This listing of flight altitude records are the records set for the highest aeronautical flights conducted in the atmosphere, set since the age of ballooning and onwards

Some, but not all of the records were certified by the non-profit international aviation organization, the Fédération Aéronautique Internationale (FAI). One reason for a lack of 'official' certification was that the flight occurred prior to the creation of the FAI.^[1]

For clarity, the 'Fixed-wing aircraft' table is sorted by FAI-designated categories as determined by whether the record-creating aircraft left the ground under its own power (category: 'Altitude'), or whether it was first carried aloft by a carrier-aircraft prior to its record setting event (category: 'Altitude gain', or formally “Altitude Gain, Aeroplane Launched from a Carrier Aircraft”). Other sub-categories describe the airframe, and more importantly, the powerplant type (since rocket-powered aircraft can have greater altitude abilities than those with air-breathing engines).^[1]

An essential requirement for the creation of an 'official' altitude record is the employment of FAI-certified observers present during the record-setting flight.^[1] Thus several records noted are unofficial due to the lack of such observers.

Fixed-wing aircraft[link]

Piston-driven propeller aeroplane[link]

The highest altitude obtained by a piston-driven propeller UAV (without payload) is 67,028 ft. It was obtained in 1988-1989 by the Boeing Condor UAV.^[21]

The highest altitude obtained in a piston-driven propeller aeroplane (without a payload) was 17,083 m (56,047 ft) on October 22, 1938 by Mario Pezzi at Montecelio, Italy in a Caproni Ca.161 driven by a Piaggio XI R.C. engine.^{[citation needed]}

The highest altitude for horizontal flight without a payload is 14,301 m (46,919 ft) set on November 15, 2003 by Bruce Bohannan flying his Bohannon B-1 driven by a Mattituck/Lycoming IO-540 (350 hp) engine over Angleton, Texas.^{[citation needed]}

Jet aircraft[link]

The highest current world absolute general aviation altitude record -General Aviation World Records- achieved by a manned air-breathing jet propelled aircraft is 37,650 meters (123,523 feet) set by Alexandr Fedotov, in a Mikoyan Gurevitch E-266M (MiG-25M), on 31 August 1977.

Rocket plane[link]

The highest altitude obtained by a manned aeroplane (launched from another aircraft) is 111,996 m (367,441 ft) by Brian Binnie in the Scaled Composites SpaceShipOne (powered by a Scaled Composite SD-010 engine with 18,000 lb of thrust) on 4 October 2004 at Mojave, CA. The previous (unofficial) record was 107,960 m (354,199 ft) set by Joseph A. Walker in an X-15 on August 22, 1963.

The highest altitude obtained by a rocket propelled aeroplane (self-launched—i.e. not launched from another aircraft) was 24,217 m (79,452 ft) on May 2, 1958 by Roger Carpentier over Istres, France in a Sud-Ouest Trident II aircraft.

Rotorcraft[link]

On June 21, 1972, Jean Boulet of France piloted an Aérospatiale Lama helicopter to an absolute altitude record of 12,442 meters (40,814 ft).^[22] At the extreme altitude the engine flamed out and the helicopter had to be (safely) landed via another record breaker — the longest-ever autorotation in history.^[23] The helicopter had been stripped of all unnecessary equipment prior to the flight to minimize its weight and the pilot was breathing supplemental oxygen.

All balloons[link]

