ltdiver 3 #1 March 15, 2006 Hmmmm....Thought he had hung it up.... http://news.google.com/news?hl=en&lr=&ie=UTF-8&scoring=d&q=skydive+france&btnG=Search+News French adventurer to break sound barrier in 40K free fall Sask. site chosen for summer attempt at record Casey Blais, CanWest News Service Published: Monday, March 13, 2006 SASKATOON -- Michel Fournier won't even feel the sensation of falling when he jumps from 40 kilometres above the Earth's surface. There has to be air for that. Fournier, 61, plans to attempt the record-breaking skydive near North Battleford, Sask., sometime this summer. The parachutist and adventurer, a former French Army major, has made a number of failed attempts, but he's "really quite confident that it's going to go, that it's going to work," said Claude-Jean Harel, a friend of Fournier's and Canadian manager for the big jump. Saskatchewan was chosen for the attempt because the low population means the jump would be easier to control and safer to land, Harel said. With no air resistance, Fournier would break the sound barrier within 30 seconds, hitting 1,500 kilometres per hour. His free fall would last an estimated six minutes and 25 seconds. "There will be no air ruffling his suit like you would see in a parachutist," Harel said. If Fournier is successful, he'll also break the altitude record for a free fall, the altitude record for a human balloon flight, a time record for the longest free fall and a speed record for the fastest free fall. This ultimate skydive has been Fournier's dream since 1988, when he was selected by Europe's space program as one of three people to make a 40-kilometre jump. However, after Europe abandoned its plans for manned space flight, the jump was dropped. So in 1992 Fournier decided to pursue the plunge solo. He retired, sold his house and all his possessions, and went in search of business partners to help make the jump a reality. Since then, Fournier has amassed $12 million in gear. A mere $150,000 is left to be raised. The money will cover expenses such as helium to fill his 200-metre-high balloon, transportation for the crew who will accompany him from France, and hotel and living costs for friends and volunteers. He was set to make the leap in 2000 when French authorities, worried about safety, refused permission. That's where Saskatchewan came in. But Harel said the province also has the technical expertise necessary because of the province's tradition of atmospheric studies and experience in launching large helium-filled balloons. However, at the airport in North Battleford in 2002, high winds halted Fournier's planned jump. The next spring, his launch director had a heart attack. And in August 2003, the balloon tore, deflating his dream once again. Fournier has a new three-layered balloon designed to lift meteorological loads. It's expected that the jump will allow him to gather scientific data on how the human body behaves under sharply varying physical conditions and altitudes, and could also help with the development of a mechanism that may allow astronauts to eject during landings or departures. © The Edmonton Journal 2006 Don't tell me the sky's the limit when there are footprints on the moon Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Mush 0 #2 March 15, 2006 QuoteWith no air resistance, Fournier would break the sound barrier within 30 seconds, hitting 1,500 kilometres per hour. His free fall would last an estimated six minutes and 25 seconds. How would that be for a RUSH Wonder what you could see at those speeds, things would change pretty fast. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
piisfish 140 #3 March 15, 2006 look for the other recent thread, the article was IIRC oon Herald Tribune. I tend to believe more my Nigerian friends who ask me my bank account so they can put their millions on it, than Michel Fournier.scissors beat paper, paper beat rock, rock beat wingsuit - KarlM Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
billvon 3,096 #4 March 15, 2006 >Wonder what you could see at those speeds . . . Almost nothing. You wouldn't see any motion; you wouldn't even feel any wind (at least until you got lower.) Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
darkwing 5 #5 March 15, 2006 Quote>. . .You wouldn't see any motion; you wouldn't even feel any wind (at least until you got lower.) I beg to differ. The is enough air to float the balloon, and after he gets a little speed up (not very long really) he'll feel plenty of wind. At terminal, it will fell pretty much like regular freefall. The air drag then equals his total weight. -- Jeff My Skydiving History Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
billvon 3,096 #6 March 15, 2006 >and after he gets a little speed up (not very long really) . . . . If he reaches 330m/s (speed of sound) and that's his terminal, that means that he's falling for roughly 50 seconds before he reaches terminal. During the first 30 seconds or so he will feel virtually no wind (very low true airspeed; a few MPH) and see virtually no movement (since he's so high.) Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
kelpdiver 2 #7 March 16, 2006 Quote>Wonder what you could see at those speeds . . . Almost nothing. You wouldn't see any motion; you wouldn't even feel any wind (at least until you got lower.) He may not see motion, but he sure will see a lot below. (unless like in the 60s jump, it's just a giant layer of white below) The view skyward should be pretty good for the minute or two, but I could see it being too dangerous to focus that way at supersonic speeds. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
justchrisdsp 0 #8 March 16, 2006 could you imagine a premie at the speed of sound, The only bad skydive is your last! chris "sonic wookie" harwell Piedra-belluda-roja Rodriguez Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
