On Sat, 17 Apr 2004 21:39:57 +0000, Dillon Pyron wrote:

The newest "tallest building" is the Taipei 101, at over 1650 ft.

What is truly amazing are the elevators, which ascend at a rate of over
3300 ft/min. As my wife pointed out, "my poor eardrums". Can you get an
embolism at that rate? (I'm a diver, getting a bubble is a major issue).

There are lots of unpressurized aircraft that can do zoom climbs at more
than 3300 ft/min for more than 1650 ft. And the pilots flying them don't
get embolisms.

The atmospheric pressure change for a climb of 1650 ft is a tiny fraction
of the pressure change you contend with when diving. The atmospheric
pressure will drop about 0.9 psi on that elevator ride. But going from
33 ft under the ocean to the surface is a pressure drop of about 14.7 psi.
So that elevator ride is not quite as severe as going from 2 ft under the
water to the surface.

You worry too much
--
Kevin Horton RV-8 (finishing kit)
Ottawa, Canada
http://go.phpwebhosting.com/~khorton/rv8/
e-mail: khorton02(_at_)rogers(_dot_)com