• 1783—August—24 m (79 ft); Jean-François Pilâtre de Rozier of France, made the first ascent in a hot-air balloon.
• 1783—1 December 1783—2.7 km (8,900 ft); Jacques Alexandre Charles and his assistant Marie-Noel Robert, both of France, made the first flight in a hydrogen balloon to about 610 m. Charles then ascended alone to the record altitude.
• 1784—4 km (13,000 ft) Pilâtre de Rozier and the chemist Joseph Proust in a Montgolfier.
• 1803—18 July 1803—7.28 km (23,900 ft) Etienne Gaspar Robertson and Lhoest in a balloon.
• 1839—7.9 km (26,000 ft) Charles Green and Spencer Rush in a free balloon.
• 1862—5 September 1862— about 11.887 km (39,000 ft)—Henry Coxwell and James Glaisher in a coal-gas balloon. Glaisher lost consciousness during the ascent due to the low air pressure and cold temperature of −11 °C (12 °F).
• 1927—4 November 1927—13.222 km (43,380 ft)—Captain Hawthorne C. Gray of the (United States Army Air Corps) in a helium balloon. Gray was killed when his oxygen supply ran out.
• 1931—27 May 1931—15.787 km (51,790 ft) —Auguste Piccard & Paul Kipfer in a hydrogen balloon.
• 1932—16.2 km (53,000 ft) —Auguste Piccard and Max Cosyns in a hydrogen balloon.
• 1933 30 September—18.501 km (60,700 ft) USSR balloon USSR-1.
• 1933—20 November—18.592 km (61,000 ft) Lt. Comdr. Thomas G. W. Settle (USN) and Maj Chester L. Fordney (USMC) in Century of Progress balloon
• 1934—30 January—21.946 km (72,000 ft) USSR balloon Osoaviakhim-1. The three crew were killed when the balloon broke up during the descent.
• 1935—10 November—22.066 km (72,400 ft) Captain O. A. Anderson and Captain A. W. Stevens (United States Army Air Corps) ascended in the Explorer II gondola from the Stratobowl, near Rapid City, South Dakota, for a flight that lasted 8 hours 13 minutes and covered 362 kilometres (225 mi).
• 1956—8 November—23.165 km (76,000 ft) Malcolm D. Ross and M. L. Lewis (United States Navy) in Office of Naval Research Strato-Lab I, using a pressurized gondola and plastic balloon taking off near Rapid City, South Dakota, and landing 282 km (175 mi) away near Kennedy, Nebraska.
• 1957—2 June—29.4997 km (96,784 ft) Captain Joseph W. Kittinger (United States Air Force) ascended in the Manhigh 1 gondola to a record-breaking altitude.
• 1957—19 November—31.212 km (102,400 ft) above sea level, Major David Simons (United States Air Force) ascended from the Portsmouth Mine near Crosby, Minnesota in the Manhigh 2 gondola for a 32-hour record-breaking flight. Simons landed at 5:32 PM on 20 November in northeast South Dakota.
• 1960—16 August— In testing a high altitude parachute system, Joseph Kittinger parachuted from Excelsior III over New Mexico at 102,800 ft (31,300 m). He set still-extant world records for: high-altitude jump; free-fall by falling 16 mi (26 km) before opening his parachute; and fastest speed achieved by a human without motorized assistance, 614 mph (988 km/h).^[24]
• 1961—4 May—34.668 km (113,740 ft); Commander Malcolm D. Ross and Lieutenant Commander Victor A. Prather, Jr. (US Navy) in Strato-Lab V, using an unpressurized gondola. After descending, the gondola containing the two balloonists landed in the Gulf of Mexico. Prather slipped off the rescue helicopter's hook into the ocean and drowned.

Hot air balloons[link]

On November 26, 2005, Vijaypat Singhania set the world altitude record for highest hot air balloon flight, reaching 21,290 m (69,850 ft). He took off from downtown Bombay, India and landed 240 km (150 mi) south in Panchale. The previous record of 19,811 m (64,997 ft) had been set by Per Lindstrand on June 6, 1988 in Plano, Texas.^{[citation needed]}

Unmanned gas balloon[link]

In 1893 French scientist Jules Richard constructed sounding balloons. These unmanned balloons, carrying light, but very precise instruments, approached an altitude of 50,000 feet (15,240 meters).^[25]

The U.S. (and for a while, the world) altitude record for unmanned balloons was 51.8 km (170,000 ft) (according to a 1991 edition of Guinness Book of World Records). The vehicle was a Winzen-Balloon with a volume of 1.35 million cubic metres, which was launched in October 1972 in Chico, California, USA.^{[citation needed]}

In 2002 an ultra-thin-film balloon named BU60-1 made of polyethylene film 3.4 µm thick with a volume of 60,000 m³ was launched from Sanriku Balloon Center at 6:35 on May 23, 2002. The balloon ascended at a speed of 260 m per minute and successfully reached the altitude of 53.0 km (173,900 ft), breaking the previous world record set in 1972.^[26]

Gliders[link]

