Long, Lonely Leap

16. August 2010 marks the 50th anniversary of one of the most memorable moments of my adolescence, the aviation industry. I still remember the cover of the 29 August 1960 magazine Life does not appear on the newsstand Medway, Ohio. Not a small figure, with precious Green pressure suit and white helmet, are a part of the cloud cover, per sold almost 32 km (20 miles) below. It was one of the pictures that take your breath, off.

Captain Joseph w. Kittinger began his "long, lonely leap" by New Mexico ran out of his Excelsior III balloon packages 31,333 metres (102, 800 metres) of an open gondola at one time. At the end of a stabilizing stability fuel chute, he fell in the atmosphere from the beginning of the 4 minutes, 37 seconds, until his main Parachute opened 5,334 metres (17,500 feet).Upper thin atmosphere close to his free-fall at the beginning he was on the way over 965 km (600 miles) per hour as he fell near the denser atmosphere 15,240 m (50,000 feet), his speed was slowed (250 miles) only 420 km per hour.

16. Development in the 1960s, Kittinger stepped balloon supported gondola 31,333 metres (102,800 feet) in height is originating. Freefall 4,5 minutes speeds 614 mph and-94 degrees Fahrenheit temperature as low as possible he opened his parachute at 5,334 metres (17,500 feet). (U.s. air force photo)

"The sky Is above me hostile," he told the ground drivers before the jump. "A man never conquer space. He shall live it, but he never conquer it. The sky Above shall be null and void and very black and very hostile. "If his pressure suit failed this height, he loses consciousness 12 seconds and dead in two minutes. he suffered painful swollen to a hand, when one of his gloves failed during the jump. Eight minutes after his main parachute is opened, he was back on solid ground, White Sands Missile Range, to set three world records: Open gondola, the longest free fall parachute descent the highest and longest cascade. Fifty years later, no one is ever jumped from greater height.

 The moment when the memorable, was only one episode long and heroic career.27. July 1928 born Joe Kittinger increased almost Orlando, Florida, United States of America. He came through the familiar path of aviation, which began flight on board the Ford Trimotor and his father, after a few years intensive model aircraft used for the construction, hours learning to fly to Piper Cub those exported veteran owned. Florida University is two years after he enlisted in the USAF and received his wings, and the second lieutenant bars, Las Vegas, Nevada March 1950.

Although his first assignment was a flying Kittinger in Germany under the F-84 G travellers as a pilot test of NATO That experience led her. the following task: Wright Patterson Air Force base and Aero field Medical Laboratory, Holloman AFB, New Mexico, new techniques and designed for use at high altitude, column John Paul Stapp, led by team fast aircraft.Kittinger is tested different part pressure suits, "flew" over 30,480 meters (feet) the pressure altitude, and served as the tests before his reaction all Claustrophobia in extreme temperatures test topic.

Ironically, the legend, a flying boats is the oldest type was also natural selection tools and test pilots, extreme altitudes. Project man high, 2. June 1957, Kittinger reached its first flight at an altitude of 29,260 meters (left foot) 3-by-7 feet below the huge helium satisfies the notification has been made as regards the measurement of one tenth of an inch thick only two thousandths of a long period of uncertainty in a gondola.

2 June 1957, the Excelsior Joseph Kittinger next to the gondola

His next assignment was as the test for the Project Excelsior, test, tools and techniques that would enable the pilot-extreme altitude, to the parachute and survive.He made his first great height parachute jump from Excelsior balloon (76,400 feet) 23,286 metres above November 1959.It became his last almost when a small parachute shroud lines consolidate his neck, He was able to release around itself, when his emergency parachute opened 3,657 meters (12,000 feet).Three weeks later, he made the jump-23,286 metres (74,000 feet) without any problems.Then came an unforgettable jump 31,333 metres (102, 800 metres).Excelsior program Chairman of the Eisenhower his contributions granted Kittinger Harmon International Trophy for ballooning achievements.

Kittinger was another high-altitude balloon research Stargazer project, which is made before the start of the first of his three combat tours in Vietnam was the high altitude, two years her first and second tours were Air Commandos, alla Douglas A-26 attack aircraft.Fighter wing, F-4 Phantom II (d) operating vice-commander as his final tour during which he scored victory over the MiG-21.May 11, 1972, only four days before the end of his third tour of Kittinger was shot dead and spent the following 11 months as a prisoner of war in Yugoslavia.

Retirement as Colonel in 1978, Joe Kittinger most certainly not a retirement-flying on his return to his native Florida. [1] [2] he flew balloons and antique show your air biplanes Rosie O'Grady Flying Circus. [1] [2] he began writing and won, gas balloon races and events in 1982 and quickly become apparent in the major international competitor. the tariff preferences vis-à-vis the US won the James Gordon Bennett Balloon Race four times — 1982, 1984, 1985 and 1988 retirement Cup. Kittinger world thousand cubic metres (35,300 cubic foot) the longest distance to travel from the balloon flown 3,220 km (miles 2,001)-Las Vegas, Nevada, Franklinville, New York within 72 hours of the merged from another world. He flown 3000 cubic metres (105,944 cubic metres of foot) with a balloon, the first solo the longest distance from the Atlantic to travel 5,701 km (3,543 miles) from Caribou, Maine Montenotte, Italian 86 hours flight balloon.

Joseph Kittinger has had an extraordinary career. His ornaments are Silver Star Oak leaf Cluster, Legion of Merit with Oak leaf Cluster, the distinguished Flying cross, with five Oak leaf Clusters; Bronze Star "V" device with two Oak leaf Clusters; Harmon International Trophy, and two diplomas in the air for proper functioning of the Montgolfier. He has logged more than 11,000 hours of flight 62 different aircraft type rated certifying staff qualified as. I was satisfied with, in particular, when the National Air and Space Museum use him the Museum Trophy 2008 Aerospace pioneer life., Combat aviator, test pilot and record-holding sport pilot, Joseph w. Kittinger, Jr., is a real American hero.

Senior Curator Aeronautics Division, Tom Crouch (left) and Joseph Kittinger (right) at the national Air and Space Museum Trophy award Ceremony.

Tom d. Crouch is Chief Curator of the National Air and Space Museum in aerospace.