this mess, I mused. Gradually regaining consciousness, I realized this was no dream; it had really happened. That also was disturbing, because I could not have survived what had just happened. Therefore, I must be dead. Since I didn't feel bad–just a detached sense of euphoria–I decided being dead wasn't so bad after all. AS FULL AWARENESS took hold, I realized I was not dead, but had somehow separated from the airplane.

Hahahahah~!

[Tinman57]

  Hmmmm, it wasn't actually a parachute "Jump", it was an aircraft disintegration.  lol
  The Blackbird is an awesome aircraft.  I was half way down the runway doing a FOD walk when one took off on the same runway.  The pilot went full stick back right when he got to us and went straight up right over our heads.  He was so close that we all got some jet-blast.  I think it's the loudest aircraft I've ever encountered, and that says something considering I was in the A.F. for over 20 years.  lol  Anyhow, it just went straight up until it disappeared.  I was stationed with one of the Blackbird squadrons for 4 years and got the privilege of watching them take off just about every day.  Never got tired of seeing them.  You don't realize just how huge they are until you stand next to one.
  I read a long time ago that the first test pilot to test the altitude capabilities of the Blackbird was given an astronaut badge after taking it into dead space.  I know the fuel is oxygenated, but how in the world can you control an aircraft without any air flowing over the control surfaces?  Methinks this was a little exaggerated.

[IainB]

...but how in the world can you control an aircraft without any air flowing over the control surfaces?  Methinks this was a little exaggerated.

No, I think there must be quite a lot of free air in space, else how could the soundwaves from spaceships reach you? I mean, you can hear them swishing or humming past in all the space movies.   

[Tinman57]

...but how in the world can you control an aircraft without any air flowing over the control surfaces?  Methinks this was a little exaggerated.

No, I think there must be quite a lot of free air in space, else how could the soundwaves from spaceships reach you? I mean, you can hear them swishing or humming past in all the space movies.   

Bwahahahaha!  Those space movies were kind of daft in that regard, with the exception of the new Battle Star Galactica, but a lot of people don't know those "little" facts.  All of the fly-by's and battles in the new BSG were all muffled to be barely audible to make it more scientifically realistic.
  I did read that there is a lot of air/gasses in outer space, just not enough to carry a soundwave.  Perhaps in one of those gas giants it's possible, but who could live there to find out?  LOL