The highest altitude obtained in an unpowered aircraft is 50,671 ft (15,445 m) on 30 August 2006 by Steve Fossett (pilot) and Einar Enevoldson (co-pilot) in their high performance research glider, a modified DG-500, breaking the previous record by 1,662 ft (507 m).^[27] This record was set as part of the Perlan Project.^[28] The previous record was 49,009 ft (14,938 m) on February 17, 1986 by Robert Harris in lee waves over California City, USA.^[27]

Paper airplanes[link]

The highest altitude obtained by a paper plane currently stands with the Paper Aircraft Released Into Space (PARIS) project, which was released at an altitude of 27,307 meters (89,591 ft), from a helium balloon that was launched approximately 80 km (50 miles) west of Madrid, Spain on 28 October 2010, and recorded by The Register's "special projects bureau". The project achieved a Guinness world record recognition.^[29][30]

See also[link]

• High-altitude airship
• High altitude balloon
• Fédération Aéronautique Internationale

References[link]

Bibliography[link]

• Andrews, C.F. and E.B. Morgan. Vickers Aircraft since 1908. London:Putnam, 1988. ISBN 0-85177-815-1.
• Angelucci, Enzo and Peter M. Bowers. The American Fighter. Sparkford, UK:Haynes Publishing Group, 1987. ISBN 0-85429-635-2.
• "Eighteen Years of World's Records". Flight, 7 February 1924, pp. 73–75.
• Lewis, Peter. British Racing and Record-Breaking Aircraft. London:Putnam, 1971. ISBN 0-370-00067-6.
• Owers, Colin. "Stop-Gap Fighter:The LUSAC Series". Air Enthusiast, Fifty, May to July 1993. Stamford, UK:Key Publishing. ISSN 0143-5450. pp. 49–51.
• Taylor, John W. R. Jane's All The World's Aircraft 1965-66. London:Sampson Low, Marston & Company, 1965.
• "The Royal Aero Club of the U.K.: Official Notices to Members". Flight 16 December 1920.

External links[link]

• Fédération Aéronautique Internationale [http:// Official website] –the international, non-profit, non-government organization that tracks aircraft world records
• Balloon World Records Fédération Aéronautique Internationale
• Excelsior III Details of Kittingers' Jump from a stratospheric balloon in 1960
• Iowa State University - High Altitude Balloon Experiments in Technology
• Eng, Cassandra (1997). "Altitude of the Highest Manned Balloon Flight". The Physics Factbook. http://hypertextbook.com/facts/1997/CassandraEng.shtml. 
• [5]

Altitude record may refer to:

• Flight altitude record, the highest altitude to have been reached in an aircraft
• World altitude record (mountaineering), the highest altitude to have been reached by mountaineers

This disambiguation page lists articles associated with the same title. If an internal link led you here, you may wish to change the link to point directly to the intended article.

A Flight Level (FL) is a standard nominal altitude of an aircraft, in hundreds of feet. This altitude is calculated from the International standard pressure datum of 1013.25 hPa (29.92 inHg), the average sea-level pressure, and therefore is not necessarily the same as the aircraft's true altitude either above mean sea level or above ground level.

Background[link]

Historically, altitude has been measured using a pressure altimeter, which is essentially a calibrated barometer. An altimeter measures air pressure, which decreases with increasing altitude following the barometric formula, and from the surrounding's pressure calculates and displays the corresponding altitude.

To display altitude above sea level, a pilot must recalibrate the altimeter according to the local air pressure at sea level, to take into account natural variation of pressure over time and in different regions. If this is not done, two aircraft could be flying at the same altitude even though their altimeters appear to show that they are at considerably different altitudes.^[1] This is a critical safety issue.

Flight levels solve this problem—of aircraft flying at the same altitude, though their altimeters indicate different barometric heights—by defining altitudes based on a standardised air pressure at sea-level. All aircraft operating on flight levels calibrate to this setting regardless of the actual sea level pressure.

Definition[link]

Flight levels are described by a number, which is this nominal altitude ("pressure altitude") in feet, divided by 100, while being a multiple of 500 ft, therefore always ending on 0 or 5. Therefore an apparent altitude of, for example, 32,000 feet is referred to as "flight level 320". To avoid collisions between two aircraft due to their being at the same altitude, their 'real' altitudes (compared to ground level, for example) are not important; it is the difference in altitudes that determines whether they might collide. This difference can be determined from the air pressure at each craft, and does not require knowledge of the local air pressure on the ground.