brianfry713 0 #9 March 16, 2006 For the non metric types: 40km = 131,234 feet Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Richards 0 #10 March 16, 2006 Without wind resistance how is he going to maintain stability, particularly if he has an unstable exit? Pardon my ignorance, but if he can reach speeds of 1500 KM per hour could he not also end up in a spin/tumble that will have too much momentum when he does reach greater air resistance? I am still reasonably low on the learning curve (only have my A) so I do not understand how this may or may not be a problem for him. Richards My biggest handicap is that sometimes the hole in the front of my head operates a tad bit faster than the grey matter contained within. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
piisfish 140 #11 March 16, 2006 Quote Pardon my ignorance, but if he can reach speeds of 1500 KM per hour could he not also end up in a spin/tumble that will have too much momentum when he does reach greater air resistance? in theory yes, he could be highly unstable in the real life NO, cause he's never going to jump. The first person reporting him jumping, even from 3000ft, I'll send 100$ for beer at his/her DZ.scissors beat paper, paper beat rock, rock beat wingsuit - KarlM Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
kelpdiver 2 #12 March 16, 2006 he's not jumping at all these days? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
piisfish 140 #13 March 16, 2006 I don't know, but if you get a proof of it... 100$scissors beat paper, paper beat rock, rock beat wingsuit - KarlM Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Mush 0 #14 March 16, 2006 Just a question, not aimed at anybody. At speeds like that, 1500mph, would you be looking up or down, could you decide where you wanted to look, due to lack of deflectable air & stuff are you just in the hands of the air GOD'S. ? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
billvon 3,096 #15 March 16, 2006 >how is he going to maintain stability . . . He can't. > Pardon my ignorance, but if he can reach speeds of 1500 KM per > hour could he not also end up in a spin/tumble . . . Well, if there's so little air that he can't get stable, there is so little air that it won't spin him, either. He'll just keep the same (likely slow) rotation rate until he gets into denser air, at which point he will be able to slowly get stable. The first 30 seconds or so of the jump will be like the first 2 seconds of a balloon jump - but balloon jumps do not regularly get people into uncontrollable spins. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ockers 0 #16 March 17, 2006 I read an article in a skydive mag a couple of years ago about high altitude balloon jump. I think he had a drogue chute Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
skypuppy 1 #17 March 17, 2006 Quote>how is he going to maintain stability . . . He can't. > Pardon my ignorance, but if he can reach speeds of 1500 KM per > hour could he not also end up in a spin/tumble . . . Well, if there's so little air that he can't get stable, there is so little air that it won't spin him, either. He'll just keep the same (likely slow) rotation rate until he gets into denser air, at which point he will be able to slowly get stable. The first 30 seconds or so of the jump will be like the first 2 seconds of a balloon jump - but balloon jumps do not regularly get people into uncontrollable spins. __________________________________________________ Many of the original high altitude jumps in the 20's and 30's by people like John Tranum or the Russians after him did slow rotations all the way to opening altitude because they didn't know how to fall stable. They would simply watch the stop watch on their hand or chest-mounted reserve to figure out when to dump. Most of them didn[t have altimeters. The Russian ate an apple after he jumped. Once he finished it, he opened.If some old guy can do it then obviously it can't be very extreme. Otherwise he'd already be dead. Bruce McConkey 'I thought we were gonna die, and I couldn't think of anyone Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mx757 4 #18 March 17, 2006 QuoteFor the non metric types: 40km = 131,234 feet 131,234 feet sounds better, 40K sounds well... low. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bob.dino 1 #19 March 17, 2006 QuoteQuoteFor the non metric types: 40km = 131,234 feet 131,234 feet sounds better, 40K sounds well... low. 40K is low compared to 40km Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
kelpdiver 2 #20 March 17, 2006 you outlanders don't actually refer to a 10km race, do you? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
kelpdiver 2 #22 March 17, 2006 to give 40k proper justice, it's nearly accurate to say he would be falling a marathon. (actually 42k, but close enough) It would be close enough to being an astronaut for me - first minute or so you're weightless and the sky is black. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ltdiver 3 #23 March 17, 2006 QuoteI read an article in a skydive mag a couple of years ago about high altitude balloon jump. I think he had a drogue chute Yep. Joe Kittinger. ltdiver Don't tell me the sky's the limit when there are footprints on the moon Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
murrays 0 #24 March 17, 2006 QuoteQuote Pardon my ignorance, but if he can reach speeds of 1500 KM per hour could he not also end up in a spin/tumble that will have too much momentum when he does reach greater air resistance? in theory yes, he could be highly unstable in the real life NO, cause he's never going to jump. The first person reporting him jumping, even from 3000ft, I'll send 100$ for beer at his/her DZ. I never jumped with him, but Fournier jumped at the Prairie Skymasters dz in Wakaw, SK in 2003 when he was out here for the first time. He had a cutaway and I spent a bunch of time getting eaten by mosquitoes helping to find his main.-- Murray "No tyranny is so irksome as petty tyranny: the officious demands of policemen, government clerks, and electromechanical gadgets." - Edward Abbey Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
piisfish 140 #25 March 17, 2006 I meant jumping between now and the record. Was 2003 his last jump ? They announced training jumps at a famous french DZ for training, but noone ever saw him there.scissors beat paper, paper beat rock, rock beat wingsuit - KarlM Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
