Re: Greatest Altitude without pressure cabin/suit

[W. D. Allen Sr.]

44,000 ft altitude means only about 1/7 of the atmospheric
pressure at sea level. So it's hard to believe a person
could maintain consciousness without oxygen pressure
equipment to get to 49,500 feet.

With half the atmosphere below 18,000 feet the U. S.
military requires oxygen masks above 15,000 feet. And if I
remember correctly they require full pressure suits above
50,000 feet altitude.

WDA

end



"Ron" > wrote in message
...
> "The greatest recorded height by any pilot without a
pressure cabin or even a pressure suit has been 49.500 feet
by Britsh Sqaudron
> Leader G. W. H. Reynolds, D.F.C. in a Spitfire Mark VC
over Libya in 1942."
>
> This is from the Guinness Book of World Records, edition
1980. Page 322, The Mechanical World.
>
> Does anyone has more information about this feat? Couldn't
find anything on the internet.
>
> Ron (when replying remove -blocked- )
>
>

[Guy Alcala]

Ron wrote:

> "The greatest recorded height by any pilot without a pressure cabin or even a pressure suit has been 49.500 feet by Britsh Sqaudron
> Leader G. W. H. Reynolds, D.F.C. in a Spitfire Mark VC over Libya in 1942."
>
> This is from the Guinness Book of World Records, edition 1980. Page 322, The Mechanical World.
>
> Does anyone has more information about this feat? Couldn't find anything on the internet.

Undoubtedly one of the three Mk. VCs. specially modified by No 103 MU at Aboukir depot to intercept JU-86 recon a/c. They were a poor
man's version of the Mk.VI. They were given elongated wings, four bladed props and modified carbs, with armor and the regular guns
stripped out and replaced by a pair of .50 cals. They later installed a Merlin 61 in one of them, and reaching such a height would
probably require it.

Guy

[Frank May]

Well, the report said without a pressure cabin or pressure suit, so I'm
pretty sure oxygen was what he did have.

[Clark]

"W. D. Allen Sr." > wrote in news:wQYRa.2853
:

> 44,000 ft altitude means only about 1/7 of the atmospheric
> pressure at sea level. So it's hard to believe a person
> could maintain consciousness without oxygen pressure
> equipment to get to 49,500 feet.

The post didn't mention "no oxygen pressure equipment" just no pressue suit
and no pressurized cabin. Big difference.

[[email protected]]

"W. D. Allen Sr." > wrote:

>44,000 ft altitude means only about 1/7 of the atmospheric
>pressure at sea level. So it's hard to believe a person
>could maintain consciousness without oxygen pressure
>equipment to get to 49,500 feet.
>
>With half the atmosphere below 18,000 feet the U. S.
>military requires oxygen masks above 15,000 feet. And if I
>remember correctly they require full pressure suits above
>50,000 feet altitude.
>
>WDA
>

Well, I know for a fact that you can survive at 45,000 feet with
only a 'demand' oxygen regulator connected to a regular oxygen
mask as issued to the Canadian Military in the mid sixties in an
aircraft with a 25,000ft service ceiling. That puts the cabin at
~30,000ft. Hell, we did a bunch of high altitude trials in an
UNPRESSURIZED Fairchild C-119 at 25,000 for several hours at a
time. But, of course, back then, men were men... harrumph...
--

-Gord.

[Dave Kearton]

"Gord Beaman" > wrote in message
...
| "W. D. Allen Sr." > wrote:
|
| >44,000 ft altitude means only about 1/7 of the atmospheric
| >pressure at sea level. So it's hard to believe a person
| >could maintain consciousness without oxygen pressure
| >equipment to get to 49,500 feet.
| >
| >With half the atmosphere below 18,000 feet the U. S.
| >military requires oxygen masks above 15,000 feet. And if I
| >remember correctly they require full pressure suits above
| >50,000 feet altitude.
| >
| >WDA
| >
|
| Well, I know for a fact that you can survive at 45,000 feet with
| only a 'demand' oxygen regulator connected to a regular oxygen
| mask as issued to the Canadian Military in the mid sixties in an
| aircraft with a 25,000ft service ceiling. That puts the cabin at
| ~30,000ft. Hell, we did a bunch of high altitude trials in an
| UNPRESSURIZED Fairchild C-119 at 25,000 for several hours at a
| time. But, of course, back then, men were men... harrumph...
| --
|
| -Gord.




Gord,


While your manliness is above reproach, I'm not sure I see the relevance
of tests at 30,000' compared to 45,000, much less 49,500.


Breathing at that altitude must be like sucking meatloaf through a straw.



