Felix Baumgartner - hero or maniac?

[dellzeqq]

Assuming his suit saves him from the friction generated by slowing to 120mph of course.

He is setting off from only 3 miles higher than the guy in the 60s though and all he suffered was a numb hand. Surely we have learnt enough in 40 odd years? Otherwise we'll have a big hole in the ground shaped like an Austrian.

the US was all for gung-ho experimentation in those days. Who now remembers Chuck Yeager, and my childhood hero, John Stapp? http://www.patricksaviation.com/videos/zimolaviation/5163/ 632mph in a rocket-propelled popemobile, racking up 45gs the entire run in less than a mile!

 

[vernon]

I've always been in awe of how Americans can rush headlong into activities that most rational humans would turn their backs on.

As a teenager, I used to look at adverts for home made helicopters, jet packs and home assembly aircraft and the like and believe that it must be possible to build them and fly them yet wondered how they could be built and flown with approval as any such notion in the UK would be stamped on as soon as the plans were unfolded.

 

[asterix]

Who now remembers Chuck Yeager,

He needs a more memorable name. Felix whotsisname isn't as good as Chuck Yaeger.

In 1963, Yeager was flying the experimental Lockheed Starfighter at over twice the speed of sound when the engine shut off and he was forced to abandon the spinning aircraft. Yeager's compression suit was set on fire by the burning debris from the ejector seat, which became entangled in his parachute. He survived the fall, but required extensive skin grafts for his burns.

http://www.achievement.org/autodoc/page/yea0bio-1

(My cousin was an RAF Phantom Pilot and his dad was killed flying a Hurricane in 1941, my father was also a wartime pilot, so perhaps I take more interest than some)

 

[MacB]

Nutjob but if you're going to go it's a hell of a way