Pilot of U2 spy-plane gets DCI!

[Nick Kay]

Umm - interesting!!!

Chico Enterprise Record - He forgot how to fly: Unfathomable crisis springs from tiny bubbles

[String]

Lack of mental agility and lack of co-ordination...

I thought this was an entry requirement for any US armed force ?


(Will be interesting to read the other parts of this but the dumbed down description from the pilot himself doesn't really inspire confidence).

Anyone know what the pressure is at FL290 and 60,000ft ?

[Adrian Kelland]

There was a presentation at DOC 2005 with a comment along the lines of "If a USAF pilot complained of joint pain, they were taken off flying duties". None complained. When the rules changed in the mid 70s, the complaints obviously came in. Denial on a grand scale effectively encouraged by the rules.

[nigelH]

Originally Posted by Nick Kay

Umm - interesting!!!

Isn't one of the procedures for a Space EVA decoing down to pure oxygen at low pressure or the suit is inflated like the Micheline man and you can't move.

Then it's soloing on a rebreather with no bailout and a suit leak would be far worse than a wet arm.

[String]

EVA protocol is oxygen pre breathe.

The orbiter iirc is at normal pressure but the suits are at considerably less (4 psi springs to mind) - any more that wouldnt be able to move.

The full protocol was at some point on the human spaceflight website.

[GLOC]

From what I remember of my training, pre-breathing is required for depressurised flight of more than 30mins at altitudes greater than 25000ft with the time limit reducing as the altitude increases.

In addition, you have to pressure breath pure O2 which is quite hard work as the O2 is literally forced down your lungs and you have to work to breathe out.