Flight levels are usually designated in writing as FLxxx, where xxx is a one- to three-digit number indicating the pressure altitude in units of 100 feet. In radio communications, FL290 would be pronounced as "flight level two niner zero", in most jurisdictions. The phrase "flight level" makes it clear that this refers to the standardized pressure altitude.

Transition altitude[link]

While use of a standardised pressure setting facilitates separation of aircraft from each other, it does not provide the aircraft's actual height above ground. At low altitudes the true height of an aircraft relative to an object on the ground needs to be known. The pressure setting to achieve this is called QNH or "altimeter setting" and is available from various sources, including air traffic control and the local METAR-issuing station.

The transition altitude (TA) is the altitude above sea level at which aircraft change from the use of altitude to the use of flight levels. When operating at or below the TA, aircraft altimeters are usually set to show the altitude above sea level.^[2] Above the TA, the aircraft altimeter pressure setting is normally adjusted to the standard pressure setting of 1013 hectopascals (millibars) or 29.92 inches of mercury and aircraft altitude will be expressed as a flight level.

In the United States and Canada, the transition altitude is 18,000 ft. In Europe, the transition altitude varies and can be as low as 3,000 ft. There are discussions to standardise the transition altitude within the Eurocontrol area.^[3]

On 25 November 2004 the Civil Aviation Authority of New Zealand raised New Zealand's transition altitude from 11,000 feet to 13,000 feet and changing the transition level from FL130 to FL150.^[4]

The transition level is the lowest flight level above the transition altitude. The table on the right shows the transition level according to transition altitude and QNH. When descending below the transition level, the pilot starts to refer to altitude of the aircraft by setting the altimeter to the QNH for the region or airfield. Note that the transition level is, by definition, less than 500 ft above the transition altitude. Aircraft are not normally assigned to fly at the transition level as this does not guarantee separation from other traffic flying (on QNH) at the transition altitude; the lowest usable flight level is the transition level plus 500 ft.

The transition layer is the airspace between the transition altitude and the transition level.

In some countries, e.g., Norway, the transition level is determined including a buffer of minimum 1000 ft (depending on QNH) to the transition altitude. Therefore aircraft may be flying at both transition level and transition altitude, and still be vertically separated by at least 1000 ft. In those areas the transition layer will be a given vertical distance between 1000 ft and 1500 ft, depending on QNH.

Quadrantal rule[link]

This rule applies to IFR flights in the UK both in and outside of controlled airspace except that such aircraft may be flown at a level other than required by this rule if flying in conformity with instructions given by an air traffic control unit, or if complying with notified en-route holding patterns or holding procedures notified in relation to an aerodrome. The rule affects only those aircraft operating under IFR when in level flight above 3,000 ft above mean sea level, or above the appropriate transition altitude, whichever is the higher, and when below FL195 (19,500 ft above the 1013.2 hPa datum in the UK, or with the altimeter set according to the system published by the competent authority in relation to the area over which the aircraft is flying if such aircraft is not flying over the UK.)

The rule is non-binding upon flights operating under VFR.

Minimum vertical separation between two flights abiding by the UK Quadrantal Rule is 500 ft (note these are in geopotential foot units). The level to be flown is determined by the magnetic track of the aircraft, as follows:^[5]

• Magnetic Track 000 to, and including, 089° – odd thousands of feet (FL70, 90, 110 etc.)
• Magnetic Track 090 to, and including, 179° – odd thousands plus 500 ft (FL75, 95, 115 etc.)
• Magnetic Track 180 to, and including, 269° – even thousands of feet (FL80, 100, 120 etc.)
• Magnetic Track 270 to, and including, 359° – even thousands plus 500 ft (FL85, 105, 125 etc.)

Semicircular/Hemispheric rule[link]

(Versions of this apply to IFR in the UK inside controlled airspace and generally in the rest of the world)

The semicircular rule (also known as the hemispheric rule) applies, in slightly different version, in all of the world, including in the UK inside controlled airspace.

