Re: 70,000 ft. in a U-2 spy plane
This is pretty cool footage of a U2 climbing out to 70,000 ft AGL and landing. (Sorry if you already know this) but the British guy is talking about things boiling - at those altitudes and with your body temp of 98.6F, your blood would boil if you lost even a little cabin pressure. As you can see this Kelly Johnson machine was nothing but a glider with a BIG engine (and very good cameras) - there has always been a story circulating among my aerospace friends that a U2 had an engine quit over Alaska (not sure where) and he was able to glide back to Sacramento, CA. Do I believe it? Maybe.... Pretty heavy glider, but then so is the Space Shuttle. PS: Can you believe this company went on to make the SR-71? This video is a once in a lifetime experience of a British civilian getting a flight at over 70,000 ft. in a U-2 spy plane. Please note at the take-off the assist wheels on the outer edges of the wings which drop off upon take-off. The wings are so long that they n