Cheers


Dave Kearton

[QDurham]

>>Breathing at that altitude must be like sucking meatloaf through a straw>>

Inhaling and exhaling aren't problems -- perfectly normal. It is just that the
inhaling part doesn't accomplish anything notably p[roductive. One probably
has 3-6 seconds of useful consciousness at 30K, no mask. Been there (in a tank
bolted to the floor) done that. Utterly unnoticed, utterly painless, kinda
fun, and REAL fast.

Quent

[Dave Kearton]

"QDurham" > wrote in message
...
| >>Breathing at that altitude must be like sucking meatloaf through a
straw>>
|
| Inhaling and exhaling aren't problems -- perfectly normal. It is just
that the
| inhaling part doesn't accomplish anything notably p[roductive. One
probably
| has 3-6 seconds of useful consciousness at 30K, no mask. Been there (in a
tank
| bolted to the floor) done that. Utterly unnoticed, utterly painless,
kinda
| fun, and REAL fast.
|
| Quent
|
|


I'd like to say that "that's what I meant" and try to bluff my way out of
it. Failing that, thanks for the info.



Cheers


Dave Kearton

[[email protected]]

"Dave Kearton" > wrote:

>
>
>"QDurham" > wrote in message
...
>| >>Breathing at that altitude must be like sucking meatloaf through a
>straw>>
>|
>| Inhaling and exhaling aren't problems -- perfectly normal. It is just
>that the
>| inhaling part doesn't accomplish anything notably p[roductive. One
>probably
>| has 3-6 seconds of useful consciousness at 30K, no mask. Been there (in a
>tank
>| bolted to the floor) done that. Utterly unnoticed, utterly painless,
>kinda
>| fun, and REAL fast.
>|
>| Quent
>|
>|
>
>
>I'd like to say that "that's what I meant" and try to bluff my way out of
>it. Failing that, thanks for the info.
>
>
>
>Cheers
>
>
>Dave Kearton
>
>
Good man...too bad that we're not all that smart. I sure hope
that I can imitate your actions if I ever make an error...

:)
--

-Gord.

[QDurham]

>"QDurham" > wrote in message
...
>| >>Breathing at that altitude must be like sucking meatloaf through a
>straw>>
>|
>| Inhaling and exhaling aren't problems -- perfectly normal. It is just
>that the
>| inhaling part doesn't accomplish anything notably p[roductive. One
>probably
>| has 3-6 seconds of useful consciousness at 30K, no mask. Been there (in a
>tank
>| bolted to the floor) done that. Utterly unnoticed, utterly painless,
>kinda
>| fun, and REAL fast.
>|
>| Quent
>|
>|
>
>
>I'd like to say that "that's what I meant" and try to bluff my way out of
>it. Failing that, thanks for the info.
>
>
>
>Cheers
>
>
>Dave Kearton
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
Dave wrote:...
>| >>Breathing at that altitude must be like sucking meatloaf through a
>straw>>
>|
Quent wrote:
>| Inhaling and exhaling aren't problems -- perfectly normal. It is just that
the| inhaling part doesn't accomplish anything notably productive. One
probably has 3-6 seconds of useful consciousness at 30K, no mask. Been there
(in a tank bolted to the floor) done that. Utterly unnoticed, utterly
painless, kinda fun, and REAL fast.
>|
>| Quent
Dave wrote:
I'd like to say that "that's what I meant" and try to bluff my way out of it.
Failing that, thanks for the info.
>Cheers
>
>
>Dave Kearton

I was asked to write my name on a clipboard. "How many times?" "I'll tell you
when to quit." So I did (sans mask.) After 4th "absolutely perfect
signatures" , I stopped -- wondering why continue. ****. "I can do this the
rest of my life." (Not far off.)

Instructor slapped mask back on. Vision went from tunnel vision such as one
might see looking down a soda straw to wide open -- in color! Jeeze!
Stunnin!. Maybe 4 seconds. Humans do not store oxygen, and the absence of
same is perfectly painless. Been there. Done that. Delicious experience.