The standard rule defines an East/West track split:

• Eastbound – Magnetic Track 000 to 179° – odd thousands (FL 250, 270, etc.)
• Westbound – Magnetic Track 180 to 359° – even thousands (FL 260, 280, etc.)

At FL 290 and above, if Reduced Vertical Separation Minima are not in use, 4,000 ft intervals are used to separate same-direction aircraft (instead of 2,000 ft intervals below FL 290), and only odd flight levels are assigned, depending on the direction of flight:

• Eastbound – Magnetic Track 000 to 179° – odd flight levels (FL 290, 330, 370, etc.)
• Westbound – Magnetic Track 180 to 359° – odd flight levels (FL 310, 350, 390, etc.)

Countries where the major airways are oriented north/south (e.g. New Zealand; Italy; Portugal) have semicircular rules that define a North/South rather than an East/West track split. In Italy and Portugal, for example, southbound traffic uses odd flight levels; in New Zealand, southbound traffic uses even flight levels. In Europe are commonly used ICAO separation levels as per the following table:

VERTICAL SEPARATION OF VFR AND IFR FLIGHTS                                                 
MAGNETIC ROUTES                                                 
FOM 0° TO 179°                          FOM 180° TO 359°                        
VFR             IFR             VFR             IFR     
FL      FEET    FL      FEET    FL      FEET    FL      FEET
–       -       010     1.000   –       -       020     2.000
–       -       030     3.000   –       -       040     4.000
35      3.500   050     5.000   45      4.500   060     6.000
55      5.500   070     7.000   65      6.500   080     8.000
75      7.500   090     9.000   85      8.500   100     10.000
95      9.500   110     11.000  105     10.500  120     12.000
115     11.500  130     13.000  125     12.500  140     14.000
135     13.500  150     15.000  145     14.500  160     16.000
155     15.500  170     17.000  165     16.500  180     18.000
175     17.500  190     19.000  185     18.500  200     20.000
195     19.500  210     21.000  –       -       220     22.000
–       -       230     23.000  –       -       240     24.000
–       -       250     25.000  –       -       260     26.000
–       -       270     27.000  –       -       280     28.000
–       -       290     29.000  –       -       310     31.000
–       -       330     33.000  –       -       350     35.000
–       -       370     37.000  –       -       390     39.000
–       -       410     41.000  –       -       430     43.000
–       -       450     45.000  –       -       470     47.000
–       -       490     49.000  –       -       510     51.000
–       -       –       -       –       -       –       -

Reduced Vertical Separation Minima[link]

(In the U.S. and Canada, the foregoing information applies to flights under instrument flight rules (IFR). Different altitudes will apply for aircraft flying under visual flight rules (VFR) above 3000 ft AGL.)

Reduced Vertical Separation Minima or RVSM reduces the vertical separation above FL 290 from 2,000 ft to 1,000 ft. This allows aircraft to safely fly more optimum routes, gain fuel savings and increase airspace capacity by adding six new flight levels. Only aircraft that have been certified to meet RVSM standards, with several exclusions, are allowed to fly in RVSM airspace. It was introduced into the UK in March 2001. On 20 January 2002, it entered European airspace. The United States, Canada and Mexico transitioned to RVSM between FL 290 and FL 410 on 20 January 2005, and Africa on 25 September 2008.

• Track 000 to 179° – odd thousands (FL 290, 310, 330, etc.)
• Track 180 to 359° – even thousands (FL 300, 320, 340, etc.)

At FL 410 and above, 4,000 ft intervals are resumed to separate same-direction aircraft and only odd Flight Levels are assigned, depending on the direction of flight:

• Track 000 to 179° – odd flight levels (FL 410, 450, 490, etc.)
• Track 180 to 359° – odd flight levels (FL 430, 470, 510, etc.)

Metric flight levels[link]

China, Mongolia, Russia and many CIS countries have used flight levels specified in metres for years. Aircraft entering these areas normally make a slight climb or descent to adjust for this, although Russia and some CIS countries started using feet above transition altitude and introduced RVSM at the same time on 17 November 2011.

