[dighton]

The Longest Leap

[NYS_Eric]

Thanks for the link. Looks like the colnel made a career out of bravery.

[SERKIT]

Man-High

This was the Air Force Project for high altitude parachute experiments.

[Henry F. Bowman]

Interesting facts:

The jumper will achieve supersonic speeds.

A key risk is that he starts to spin (on a vertical axis) faster and faster, until the centrifugal G-forces kill him. (The blood vessels in one's head might essentially explode.)

[Rain-maker]

Maybe he'll burn up on re-entry. Look for the ball of fire...LOL

[JoeGar]

In flight school, I remember one story about a fellow who set a parachute record, while killing himself, after jumping from a balloon over water. As he descended, he released himself from his parachute when he thought he was only a few feet above the water. Because it is difficult to judge height over water without any visual references, he misjudged his altitude and released himself from his 'chute way too soon, killing himself by the fall.