Quent
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>

[robert arndt]

"Gord Beaman" ) wrote in message >...
> "Dave Kearton" > wrote:
>
> >"Gord Beaman" > wrote in message
> ...
> >| "W. D. Allen Sr." > wrote:
> >|
> >| >44,000 ft altitude means only about 1/7 of the atmospheric
> >| >pressure at sea level. So it's hard to believe a person
> >| >could maintain consciousness without oxygen pressure
> >| >equipment to get to 49,500 feet.
> >| >
> >| >With half the atmosphere below 18,000 feet the U. S.
> >| >military requires oxygen masks above 15,000 feet. And if I
> >| >remember correctly they require full pressure suits above
> >| >50,000 feet altitude.
> >| >
> >| >WDA
> >| >
> >|
> >| Well, I know for a fact that you can survive at 45,000 feet with
> >| only a 'demand' oxygen regulator connected to a regular oxygen
> >| mask as issued to the Canadian Military in the mid sixties in an
> >| aircraft with a 25,000ft service ceiling. That puts the cabin at
> >| ~30,000ft. Hell, we did a bunch of high altitude trials in an
> >| UNPRESSURIZED Fairchild C-119 at 25,000 for several hours at a
> >| time. But, of course, back then, men were men... harrumph...
> >| --
> >|
> >| -Gord.
> >
> >
> >Here's a few altitude pioneers that were climbing the skies way before the others:

http://www.afa.org/magazine/1991/0491pioneer.html

Rob
> >
> >Gord,
> >
> >
> >While your manliness is above reproach, I'm not sure I see the relevance
> >of tests at 30,000' compared to 45,000, much less 49,500.
> >
> >
> >Breathing at that altitude must be like sucking meatloaf through a straw.
> >
> >
> >
> >Cheers
> >
> >
> >Dave Kearton
> >
> >
> You're quite right Dave, I only mentioned the 30 and 25k thing
> because of the time at those heights. Some of us got a twinge of
> the bends during those trials. Plus the 45k thing was an
> extremely stupid trick. The slightest hiccup and the a/c would
> have stalled, spun and likely disintegrated.

[M. J. Powell]

In message >, QDurham
> writes
>>"QDurham" > wrote in message
...
>>| >>Breathing at that altitude must be like sucking meatloaf through a
>>straw>>
>>|
>>| Inhaling and exhaling aren't problems -- perfectly normal. It is just
>>that the
>>| inhaling part doesn't accomplish anything notably p[roductive. One
>>probably
>>| has 3-6 seconds of useful consciousness at 30K, no mask. Been there (in a
>>tank
>>| bolted to the floor) done that. Utterly unnoticed, utterly painless,
>>kinda
>>| fun, and REAL fast.
>>|
>>| Quent
>>|
>>|
>>
>>
>>I'd like to say that "that's what I meant" and try to bluff my way out of
>>it. Failing that, thanks for the info.
>>
>>
>>
>>Cheers
>>
>>
>>Dave Kearton
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>Dave wrote:...
>>| >>Breathing at that altitude must be like sucking meatloaf through a
>>straw>>
>>|
>Quent wrote:
>>| Inhaling and exhaling aren't problems -- perfectly normal. It is just that
>the| inhaling part doesn't accomplish anything notably productive. One
>probably has 3-6 seconds of useful consciousness at 30K, no mask. Been there
>(in a tank bolted to the floor) done that. Utterly unnoticed, utterly
>painless, kinda fun, and REAL fast.
>>|
>>| Quent
> Dave wrote:
>I'd like to say that "that's what I meant" and try to bluff my way out of it.
>Failing that, thanks for the info.
>>Cheers
>>
>>
>>Dave Kearton
>
>I was asked to write my name on a clipboard. "How many times?" "I'll tell you
>when to quit." So I did (sans mask.) After 4th "absolutely perfect
>signatures" , I stopped -- wondering why continue. ****. "I can do this the
>rest of my life." (Not far off.)
>
>Instructor slapped mask back on. Vision went from tunnel vision such as one
>might see looking down a soda straw to wide open -- in color! Jeeze!
>Stunnin!. Maybe 4 seconds. Humans do not store oxygen, and the absence of
>same is perfectly painless. Been there. Done that. Delicious experience.
>
>Quent
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>
>

Members of this august group: could I suggest that some take a little
time to do some judicious snipping? So that we don't send vast acreages
of white space to each other, like above.

Mike
--
M.J.Powell

[Christian Köhler]

Christian Köhler wrote:
> Ron wrote:
>> "The greatest recorded height by any pilot without a pressure cabin
>> or even a pressure suit has been 49.500 feet by Britsh Sqaudron
>> Leader G. W. H. Reynolds, D.F.C. in a Spitfire Mark VC over Libya in
>> 1942."
>>
>
> Wrong!
>
> A sailplane reached 50,032 Feet over the sirerra nevada!

Whoops, im sorry.

The mentioned record is only 14 938 m (49.009 ft) flown by Robert R.
HARRIS (USA)

http://records.fai.org/gliding/history.asp?id1=DO&id2=1&id3=98

mfg