The flight levels below apply to Mongolia, North Korea, Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan and 6,000 m or below in Turkmenistan (where feet is used for FL210 and above). Flight levels are read as e.g. "flight level 7,500 metres":

Flight levels in Russian Federation[link]

On 5 September 2011, the government of the Russian Federation issued a decree №743,^[6] pertaining to the changes in the rules of use of the country's airspace. The new rules came into force on 17 November 2011, introducing a flight level system similar to the one used in the west. RSVM is also in force since this date.

The following table is true for IFR flights:

The new system would eliminate the need to perform climbs and descends in order to enter or leave the Russian airspace.

^[7]

See also[link]

• Flight planning

References[link]

Director Paul F. Bikle, at NASA's Flight Research Center (FRC) in 1959 (from NASA Photo E-4875)

Paul F. Bikle (June 5, 1916 Wilkinsburg, Pennsylvania – January 19, 1991 Salinas, California) Director of the U.S. National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Dryden Flight Research Facility from 1959 until 1971, and author of more than 40 technical publications, has been associated with major aeronautical research programs including the supersonic X-15 rocket plane, and also was a world record setting glider pilot.

Civilian career[link]

Before graduating from the University of Detroit in 1939 with a B.S. degree in aeronautical engineering, Bikle's activity in the student chapter of the Institute of the Aeronautical Sciences (IAS), and the school gliding and flying club, led to flight instruction and a pilot's license from the C.A.A., the predecessor to the FAA. He later became a fellow in the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics, the successor to the IAS. Mr. Bilke worked for Taylorcraft Aircraft in Ohio before beginning his government service career.

Air Force career[link]

His career with the U.S. Air Force began in 1940 when he was appointed an aeronautical engineer at Wright Field. In 1944 he was named Chief of the Aerodynamies Branch in the Flight Test Division there. While working closely with other government agencies in establishing the first flying qualities specifications for aircraft, he also wrote AAF Technical Report 50693 Flight Test Methods, which was used as a standard manual for conducting flight tests for more than five years. During the World War II years he was involved in more than 30 test projects and flew over 1,200 hours as an engineering observer.

In 1947, Bikle was appointed Chief of the Performance Engineering Branch, and directed tests of the XB-43 Jetmaster, the first U.S. jet bomber; the Convair XC-99, and the F-86A Sabre. With the transfer of this part of the flight test mission to the newly formed Air Force Flight Test Center at Edwards AFB, he advanced to Assistant Chief of the Flight Test Engineering Laboratory in 1951.

NASA career[link]

Paul Bikle was technical director of the Air Force Flight Test Center at Edwards Air Force Base in September 1959, when he was named Director of the NASA Flight Research Center (FRC) at Edwards, California. In July, 1962, he was awarded the NASA Medal for Outstanding Leadership for his part in directing flight operations and research activities on the highly successful rocket-powered X-15 program. After Paul's retirement on May 31, 1971, The FRC became the Dryden Flight Research Center in 1976.

During his nearly 12 years with NASA he was responsible for several major aeronautical research programs, including those involving the X-15, the supersonic XB-70, the fleet of wingless lifting bodies that contributed to development of the Space Shuttles, and the Lunar Landing Research Vehicle that paved the way for successful Moon landings by Project Apollo astronauts.

Just before 1961 Christmas Paul Bikle gave directive to Charles Richard to quickly and cheaply design and build what would become the template for wing used for 'Standard Rogallo' hang gliders in modern hang gliding. Following such directive and successful test flying of the paraglider research vehicle and more versions, hundreds craftspeople made their own hang gliders with various fuselage solutions including the use of the Gottlob Espenlaub: see 'Espenlaub 11' for his 1921 hang glider triangle control bar solution (side-struted or cabled), parallel-bar solution, full-cockpit solution, trike solutions, powered-pilot solutions, and even a no-fuselage hanging-pilot solution. Paul Bikle's directive synergistically birthed a wing that would dramatically change personal aviation in powered and unpowered realms.

Soaring[link]

Bikle was a veteran of 23 years of soaring, and was president of the Soaring Society of America (SSA). He established two world soaring records on February 25, 1961 while flying his Schweizer SGS 1-23E^[1] near Lancaster, California, achieving an altitude of 46,267 feet and a total-altitude-gained mark of 42,300 feet.^[1] Both marks were certified by the National Aeronautic Association, and the Fédération Aéronautique Internationale. Bikle still holds the record for gain in height^[2]. He flew a Prue Standard to a world record distance of 557 mi (896 km) in 1963, the longest ever made by a sailplane up to that date.^[3] He became a member of the Soaring Hall of Fame in 1960 and was awarded the FAI Lilienthal Gliding Medal, the highest award in international soaring, in 1962^[4].

