airtwardo 7 #26 March 6, 2005 QuoteI met Joe Kittinger in June 1998 in Dallas / Ft. Worth Texas where he gave a lecture on his jump, and had movies, photos of it. real cool guy, he even signed my jump log book for me.. Quote REAL COOL GUY! I met him in the early 90's...TWICE! Following an Air Show performance, we were packing our rigs and flags etc. in the grass outside the hotel where the show performers & VIPS stayed. This 'older gentleman' was watching with interest, touching the lines...feeling the canopy fabric... You could tell he was 'Somebody' by the way he spoke...so I offered a beer from the cooler. Chuck Yeager walks past as says, "Tellin' 'em how is done Joe?" WOW!We ALL lined up for logbook signatures... and later that evening he joined us for a few rounds in the hotel lounge. A year later at home in San Diego... My 'roomie' and I are unloading our SCUBA gear from our boat after a morning dive... A Coast Guard ship is unloading this HUGE mess onto the dock, so we stop and watch.... It a Baloon and Gondola... Col.K and his G/F were floating around the day before and got blown offshore... He tried for a couple hours up & down trying to get back but as it was getting dark...he put it down on one of those tiny islands a few miles out and to the south. Didn't know what happened or to whom... until he comes over to us... "Hello Jim... so you're a skydiver AND a scuba diver?" ~Almost couldn't get my swelled head into the car for the ride home! COOL GUY!~!! ~ If you choke a Smurf, what color does it turn? ~ Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
syntax 0 #27 March 7, 2005 Ive seen the footage and there wasnt any drouge slowing him down that i could see!------------------------------------skydiving...the grounds the limit! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Foggy 0 #28 March 7, 2005 QuoteIve seen the footage and there wasnt any drouge slowing him down that i could see! In his autobiography (The Long Lonely Leap), he describes the series of jumps that led to Excelsior III in detail, including the transcript of a tape recording he made. The drogue was deployed by a timer 16s after exiting the gondola. A fascinating book by the way Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
darrenspooner 0 #29 March 7, 2005 There is a great book that contains a lot of the detail of this jump, and also a load of planning of a british skydiver that aimed to break this record a few years ago. Its called Freefall by Tom Read. A real nice ex-SAS, ex-Parachute Regiment skydiver who developed a serious mental illness while he was working ont he project. I am sure plenty of people that read this will know him by his real name and miss him. He died last year I think. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
skydived19006 4 #30 March 7, 2005 There is currently an effort by a group to break the record set in the “Man High” project by Kittinger. They’re trying to raise the money to put Cheryl Sterns out of a balloon launched form Wichita Kansas, project “StratoQuest”. As I understand she was/is to use a small drogue chute, and fly in a head low (tracking) position. And “she could reach a speed of up to 1.3 MACH (885 mph)!” Here ya go. Experience is what you get when you thought you were going to get something else. AC DZ Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
rehmwa 2 #31 March 7, 2005 QuoteThe speed of sound at sea level . . . Kittinger exceeded that speed. Without drag induced by sonic effects, it's pretty easy: The speed of sound is sqrt(gamma R T) {so it varies by the root of the abs temp} it gets colder as you go up so the speed of sounds drops. The terminal velocity goes by the root of the density of the air. So terminal V goes up as the air gets thinner in a sqrt relation also. At some altitude (T, density) = these equations are equal. So you'd go sonic. But the formation of a bow shock will delay that moment as it's an extra drag term - so go a little higher than you'd think. If Joe exceeded the sea level M, then he certainly was exceeding the real M at altitude. Did I say that backwards? ... ... Driving is a one dimensional activity - a monkey can do it - being proud of your driving abilities is like being proud of being able to put on pants Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
airtwardo 7 #32 March 7, 2005 Quote Did I say that backwards? ... Quote NO...No...No...! Ya got it ALL screwed up! Here...let me explain it to you; Well maybe later...gotta run, "Hee Haw" is on! ~ If you choke a Smurf, what color does it turn? ~ Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
