Ep. 17, Page 93

smbhax on Sept. 18, 2012

In 1960, USAF pilot Joseph Kittinger stepped off his gondola at an altitude of over 100,000 feet (19 miles / 31 km) to set what still stands as the record for the highest, fastest (he reached a speed of 614 mph (988 km/h) in free fall) skydive in human history:

Pressurization of his right glove had failed during the ascent, and his hand had swelled to twice its normal size. He fell for four minutes, 36 seconds and landed safely.
He also served three tours as a combat pilot in Vietnam, survived torture and 11 months in the “Hanoi Hilton” prison after being shot down near the end of his third tour, and, after retirement from the Air Force, made the first solo crossing of the Atlantic Ocean by air balloon. He remains active as an aviation consultant and touring barnstormer!