High Altitude Tribute Re-edited 1080p HD

From the Bell X1 to the SR71 a high altitude pursuit.
Watch in full screen your going flying.

The World record for both speed and height by an air-breathing aircraft (not a rocket) was 85,135 feet. It was set in an SR-71 Blackbird in 1976. The speed record is also held by an SR-71, at 2,193 mph. This is not as high or as fast as the airplane can fly, however, it's absolute speed and altitude limits are classified.
Most US military aircraft can exceed 50,000 feet, if they really really try. Again, the limits are classified. Most commercial jetliners cruise somewhere between 30,000 and 45,000 feet above mean sea level. At higher speeds and altitudes, there isn't enough oxygen in the air to continuously burn the jet fuel required to stay up there. Engines designed to work very well that high, have serious limitations when they are operated closer to the surface.
There are aircraft that have flown higher and faster (the X-15) but they really aren't aircraft, they are rockets, because they carry their own source of oxygen, instead of using the air. However, the fastest and highest airplanes are the American SR-71 Blackbirds.

As aircraft climb to higher altitudes, the air outside gets thinner. The actual equation for the change in pressure with altitude gives an exponential rather than linear decay. This is essentially because air is squash-able so is compressed together at lower altitudes.
Therefore pressure is decreased more rapidly near the ground than at higher altitudes. It is approximately halved by 18,000ft.

Airplanes are pressurized to maintain a comfortable living environment for human beings. Ideally an airplane would be pressurized to ground level pressure, but this is not practical as the fuselage of a plane would have to be incredibly strong (and hence very heavy and expensive to fly) to withstand the outward force caused by the high pressure inside.

Therefore modern commercial jets compromise and are pressurized to an altitude of 5000-8000ft. This explains the phenomenon of 'ears popping' on take-off and landing as the air trapped in the ear is effected by the change in pressure from ground level to this effective altitude.

A typical commercial jet (most standard flights) cruises at around 28-35,000ft (up to 6.6 miles of altitude). The main exception is Concorde which was designed to fly at a higher altitude (and hence lower wind resistance) at around 45,000ft.
Although many jets could fly at higher altitudes, they are usually certified to an altitude giving a wide safety margin. For example the new generation Boeing 737 is certified to 41,000ft (7.8 miles).

Many military jet aircraft are able to fly considerably higher. Often, the plane itself is not pressurized and instead the pilot wears a pressure suit that provides him with a pressurized environment. Originally, very high altitude military planes were used for surveillance -- the current versions of the famous U2 spy plane, originally designed in the 1950s can cruise at up to 90,000ft (17 miles). The Stealth Bomber cruises at up to 50,000ft (8.3 miles) and many other combat planes can now also attain significant altitudes.

Visit MB Productions Blog: http://msb1959.wordpress.com/2010/06/24/high-altitude-tribute-to-the-high-fli...

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[DownhillMC]

hey this is youtube and not powerpoint!

[SRR9694]

The music is the same shit, bands of usa

[userdenied58]

The aircraft in formation at 1:46 around the XB-70 are from a North American publicity stunt. However, while the were trying to get the F-104's in position one hit turbulent and sheared off both vertical stabilizers of the Valkyrie (the fireball is the F-104 piloted by NASA Test Pilot Joe Walker).

The XB-70 entered a flat spin forcing the pilots out of position to eject. NA Chief Test Pilot Al White and USAF Major Carl Cross were onboard & White got to the switch but it only fired his seat.

[userdenied58]

@TheEpicNacho1

Not according to the records (of course they can't keep the classified heights of the SR-71):

Alexandr Fedotov who holds the world altitude record, set on August 31, 1977, when his MiG E-266M reached a mere 123,523 feet. (from Air & Space Smithsonian). THis is because his aircraft was self-launched an air base. Otherwise, it would be Michael Melvill during his June 21, 2004 SpaceShipOne flight reaching 367,441 ft.

[Tanatious15]

not everyone has a camera.

[MrJared3314]

Love the giutar

[tgsl1d3rrcl]

POS slide show

[Drewha696]

@gamerhign The U.S. spends TEN TIMES more money on their military than Russia. Every branch of our military is top notch. Not that i'm proud of this. I'd much rather my country spend all that money on rebuilding our economy and educational system. But, to say that our Air Force is weak...that's laughable.

[holysoks1]

@gamerhign That's simply incorrect, the US airforce is one of the strongest airforce in the world, infact, I'd wager it's the strongest as the training they undergo mixed with the advanced technologies integrated with their equipment give them an edge.

The Russian air force isn't weak, but it's not in the same league as the US airforce.

I'm Australian and I don't really have a bias towards either countries.

[qherrig]

@jackwill76 were 13 trillion in debt we owe are own federal reserve 9 trillion so were in debt more with our self's than anyone else

[jackwill76]

@roughedup32 Why would I be jealous of a country that is in over 9 trillion dollars in debt? Take your nationalism somewhere else.