While director of the Dryden Flight Research Facility, Bikle designed and completed his own sailplane, the Bikle T-6, flying it to fifth place in the 1970 US Nationals.^[5][6]

Other soaring accomplishments[link]

• Barringer Trophy 1952, 1953, 1954, 1955, 1956
• U.S. Diamond badge #3 (International #7) 1953;
• Symons Three Lennie award #11
• Eaton Trophy 1964
• Tissandier Diploma 1968
• Tuntland Award 1970, 1971
• OSTIV Plaque/Klemperer Award 1972
• World/National Competition
• Smirnoff Derby
• Sailplane Performance Studies/Tests

References[link]

• NASA X-15 Biography
• NASA Dryden Home > Collections > Photo Home > Directors > Photo # E-4875
• Soaring Hall of Fame Biographies

Felix Baumgartner (born 20 April 1969 in Salzburg, Austria) is an Austrian skydiver and a BASE jumper. He is renowned for the particularly dangerous nature of the stunts he has performed during his career. Baumgartner spent time in the Austrian military where he practiced parachute jumping, including training to land on small target zones.

Biography[link]

He was born on 20 April 1969 in Salzburg, Austria.^[1]

In 1999 he claimed the world record for the highest parachute jump from a building when he jumped from the Petronas Towers in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.^[2]

On 31 July 2003, Baumgartner became the first person to skydive across the English Channel using a specially made fibre wing.^[3]

Baumgartner set the world record for the lowest BASE jump ever, from the hand of the Christ the Redeemer statue in Rio de Janeiro.^[4]

He became the first person to BASE jump from the completed Millau Viaduct in France on 27 June 2004^{[citation needed]} and the first person to sky dive onto, then BASE jump from, the Turning Torso building in Malmö, Sweden on 18 August 2006.^[5]

On 12 December 2007 he became the first person to jump from the 91st floor observation deck, then went to the 90th floor (about 390 m (1,280 ft)) of the then tallest completed building in the world, Taipei 101, Taipei, Taiwan.^[6]

[edit] Red Bull Stratos

In January 2010, it was reported that Baumgartner was working with a team of scientists and sponsor Red Bull to attempt the highest sky-dive on record.^[7] Baumgartner was going to make the 120,000 ft (36,600 m) jump from a capsule suspended from a balloon filled with helium, intending to become the first parachutist to break the sound barrier; the feat was scheduled to take place sometime in 2011.^[8][9][10] Joseph Kittinger, who holds the records Baumgartner is attempting to break, was advising Baumgartner during the "Stratos" mission in the hopes of getting scientific data on next-generation full pressure suits.^[7][11] However, on October 12, 2010, Red Bull announced it was placing the project on hold after Daniel Hogan filed a lawsuit in California Superior Court in Los Angeles, California in April, claiming he had originated the idea of the parachute dive from the edge of space in 2004 and that Red Bull had stolen the idea from him.^[12][13] The lawsuit was resolved out of court in June 2011^[14] and on 5 February 2012, The Daily Telegraph reported that the project would be resumed.^[15]

On 15 March 2012 he completed the first of two test jumps from 71,581 feet (21,818 m). During the jump he spent approximately three minutes and 43 seconds in free fall, reaching speeds of more than 360 miles per hour (580 km/h), before opening his parachute. In total, the jump lasted approximately eight minutes and eight seconds and Baumgartner became only the third person to safely parachute from a height of over 13.5 miles (21.7 km).^[16]

See also[link]

• Michel Fournier, who has been working on a 25 mile jump for several years.^[17]
• Joseph Kittinger, world record holder for skydiving from 102,800 ft
• Yves Rossy, the first man to cross the English Channel using a jet-powered wing

References[link]

External links[link]

• Official website
• Red Bull Stratos Project
• Felix Jumping from the Christ Redemeer - Rio de Janeiro - Brazil

External media
	Felix Baumgartner